Deadline July 5

 The deadline is in 5 days. Read the submission guidelines here:

https://www.jsmcontest.ca/p/2026-submission-guidelines.html

Message from MS Canada

There is one month until the deadline of the Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest. All entry fees will be matched by the sponsor, Cedar Valley Investments, and donated to MS Canada. They sent us this message remembering Julia:

“Julia was a bright light in our work together -- giving herself generously in wisdom, spirit and time. As a beloved friend to many in the MS community, she touched the lives of many with her optimism, passion, and love for life. 

After having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004, she became heavily involved with MS Canada mission work. As an active member of the Government Relations team, she was a veteran of Day-on-the-Hill advocacy campaigns and was a part of the successful advocacy work that resulted in the federal government’s decision to extend the Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

She was a MS Walk participant for 15+ years and a strong advocate for access to treatment and support for the newly diagnosed.  In 2021, Julia became Vice Chair of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation’s (MSIF), People With and Affected by MS Expert Group. She became a member of MS Canada’s Board of Directors in 2023.”

FAQ: Eligibility

Unpublished authors aged 16 and older who reside in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia are eligible for this contest. Winners who are under the age of majority in their province of residence must have a parental release form signed in order to collect prize money.

6. Can I enter the contest if I am a previous winner?

Yes, but please wait at least one year before entering again.

7. Can someone who is turning 16 the same year as the contest enter?

The person submitting a story to the contest must be 16 years of age on the date the prizes are awarded, which will normally be on the last Saturday in September.

Please keep in mind that this is and adult writing contest.

FAQ: Rights and Publication

4. Will I retain the rights to my work?
5. Will my story be published?

The author retains all rights to their submitted work.

By submitting your story to our contest, you grant JSM Contest the right to publish your name and story title on our website and in promotional materials.

If you are a contest winner or finalist, we will publish the story on our website.

Prize winning stories will also be published in an anthology of winnings stories, to be published after the third year of the contest.

FAQ: Can I make changes after I submit?

Minor typos and formatting issues will more than likely not affect the judges' decisions, but at this time we will allow you to resubmit your story with minor changes. If you are submitting an entire new story, you will have to pay another entry fee. 

3. Can I make changes to my submission after I submit?

Yes, you can resubmit the same story for no fee up to three times, until the deadline.

FAQ: Genre requirements

2. Is there a genre restriction?

Stories can be in any genre, intended for an adult audience, and will be judged for creativity and writing quality. Only short prose fiction will be accepted. Poetry submissions will not be accepted. Stories for children will not be accepted.

There can be some overlap between fiction and creative nonfiction, but as long as your entry reads like a story it will likely be accepted.

You can find all of our frequently asked questions here: F.A.Q.s

If you have any questions about our contest, please don't hesitate to email us at jsmcontest@gmail.com  

FAQ: Unpublished writers

This is the most asked question about the contest. Our goal is to support and encourage new or late-blooming writers who are trying to become established as authors, so it might make sense to change our wording to "emerging authors". For now, here is our definition of "unpublished author".

1. Can you clarify what you mean by "unpublished author"?

For this contest, being an unpublished author means:

a) That you have not published a single work of fiction over 10,000 words for payment, in any form.

b) That you have not had more than 3 works of fiction under 10,000 words selected for publication for payment, by a publisher other than the author, in any form.

You ARE still eligible if:

a) You have self-published a novel or novella but have not sold any copies.

b) You have self-published short fiction on your own personal platform.

c) You have published short fiction with a third party publication but did not receive payment.

d) You have won a prize for this or another contest. Being published as a contest winner does not count unless you were paid specifically for publication of your story.

You can find all of our frequently asked questions here: F.A.Q.s

If you have any questions about our contest, please don't hesitate to email us at jsmcontest@gmail.com