The Milk House - Rural Writing Collective

Contest submissions may be previously published (as long as it was not published before January 2024), and will also be read within 2-3 months of submitting with an eye towards publication on the site, as well as the forthcoming 2026 Best in Rural Writing print anthology. Go to our submit page for more details.

Submissions may be up to 7,000 words.

2025 Best in Rural Writing Contest deadline: September 15th, 2025

Enter your prose piece by selecting “contest-fiction” or “contest-nonfiction” in the genre dropdown menu.

Contest fee: $10

First place: $500, Second place: $200

Note: WRITER or SUPPORTER subscribers to The Milk House may enter one contest submission for free by selecting “Subscriber-Contest” in the genre menu. Click here to subscribe.

Email questions to RyanDennis@themilkhouse.org.