While we at SMITH are firm believers in using a restricted amount of words to get to the heart of a story, there’s something to be said for the idea of restricting the amount time used to compose a story (An idea that seems strangely familiar after a year of working at SMITH and correcting [...]

Because the first few rounds resulted in such amazing stories, NPR’s All Things Considered is returning with another round of their Three-Minute Fiction contest.
The premise remains the same: Compose an original story of 600 words or fewer that tells the story of the selected photograph on NPR’s website. Your entries must be received by February [...]

If your name isn’t David Gallagher, then unfortunately this one isn’t for you. If you are still reading this however, and your name is David Gallagher, then you have the opportunity to be involved in giving one woman a very unique, very awesome birthday surprise.
David Gallagher’s wife, Fiona, has a birthday coming up in early [...]

Tin House Magazine, the magazine and book publishers that aim to publish the “compelling and authentic narratives of our time,” are currently accepting submissions on the subject of class in America for their upcoming Fall issue.
Specifically, they’re looking for submissions in the form of fiction, essays, and poetry on the subject that come from a [...]

Are you a fiction writer looking for a productive way to kick off the new year? Well you should head over to NYC Midnight, the website that looks to give aspiring writers and filmmakers an outlet for their creativity through challenges and contests, where they are currently looking for competitors for their 4th annual Short [...]

A lot can happen in the course of a year. And with today being the day we usually spend in a state of (possibly hungover) reflection, thinking of all the little and big moments that made up the previous year, it seems appropriate to introduce a project that aims to capture all these moments for the coming [...]

When it comes to decorating your home for the holidays, people tend to go overboard. And while it starts out innocently enough with some lights and a wreath, it usually doesn’t take long for things to escalate into a Clark Griswald-esque situation.
If you or someone you know is in the process of creating a spectacular holiday display [...]

Are you a woman who has lead a uniquely interesting life? Did your actions break gender boundaries or defy the conventions of the time or place you lived in? If so, you should head over to the website of frequent NPR contributors, The Kitchen Sisters, and pitch your story for their upcoming radio and online [...]

With Sarah Palin’s much anticipated memoir finally being released last week, there’s been some discussion about fictionalizing the truth. Well New York Magazine has decided to take this idea and run with it by asking seven writers to each take a political figure and insert them into fictional stories that look deep into “the hearts, minds, [...]

Lying around in a tryptophan induced coma is a wonderful way to spend quality time with your loved ones after a Thanksgiving meal. In fact, advertisers encourage it—all the better to have supple meat blocks for soaking in their consumo-Christmas marinade. Instead of blocking out ads this Thanksgiving in fear that they will sublimate [...]