The winners of our Short Story Competition, guest-judged by YA-writer and Cosmic Writers founder Rowana Miller, are officially here! If you're a writer, you've probably written a short story before: below, we invite you to take inspiration from the teen pieces that stood out among over a thousand submissions.
Winner:
“Spider Maman,” by Weien Zhang (China)
There is SO MUCH that you've done so skillfully in this story! The relationship between Marianne and her mother has incredible complexity, and you've done a fabulous job of using magical realism to capture their dynamic. I love how clearly Marianne cares for her mother while, at the same time, keeping her at arm’s length. To my interpretation — I think this is what you had in mind, although I'm not sure, which is part of the beauty of your writing — Marianne’s process of witnessing Maman turn into a spider is a metaphor for a teenager's increasing awareness of her mother’s fallibility. I think this metaphor works so well because it depicts this inevitable experience as disturbing and raw — which it is, in real life, but it’s so often minimized because it’s something that every teenager undergoes.
Beyond metaphor, what I love about this piece is that, at its core, it’s a really gripping story. It's a lot of fun to read about Maman’s increasing need to consume. You heighten the tension so well over the course of the piece, and the reader can’t help but want to know what’s next at every moment. I think that magical realism is strongest when it’s effective as both a literary piece and a piece of genre fiction, and your story exemplifies this blend. Bravo!
Runner-Up:
“Where The light doesn’t Reach.,” by Pollie (Nigeria)
I love how vividly you’ve depicted this family. Each character feels truly real, even in few words. What’s particularly special, I think, is that this is a story filled with hardship — poverty, death, illness, etc. — but it's fundamentally joyful. You don’t minimize the difficulties faced by the family, but you situate them in the context of your characters’ love for each other. I also appreciate the light-handedness of your writing. Kaira is very much an observer; as the reader, we get to see her family through her eyes, and the way that she feels about them colors the reader’s perception without overwhelming us with commentary. That allows us to make up our own minds about the characters, which makes our positive impression of them feel very earned.
At the end of the piece, your character gives us a rare glimpse into her perspective by telling us that she isn’t scared — a moment that I think is doubly impactful because it’s the first time we get to know exactly what she’s thinking. In that moment, the reader feels very close to Kaira, like she’s a friend who has just let us in closer by being vulnerable with us. This is a stunning story that feels like a window into a character whose life extends far beyond these words.
Best Peer Review:
“The Dragon’s Hoard,” reviewed by NorthernLight (Canada)
I really appreciate the way that this review provides clear, actionable feedback in a way that's obviously rooted in your desire for the story to become the best version of itself. You ask the writer to interrogate and develop their ideas in a way that I'm sure was extremely helpful to their growth. Part of what’s so effective here is that you've framed many of the pieces of feedback as questions rather than as prescriptions. Underlying this feedback, it’s clear that you truly think that this is a strong story, and you're excited that it can become even stronger — which makes all your thoughtful commentary even more impactful.
Piece Finalists:
“A Letter From Home,” by Maria14 (Australia)
“A New Boy at Yew Grove,” by AlGlennane1109 (Ireland)
“Dear Reader…,” by ﾌㄖ丂卄丨ㄒ卂 (India)
“Deer O Deer,” by Ava Karlsson Peraldi (Sweden)
“Salvator Mundi,” by E.V. McCall (United States)
“The Climber,” by TheWordWeaver (United States)
“the daily miracle,” by :3 (United States)
“The Stars Behind,” by Lizzy.gold (United States)
Peer Review Finalist:
“When Light Touches You,” reviewed by Rose G. Ross (United States)
