We asked for your strangest, most out of the box stories and essays and you certainly delivered. We are thrilled to share the final fifteen submissions to the 2026 Prize for New Narratives! One winner and two finalists will be selected by Charles Yu from this shortlist. Congratulations to the writers below, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the support with this new contest. We were so encouraged to see so many unique approaches to and deconstructions of narrative. Check back in August for news on this year’s finalists!
“JUNE, a not-play” by Alexandra Apuzzo
“First Name Unknown” by Deborah Augustin
“Stories and Stakes in a Noisy Democracy” by Annie Bartos
“How to Classify the Land in the New World” by Mandolin Brassaw
“The Fox and the Tree and the Thunder” by Tomiko Breland
“The title is not included in the word count, which means a person of superior intellect such as Kevin, thought Kevin, could seize upon this oversight and venture far beyond the bounds of the word coun” by Scott Cash
“De-Escalation with a Conscientious Mindset” by Ben Chappelow
“Risk Assessment for Dating” by Carol Claassen
“Domain 1” by Amy Dusto
“Global Environmental Support Hotline” by Deahna Fumarol
“In Defense of Infidelity (or Against Romance)” by Daniel Garcia
“Metanarratives Live On Jimmy Kimmel” by A. Kann
“What Happened (a Montage)” by Victoria Sottosanti
“Brain Drain” by J Valencia-Cheng
“How to Begin a Love Story” by Lei Wang