Best Short Story Contests for Fiction Writers

**Reddit users discussed various short story collections and authors, providing insights into the best short story contests for fiction writers. Here is a comprehensive summary of the comments:

Top Authors and Collections:

• Ted Chiang: Highly praised for his masterpieces of literature in the sci-fi genre. Known for works like "Exhalation" and "Stories of Your Life."

  • Pros: "His stories are like perfectly-cut gems."
  • Cons: Cannot find many writers in the same league as Chiang.

• Nathan Ballingrud, John Langan, and Robert Aickman: Mentioned as favorites by users.

  • Pros: Ballingrud compared to Evenson for the range in his stories.
  • Cons: Limited information on specific contests featuring these specific authors.

• Christopher Fowler, Karl Edward Wagner, and Davis Foster-Wallace: Highlighted by users for their noteworthy short stories.

  • Pros: Foster-Wallace's Incarnations of Burned Children is vivid and thought-provoking.
  • Cons: Limited discussion on specific contests these authors may be featured in.

Notable Short Story Collections:

• Borgers and David Foster-Wallace: Mentioned for excellent short experimental fiction.

  • Cons: Some stories can be heavy to approach.

• James Joyce, Franz Kafka, Lydia Davis, and Diane Williams: Referenced for their impactful short stories.

  • Pros: Joyce's 'Epiphanies' and Kafka's microfiction stand out.

Reader Recommendations:

• Reddit users recommended the following additional authors for short story enthusiasts:
  • Jamaica Kincaid, Julia Álvarez, Brett Lott, and Raymond Carver for engaging short stories.
  • Ken Liu, James Tiptree Jr., and P. Djèlí Clark also received praise.
  • Michael Wehunt, Brian Hodge, Paula D. Ashe, and Jeremy Robert Johnson were also mentioned.

Conclusion:

Based on the Reddit discussions, notable short story contests for fiction writers could feature authors like Ted Chiang, Nathan Ballingrud, John Langan, Christopher Fowler, and David Foster-Wallace. Additionally, exploring short story collections by authors like James Joyce, Lydia Davis, and Franz Kafka could provide valuable insights into crafting compelling short narratives. However, while specific short story contests were not directly mentioned, the highlighted authors and collections offer a rich pool of inspiration for aspiring fiction writers.