FLESH Fiction Competition Rules
Last updated 11 February 2025.
These Competition Rules set out the agreement between Not Quite Write (“we”) and entrants (“you”) regarding entry into a round of the erotic flash fiction competition, the Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH Fiction (“the competition”). The Competition Rules constitute the terms and conditions for entry.
Anyone in the world over the age of 18 can enter the competition.
The competition is run from New South Wales, Australia. All times, dates and monetary amounts are of that region unless otherwise specified.
By entering the competition, you declare that your entry is a work of original fiction composed by you specifically for the competition, and that it was not written wholly or in substantial part prior to commencement of the competition, or for another purpose.
Key dates
Submissions open at midday 14 February 2025 AEDT (“commencement”) and close at midnight (end of day) 24 August AEST (“deadline”).
Late entries will not be accepted except in the event of a catastrophic technological or other failure on our part, or otherwise at our sole discretion.
The period between the commencement and deadline of the competition is referred to as the “competition window”.
The judging process will begin the next day and continue for approximately 3 months (“judging window”). We will announce the prize winners on our website and podcast alongside each author’s full name (or pen name, if provided) on or before the final Sunday of the judging window (“announcement”). We may also announce longlisted entries prior to this date at our discretion.
We reserve the right to modify the judging window and/or advance or delay the announcements at our discretion.
How to enter
You must submit your entry using the form located at https://notquitewritepodcast.com/fleshfiction/submit (“entry form”). Email entries will not be accepted.
Each participant is allowed just one entry. If you make an error, you may resubmit your entry within the competition window using the word RESUBMITTING before the title in the Title field. We will take your most recent entry for judging.
We reserve the right to make reasonable accommodations to allow entrants with relevant disabilities to participate in the competition. What is “reasonable” in this case will be at our sole discretion, however must, at a minimum, allow the judges to consider the entry without being able to identify the entrant.
It is your sole responsibility to ensure we receive your entry via the entry form by the deadline.
Required entry format
Your entry must be a piece of erotic flash fiction written in response to the theme: “Making the unsexy irresistible.” You may interpret this theme in whatever creative way you see fit.
The only limitations to your creativity are the following rules around permissible content:
- All characters must be consenting adults.
Stories featuring paedophilia, zoophilia or any other unconsented sexual content, imagined or otherwise, are expressly prohibited.
Stories featuring supernatural and fantasy characters are permitted, provided any parties to sexual activity could reasonably be classed as consenting adults.
Stories featuring “sentient object” erotica or other creative concepts are also permitted, provided any parties to sexual activity could reasonably be classed as consenting adults. - All characters must be fictional.
Stories featuring real people as characters, whether by name or direct implication, are expressly prohibited.
In limited circumstances, it may be acceptable to make a passing mention of a public figure – for example to help describe a character’s appearance by comparison – however the public figure must not feature as a character in the story.
Your entry must be strictly no longer than 1,500 words. The title is not included in this count. Hyphenated words count as one word. Some forms of punctuation may be counted as words. Ultimately, the word count is determined by the entry form.
Your entry must be written substantially in the English language. You may use some words and phrases from other languages provided the meaning is clear in the context of your entry.
It is your sole responsibility to ensure you submit a complete and compliant entry.
The prizes
The competition offers a cash prize pool of AU$1,000.
Stories will be split into six Categories for judging, and the judges will select a winner for each. The Overall Winner will be selected from the six Category Winners at the sole and subjective discretion of Not Quite Write (in consultation with the judging panel).
Prize monies will be distributed as follows:
In the unlikely event of a tie, prize monies will be split evenly between the relevant entries at our sole discretion.
Cash prizes are calculated based on their Australian Dollar value and will be distributed by bank transfer (if in Australia) or PayPal (if international). Any applicable currency conversion will be determined by the relevant financial institution at the time of transfer. All applicable fees and taxes are the sole responsibility of the prize winners.
In addition to the prize money, a range of sponsored non-cash prizes is available. The prize list will be published at https://notquitewritepodcast.com/fleshfiction and is subject to change without notice. Sponsored non-cash prizes may be awarded for any reason at our sole and subjective discretion (in consultation with the judging panel). We make no warranties or guarantees relating to the sponsored non-cash prizes.
How we determine the winners
The competition is a game of skill. The judges will award all cash prizes and sponsored non-cash prizes on the basis of merit, and merit will be determined at their sole and subjective discretion.
The entry form facilitates blind judging by allowing us to de-identify entries before judging begins. During judging, the judges will only see information entered in the ‘Title’, ‘Entry’, and ‘Content Warning’ fields. For this reason, you must not include any information in these fields which could reasonably identify you as the entrant. This includes characters, themes and settings that may identify you. We may exclude identifiable entries from consideration for monetary prizes if we believe it will impact fairness.
When submitting your story, you will be asked to select the one Category in which you prefer your story to be judged. The judges will determine a Category Winner for each of the Categories. The Overall Winner will then be selected from the six Category Winners at the sole and subjective discretion of Not Quite Write (in consultation with the judging panel).
The Categories, including broad definitions, are as follows:
Erotic Comedy | Stories where sexual activity plays a central role, but the primary aim is to entertain and amuse rather than arouse. These narratives often incorporate humour, satire, or absurdity to explore erotic themes in a light-hearted or playful manner. |
Erotic Romance | Stories that blend eroticism with romance, where sexual activity is integral to the narrative, but the focus remains on the development, continuation, or dissolution of a loving relationship. The tone is emotionally driven, emphasising intimacy, connection, and character growth. |
Fantasy & Supernatural Erotica | Stories in which sexual activity is central to the narrative, featuring fantasy or supernatural elements such as mythical creatures, magic, or otherworldly settings. This Category includes a broad spectrum, from romantic paranormal encounters to more extreme “monster sex” and myth-inspired erotic fantasies. |
Literary Erotica | Erotic stories that prioritise artistic expression, experimentation, or non-traditional narrative structures. This includes works that explore sexuality through poetic forms, stream-of-consciousness writing, abstract storytelling, or avant-garde techniques, often emphasising style and thematic depth as much as arousal. |
Kink & Taboo | Stories that explore unconventional or socially controversial aspects of sexuality, such as BDSM, power dynamics, or age-gap relationships. While these narratives may push boundaries, in accordance with the Competition Rules, all parties to any sexual activity must be consenting adults. |
Other Erotic Subgenres | Erotic stories that don’t fit neatly into the Categories above but still place sexual activity at the core of the narrative. This includes erotic horror, historical erotica, science fiction erotica, and other niche subgenres that explore sexuality through distinct stylistic or thematic lenses. |
We note that stories featuring characters across the spectrum of gender and sexual identities will be accepted in all genres.
Due to the nature of erotic fiction, we expect some of these Categories to attract significantly more entries than others. We reserve the right to merge any Category or Categories that receive fewer than twenty-five entries and redistribute the prize monies accordingly.
We reserve the right to make all decisions necessary to facilitate the competition, including determining the specific judging methods and processes of elimination, which may vary. Our decision on all matters is final.
About the judges
The members of the judging panel will be published at https://notquitewritepodcast.com/fleshfiction. Judges may be assigned to evaluate entries in one or more Categories.
Because the judges are volunteering their time, the judging panel is subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to modify the judging panel at any time, for any reason and at our sole discretion.
Because judging is blind, the competition remains open to friends and family of Not Quite Write and the members of the judging panel. Immediate family members and household members of Not Quite Write and the judging panel will not be eligible for cash prizes.
Privacy and Intellectual Property rights
By entering the competition, you agree to allow us to publicly discuss your entry on the podcast using your full name (or pen name, if provided).
You further agree to assign to us Non-Exclusive Worldwide English Language rights including print, electronic and audio rights, for all editions, and in all media for full use of your entry in perpetuity including, but not limited to, the following formats:
- Not Quite Write Prize collection (print)
- Not Quite Write Prize collection (eBook)
- Not Quite Write Prize collection (audio book)
- All Not Quite Write platforms including podcast, website and social media accounts
- Other print, electronic or audio works not listed above including future anthologies and collections
You also agree to assign us the right to use your full name (or pen name, if provided) and your entry in part or whole for advertising, promoting, or other publicity for Not Quite Write and its products and services.
The decision as to whether to publish your entry, and on which platforms (if any), remains at our sole discretion.
If we elect to publish your entry, we may ask you to provide an accompanying image or likeness and biographical information. We will only use personal information expressly provided and approved by you.
As the assigned rights are non-exclusive, you retain the right to publish your entry elsewhere, including paid markets. You agree however to use best efforts to ensure all publications of your story bear the indication that the work was originally written for the Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH Fiction. You further agree not to sell or publish your entry until after the announcement to preserve anonymity in the judging process.
Refer to our Privacy Policy for more information about how we collect, store, and use your personal information.
Responsibility for notices
It is your sole responsibility to mark relevant dates and times in your calendar, noting the relevant time zone, and ensure that you have all the information necessary to enter the competition before the deadline.
We strongly recommend you add the notquitewrite.com and notquitewritepodcast.com domains to your email safe senders list to ensure timely communication about the competition. We also recommend you periodically check our website and social media for updates.
Plagiarism and bad faith
Plagiarism has no place in the competition. Entrants found to have plagiarised any part of their entry will be disqualified.
Further, any entrants found to have otherwise acted in bad faith may be disqualified at our sole discretion.
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
By entering the competition, you agree that your work is your own creation and not generated in whole or part by A.I. or similar means.
We recognise that A.I. tools have a place in researching and workshopping ideas and editing grammar and basic syntax, so you may use technology in this way.
Entrants found to have generated any part of their entry using A.I. or similar means will be disqualified.
Costs and indemnity
You agree to accept full responsibility for any costs you incur in connection with entering the competition.
You also agree to indemnify us from any liability associated with your entry to the competition including, but not limited to, claims of any violation or personal or proprietary rights associated with your entry or the publication of your entry by us.
We are not responsible for any entries lost, misdirected or otherwise mishandled. It is your sole responsibility to maintain a backup of your entry.
Contact
If you have any questions about these rules, please consult the F.A.Q. before emailing us at contact@notquitewrite.com