Helter Skelter is a proud partner of the Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize.
The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize celebrates the best of new short fiction from around the world. In addition to cash awards and writing retreats, Prize-winning and shortlisted authors have the opportunity to be published in multiple print and online journals, and have their work presented to literary agents in multiple countries.
As a partner publication of the 2025 Desperate Literature Prize, Helter Skelter is offering fully sponsored entries for five promising Indian writers. Interested authors who are eligible and would like to apply for a sponsored entry through Helter Skelter must submit their work for consideration before 31 March 2025.
To apply for a sponsored entry via Helter Skelter, please email your work to write@helterskelter.in on or before 31 March 2025.
- Email us your work using the subject line ‘Desperate Literature Prize 2025’.
- Submissions must be in English.
- Submissions must be made as email attachments in PDF format (carrying no mention of the author’s name).
- Submissions that carry an author name (in the PDF file) will not be considered.
- Submissions must be previously unpublished works of up to 2,000 words.
- Entrants must be individuals over 18 years of age and not a company or organisation.
- Entrants (for the purpose of this sponsored entry process) must be Indian citizens.
- Entrants may submit more than one story (up to five), but please note that multiple stories must be submitted together.
- Translations are accepted. Entrants may be the original author or the translator of the piece, but must have permission to submit and the rights for both pieces, and must be willing to provide proof of both, if necessary. Neither the translation nor the original story may have been published previously. Cash prizes will be shared between translator and original author (where possible).
- This competition is open to all writers (with or without an agent, published or previously unpublished) as long as their story itself meets the entry requirements.
Please click here to view all the eligibility and submission criteria before submitting your work. Five writers will be selected by the Helter Skelter team and nominated—at no cost to the selected writers—for the Desperate Literature Prize 2025.
About Desperate Literature
Desperate Literature is a joint project between Craig Walzer, Corey Eastwood, Charlotte Delattre, and Terry Craven. Between them they own Atlantis Books (in Santorini, Greece), Book Thug Nation, and Human Relations (in Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A.)
