Humans Write Flash Fiction Competition

Official Rules & Participation Agreement

This agreement (the “Agreement”) sets forth the official rules (the “Rules”) entered into by and between you, an individual purchasing a submission (the “Entrant”) through  www.humanswrite.com and Answering Machine LLC d/b/a Humans Write (the “Company”). By purchasing a submission, Entrant acknowledges that they have read, understand, and agree to be bound by this Agreement, including the official rules governing the Flash Fiction contest set forth below (the “Official Rules”). Entrant and Company (collectively, the “Parties”) agree as follows:

1. Contest Overview

Contest Name: Flash Fiction

Organizer: The Company

Entry Fee: $50 early entry fee, $60 entry fee

Entry Definition: An “Entry” means a single written submission that complies with all requirements set forth in this Agreement, including the word limit, formatting, and submission guidelines. Each purchased submission constitutes one Entry.

Theme: This flash fiction contest welcomes writers of all backgrounds and styles. Whether your piece is literary or genre-bending, sci-fi, romance, humor, mystery, memoir, or something that defies labels. What matters most is character-driven storytelling that comes from you. 

Submission Deadline: Monday, February 9, 2026 at 11:59 CST. All Entries must be received by the Submission Deadline in order to be eligible for prizes.

Refunds: Refund requests may be made via email up until 48 hours before the Submission Deadline. Refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 7-10 business days.

Odds of winning: $5,750 in prizes will be awarded. If the maximum 650 entries are received, each Entry has a 1 in 26 chance of winning (3.8%). Actual odds depend on the total number of eligible entries received; if fewer than 650 entries are received, the odds of winning improve.

Total cash prizes available: $5,750 (20 total prizes)

Prize Structure: Top ten ranked Entries each receive $500. Entries ranked 11 through 25 (Honorable Mentions) each receive $50.

Skill-Based Contest: This is a writing competition judged solely on literary merit and adherence to stated criteria. Chance plays no role in determining winners.

Entries per Person: Entrants are able to purchase and submit a maximum of three entries per competition. 

 

2. Eligibility

Age Requirement: Open to individuals who are 18 years of age or older as of the Submission Deadline. Each Entry must be original, unpublished work written by the Entrant.

Jurisdiction: Open to residents of jurisdictions where skill-based writing contests are permitted by law. Void where prohibited.

Original Work: Each Entry must be an original work of fiction created under the creative direction and authorship of the Entrant. Limited use of AI tools is permitted only if fully disclosed in accordance with Section 9: Artificial Intelligence, Writing Software, and large language models (LLMs). Entries must not have been previously published or made publicly available.

AI Declaration: Entrants must accurately categorize their Entry as Human Written, Robot Assisted or Robot Written in accordance with Section 9.

3. Entry Guidelines

Word Limit: Maximum length is 750 words and there is no minimum word count. The Entry’s title does not count towards word limit.

File Format: Entries must be uploaded as a Word (.doc or .docx), .txt, or .rtf file.

File Naming Convention: Save the file as “ORDERNUMBER_TITLE-NAME” (e.g., 12345_The-Last-Sky).

Formatting Requirements: Use Times New Roman, black font on a white background.

Content Restrictions: No images, hyperlinks, or embedded media are permitted.

Anonymity: The author’s name must not appear anywhere in the story or file name.

Language: Entries must be written in English. Foreign-language words or phrases may be used for stylistic purposes; however, judges are not required to research translations or context, and lack of understanding will not be grounds for appeal.

Noncompliance Penalty: Entries that fail to follow these guidelines may incur a penalty of up to 50 points (10% of total score) at the judges’ discretion.

Order Confirmation: Entrants are responsible for retaining their order confirmation email, which includes their order number. The order number must be provided at the time of submission.

4. Rights & Permissions

Ownership: Entrants retain all ownership and copyright in their submitted stories.

License for Display: During submission, each Entrant will indicate whether they consent to the Company sharing or publishing their Entry, including but not limited to publication on the Company’s website, social media channels, printed collections, or use in marketing or educational materials. If an Entrant grants consent, the Entrant thereby grants the Company a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, display, and distribute the Entry for promotional or educational purposes. If an Entrant withholds consent, the Entry will be judged privately and will not be shared or published by the Company in any form if the Entrant does not win.

Exclusivity Period: Entrants whose submissions are selected as prize-winning Entries automatically grant the Company a temporary, exclusive license to publish and promote the Entry for a period of fourteen (14) calendar days following the public announcement of contest results (the “Exclusivity Period”). During the Exclusivity Period, prize-winning Entrants may not publish or distribute their Entry, in whole or in part, through self-publishing, online platforms, newsletters, or social media, except to share or repost content published by the Company. Upon expiration of the Exclusivity Period, all exclusive rights revert fully to the Entrant; however, each prize-winning Entrant also grants the Company a continuing, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display, reproduce, and distribute the winning Entry thereafter for archival, promotional, educational, or marketing purposes.

Attribution: Whenever the Company publishes or shares an Entry, full credit will be given to the Entrant as the author.

5. Judging & Feedback

Competition Format: The contest consists of one round of judging.

Judging Panel: All Entries will be reviewed and scored by human judges selected by the Company for their experience in writing, editing, or literary evaluation.

Scoring System: Each Entry will be evaluated on a 500-point rubric according to the categories listed below.

Feedback: Written feedback will be provided for every Entry.

Finality: All judging decisions are final and binding and made at the sole discretion of Humans Write.

Ties: The scoring rubric is designed to minimize the likelihood of ties. In the event of a tie, the Company may, in its sole discretion, recognize both recipients and adjust awards accordingly.

Penalties for Rule Violations: Entries may incur point deductions for failure to comply with contest requirements, including:

○  Word count overage: Up to 50 points (10% of total score)

○  Formatting noncompliance: Up to 50 points (10% of total score)

Penalty for Robot Written Entries: Entries that are declared to be Robot Written, as defined in Section 9 below, will receive a penalty of 100 points (20% of total score).

Disqualification for Failure to Disclose: Entrants who fail to disclose AI use consistent with the definitions in Section 9 (e.g. declaring that an Entry is Human Written when it is Robot Assisted or declaring that an Entry is Robot Assisted when it is Robot Written) or who misrepresent the nature of their Entry’s authorship will be disqualified from the Contest.

Scoring Categories

Entries are evaluated across the following categories:

6. Prizes

Announcement: Winners will be announced following completion of the judging process and verification of eligibility.

Prize Pool: A total of $5,500 in cash prizes will be awarded, distributed among 20 prize recipients in accordance with the structure described in Section 1 (Contest Overview).

Additional Recognition: Prizes may also include publication, feature recognition, and/or promotional highlights at the discretion of the Company.

Delivery: Cash prizes will be paid within 30 days of winner notification and winner providing payment information to Company.

Taxes: All federal, state, and local taxes associated with receipt of any prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.

Notification: Entrant must monitor their email inbox and spam folder for messages from hello@humanswrite.com throughout the Contest. To ensure delivery, Entrant is encouraged to add this address to their contacts.

7. Disqualification

The Company reserves the right to disqualify any Entry that:

• Exceeds the Word Limit: Entries that exceed the 750-word maximum.

• Violates Authorship Rules: Includes plagiarized, copyright-infringing, or substantially AI-generated content, or otherwise fails to comply with Section 9 (Artificial Intelligence, Writing Software, and LLMs).

• Contains Prohibited Content: Contains gratuitous or offensive material, including but not limited to hate speech, unlawful discrimination, explicit pornographic content, or excessively graphic violence.

• Fails to Meet Eligibility Requirements: Does not comply with the Eligibility criteria in Section 2 or other contest rules.

8. Originality and Copyright Registration

By entering, Entrant represents and warrants that their Entry is an original work of fiction created solely by the Entrant and does not infringe upon or violate the intellectual property, moral rights, or other rights of any third party.

Given the nature of the Contest’s theme, multiple entrants may submit stories exploring similar topics or concepts. The Company accepts no responsibility or liability for any overlapping ideas or for any copyright claims, disputes, or allegations of similarity that may arise.

All claims relating to ownership, authorship, or copyright infringement will be directed to the Entrant. Entrants are encouraged, at their own discretion, to register their work with the U.S. Copyright Office prior to submission to establish a formal record of authorship.

 9. Artificial Intelligence, Writing Software, and the use of LLMs

By entering, each Entrant must classify their Entry as one of the following: (i) “Human Written” (ii) “Robot Assisted” or (iii) “Robot Written.” This declaration must be made truthfully at the time of submission.

For the purposes of this Contest, works primarily generated by artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools — even when prompted, guided, or edited by a human — will not be considered original human authorship. Just as a factory-produced desk cannot be described as “handmade,” a story substantially produced by AI cannot be considered human-written.

(i) “Human Written” Definition

“Human Written” is defined as the sole creation of the Entrant. A human must have written the piece in its entirety. Limited tools such as spellcheck or grammar review software (including AI-based grammar tools) may be used to proofread or edit language mechanics. The Entrant may also seek feedback from other humans and incorporate suggested revisions. However, the use of AI or automated writing systems, including “LLMs”, to generate, rewrite, or substantially compose any portion of the Entry is strictly prohibited. Entries declared as Human Written found to contain any AI-generated or AI-rewritten content are subject to disqualification per Section 5.

(ii) “Robot Assisted” Definition

“Robot Assisted” is defined as a human-led work in which the Entrant maintains primary creative control and authorship while using AI tools or LLMs in a limited, supporting capacity such as generating ideas, drafting short passages, or editing prose. The majority of the story’s structure, voice, and narrative content must originate from the Entrant. Entries declared as “Robot Assisted” must remain primarily authored by the Entrant, with AI contributions limited to less than 40% of the final text. Entries declared as Robot Assisted and determined to rely predominantly on AI-generated material such that the story’s voice, structure, or creative content is chiefly attributable to AI are subject to disqualification per Section 5. 

(iii) “Robot Written” Definition

“Robot Written” is defined as a work in which AI tools, LLMs, or automated writing software play a primary or substantive role in generating the story’s text, structure, or creative expression, such that the overall work is principally derived from AI-generated output rather than original human authorship. This includes works created by providing a prompt, command, or instruction to an AI system and adopting the output substantially as produced. Minor edits, corrections, or superficial modification such as spelling adjustments, word substitutions, or slight rephrasing do not alter a work’s classification as Robot Written. Robot Written Entries will receive a penalty per Section 5.

10. Liability & Indemnification

By entering the Contest, Entrant acknowledges and agrees that participation is voluntary and undertaken at the Entrant’s sole risk. Entrant assumes full responsibility for all aspects of participation, including the preparation, creation, and submission of their Entry.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Entrant hereby releases, waives, and discharges the Company, together with its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, contractors, judges, and agents, from any and all claims, liabilities, demands, actions, or causes of action arising out of or relating to participation in the Contest; the preparation, creation, or content of any Entry; the evaluation, judging, or scoring process; any use, publication, or display of the Entry by the Company in accordance with this Agreement; and the awarding, acceptance, or use of any prize.

Entrant further agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company from and against any and all third-party claims, damages, losses, costs, or expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising from or relating to Entrant’s participation in the Contest, breach of this Agreement, or any allegation that the Entry infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates the rights of any third party.

The Contest is offered for entertainment and educational purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation of employment or a hiring opportunity. No employment, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship is created between Entrant and the Company by virtue of participation in the Contest.

In no event shall the Company be liable to any Entrant for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising out of or related to the Contest, regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise. The maximum aggregate liability of the Company to any Entrant shall not exceed the amount of the entry fee paid by that Entrant.

11. Force Majeure, Cancellations, and Amendments

If a force majeure event occurs that prevents or materially interferes with the administration, operation, or completion of the Contest, or the awarding of prizes, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics, war, terrorism, cyber disruption, civil unrest, governmental orders, labor disputes, power failures, network outages, or other causes beyond the reasonable control of the Company, the Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, postpone, suspend, or modify the Contest, or any part thereof. In such an event, Entrants shall be entitled to a refund of their Entry Fee as the sole and exclusive remedy.

In the event the Contest is canceled for any reason, including insufficient participation, technical malfunction, or any other condition that, in the judgment of the Company, compromises the integrity or fairness of the Contest, the Company may cancel the Contest entirely or modify its structure, timeline, or prize distribution in a manner deemed fair and appropriate under the circumstances. If the Contest is canceled before judging occurs, all Entrants will receive a full refund of their Entry Fees. 

The Company retains the right to make reasonable amendments, adjustments, or revisions to the Contest or these Official Rules at any time in the interest of fairness, legality, or operational feasibility. Material changes that affect Entrants’ substantive rights, including prize amounts or eligibility requirements, will be communicated promptly to all registered Entrants using the contact information provided at the time of submission.

It is the responsibility of each Entrant to monitor communications from the Company and stay informed of any updates or changes to the Contest. Continued participation following notice of any amendment shall constitute acceptance of the revised terms.

12. Electronic or Technological Failures

The Company is not responsible for any technical malfunctions, transmission errors, system outages, corrupted files, incompatible formats, or other electronic failures that may affect the submission, receipt, or judging of any Entry. This includes, without limitation, inaccurate, incomplete, lost, delayed, misdirected, or otherwise failed submissions resulting from internet service interruptions, website errors, server issues, or user-side technical problems.

Entrants are solely responsible for saving backup copies of their work, ensuring proper file formatting, and allowing sufficient time to complete and submit their Entries prior to the Contest deadline specified in Section 1 (Contest Overview). Late, corrupted, or inaccessible Entries will not be accepted, and no refunds will be issued for Entries that fail to upload or transmit successfully.

13. Contest Administrator

The Administrator of this contest is:

Answering Machine LLC d/b/a Humans Write

PO Box 141354

Austin, TX 78714

 

The Administrator will award prizes and retain records related to the contest. “Humans Write” is a pending trademark of Answering Machine LLC. 

14. Governing Law

This Contest and all related matters shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Contest, the submission of Entries, the judging process, or the awarding of prizes shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Travis County, Texas. Each Entrant expressly consents to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and waives any objection to venue or forum on the grounds of inconvenience or otherwise.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Entrant and the Company waive their right to a trial by jury in any action or proceeding arising out of or related to this Contest or this Agreement.

Entrants participating from outside the U.S. acknowledge that U.S. and Texas law shall govern, and any participation is at their own risk regarding compliance with local contest laws.

This Contest is void where prohibited by law.

 

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