There are currently no Fiction Slam Contests scheduled. Please check back regularly for new offerings.
What is the Three-Minute Fiction Slam?
Three-Minute Fiction Slam is a fast-paced literary competition that challenges writers to perform original pieces of fiction in three minutes or less in front of a panel of judges. Each year, the competition begins in regions throughout the state. Each regional winner competes in the final competition. The prize for the winner is $250; second and third place finalists will receive a NHWP workshop of their choice.
How does the event work?
Here is what you can expect from a Three-Minute Fiction Slam contest:
- The host welcomes the audience and writers and offers a general overview of the evening.
- Writers take turns presenting original flash fiction pieces of no more than three minutes in length when read aloud.
- After each writer is done, judges give (very brief) verbal feedback and secretly record a numeric score out of five. One point overall will be deducted if an author goes over the allotted three minutes.
- The judges keep a private score for each piece. At the end of the night, the contestant with the highest score wins. In the event of a tie, the audience selects the winner through an “Applause-O-Meter” test as determined by the judges.
- Regional winners are invited to participate in the Three-Minute Fiction Slam state finals. If they cannot attend, then the runner-up will be sent.
- Past winners have performed their works for the Business in the Arts Awards Ceremony, the Currier Museum, and on-air at NHPR.
Want to host a contest?
Regional contests are produced by Writers’ Night Out hosts, educational institutions, libraries, or otherwise interested volunteers. Producers do three things prior to an event.
- First, they select and book a venue between now and early March. Pubs, coffee shops, rock clubs, and restaurants have all hosted events in the past.
- Second, the producer acts as contact for registration. The regional competition is limited to 10 participants, so a waiting list may need to be maintained in case someone gets cold feet.
- Third, the host selects three judges.
Interested in producing a contest? Contact us and we can help get you set up.
