The shortest month of the year is upon us. To celebrate this little month, Harvard Book Store is once again making a little book of short, short stories.

We are excited to announce Microchondria III: More Short Short Stories Collected by Harvard Book Store.

As in years past, this book can’t happen without your participation. We need your writing and design to make this leap month count.

Starting Monday, February 1st, you’ll have just under two weeks to write and submit stories of no more than 500 words. Then Harvard Book Store staff will have two weeks to review the submissions, pick their favorites, and assemble them into a book that we will print in-store on Paige, our book-making robot.

We’re also looking for designers to make and submit eye-catching cover artwork, and we’ll pick up to three of our favorites.

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm on Friday, February 12th. All entrants will hear from us by March 1st.

On March 11th, we’ll celebrate the book’s publication with an in-store launch party featuring selected readings by some of the collection’s contributors. We’ll be printing copies during the event, so you can learn more about custom book printing and get a book hot off the presses.

Writers and designers whose work is selected for publication will receive one contributor copy plus a waived “Advanced Set-Up Fee” ($50 value) on a future Paige publishing project.

Get writing! Get designing! Let’s make this little month count!

Submission Guidelines

Stories:

Stories must be original, previously unpublished, and composed between February 1, 2016, and the close of submissions. All styles and genres will be considered—just send something that excites you!

Stories may not exceed 500 words.

Writers may submit up to three stories. Each story must be uploaded separately to Submittable at https://harvardbookstore.submittable.com/submit (i.e. do not include multiple submissions in one document). Stories must be submitted as doc, docx, or pdf files.

Please include a brief (30 words or less) publication-ready, professional bio to be included in the contributor notes if your work is selected for publication.

Cover Art:

Front cover art designs must be original and produced between February 1, 2016, and the close of submissions. If your concept is selected for publication, we will contact you with additional specifications for back cover and spine designs.

Submissions for cover art must include the exact text “Microchondria III: More Short Short Stories Collected by Harvard Book Store” in the design. Artwork should not contain copyrighted images or images you do not own.

Cover art designs must be 4.5” x 6.5” with a 0.25” bleed, submitted as a 300 dpi pdf file. Artists may submit up to three designs. Designs must be uploaded separately to Submittable at https://harvardbookstore.submittable.com/submit (i.e. do not include multiple attachments in one submission).

Please include a brief (30 words or less) publication-ready, professional bio to be included in the contributor notes if your design is selected.

Additional Guidelines:

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm on Friday, February 12th.

Contributors must be residents of the United States or Canada.

By submitting written work or artwork to Harvard Book Store, you acknowledge that such work is original and that you have ownership of the submitted material. You grant to Harvard Book Store the first publication rights for submitted material and the right to edit, reuse, reproduce, or otherwise utilize the physical or electronic materials including use in print and on the internet for an indefinite period of time. You retain complete ownership and copyright of the submitted text or images, although any use of the name or logo of Harvard Book Store requires our explicit written permission. You acknowledge that the only compensation you will receive from Harvard Book Store are the awards announced for this competition.