Short Story Contest: Mythic Tales | Due May 31 – Anyone can enter!

Short Story Contest: Mythic Tales | Due May 31 – Anyone can enter!

May 1, 2022 | Announcements, Contest, Latest

Come one, come all! Our second contest has begun, where anyone who loves writing fiction, and agrees with the CatholicAuthor vision, is invited to send in a short ‘mythic’ story. The winners get published in our journal, online, and earn free membership to our community!

‘Mythic’ means any heroic story of a character dealing with a problem, and finding a way to overcome it to make the world right again. The central theme is heroism and meaning. Most of the stories we enjoy are mythic like that. They don’t have to include mythological elements or creatures. Fantasy, sci fi, historical adventure, all is classified under the very broad sense of ‘mythic tales.’

Visit the contest page on the Journal for entry details, and how judging happens.

How to Enter | Send in my Story

Contest Theme: Mythic Tales

Your short story submission must be between 1,500 to 3,000 words. All cultures and writing styles welcome! Original stories or retellings welcome.

Mythic Tales is an adventurous and mystical genre, than can trend into the epic, gothic, or the whimsical. It’s up to you! The role of myth is to explore how individuals answer the call of their culture. While some myths are about origins, or ritual explanations for natural events, we’re talking about something different.

We’re thinking about what it means to be a person, a hero, challenged to take action within the morals of our culture. We have formed our sense of identity, and now that sense is put to the test. Mythic stories are often wide and epic in scope, with heroes, heroines, talking animals, gods and angels, demons and dragons, light and dark.

Myths are about the contact between our center and our culture, often to discover that we have fallen short – short in our idea of ourselves, and what reality is. As a genre, myths are largely ignored, but they encompass almost every fantasy story, superhero stories, frontier fiction… anything heroic.

You can be as immersive and original as Tolkien, as allegorical as Lewis, as intentionally detailed as Sanderson, or as world-blending as Rowling. Your heroes can be irrevent as Tony Stark, loyal as Captain America, broody as Batman, lighthearted as Superman.

And there are many others. Star Wars. Harry Potter. Game of Thrones. Narnia.

Recommendation: No fan fiction. Your creative world may be similar to your favorite series, but must have original content.

CatholicAuthor is the online community for the modern Catholic fiction writer, 17+. CatholicAuthor Teens is the private community for high schoolers, 13+! Join us each month for monthly genre challenges, quarterly contests, and a regular printable journal – Pennon. Check out our manifesto course, ‘How to be a Catholic Author’ – linked within the adult or teen community!

It’s the most exciting way for writers new and old to share works in progress, give and get feedback, build your writing portfolio, make friends and networks, and get mentorship! Winners of the contest get published in Pennon, our quarterly journal.

Comment below your favorite mythic story – or your favorite superhero!

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Dominic Vera

Founder of LegendFiction, and a total Wandery. Geeks over epics, mystics, science, the angelic, & Netflix. A young, Catholic dad and novelist passionate about worldbuilding and faith-inspired fiction. A graduate from the Writer’s Institute for Children’s Literature, self-published a children’s novel, and works as a full time marketer and graphic designer. Married, with a small girl and a smaller corgi. Website | See more of Dominic's posts

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