Little tales of whimsy.

A monthly microfiction contest celebrating the lighter, more peculiar side of storytelling.

Every month brings a curious new theme, 300 words, and a whim.

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Whimsy — an alpaca riding a quill through a moonlit sky

Yes, our alpaca travels by quill.

(Illustrations by Stella Backman)

This month's Spotlight
Monster Problems · July 2026

Huckleberry Pie and Buried Things

by Chuck Schading
Whim followed: Absolutely Massive
Chuck Schading is a 27-year veteran of the newspaper industry and currently an editor for Community Health Magazine—with stories recently published by The Literary Hatchet, San Antonio Review, Still Here Magazine and VIA: Voices in Italian Americana.
Opening line
"Henry dug a hole where he heard a grumble below. Then he dug three more when he thought it moved. "
Read the full story
Browse all Spotlight stories →
How it Works
1
Theme arrives (1st)
A new theme, five whims, and a unique Object land in your inbox on the first of every month.
2
Choose your whim
Whims offer fun, unusual paths into this month's theme. Follow the one that calls to you.
3
Write & submit (1st–7th)
Write a 300-word story inspired by the theme, your chosen whim, and Object. Submit it by the 7th.
4
Results revealed (28th)
We read everything. Then reveal five selected stories to share our £500 prize pool.
Learn more →
What is Whimsy?
A monthly microfiction contest for stories that find the light in unexpected places. Even when it doesn't belong.

That means stories where the weird and wonderful are treated as completely ordinary, where something funny and something felt can exist in the same sentence. It doesn't matter if you write crime, horror, romance, sci-fi, or fantasy—only that you carry the sort of midsummer brightness that makes it hard to stay in bed in the morning.

In the words of DadRespondsToHeartfeltMessage65: "👍"

All writers welcome. Learn more →
🎉
The Prize Pool
Five stories selected each month. Each shares the prize pool equally, because we'd rather celebrate range than rank it.
📖
The Annual Anthology
Standout stories from across the year are gathered into a curated annual anthology. Volume One is pencilled for December 2026.
✍️
Wall of First Lines
Every month, one opening line is permanently etched into the Whimsy Wall of First Lines. A wall of fame for the sentence that started something weird and wonderful.
Available until 31st July

The Founding Writer Pass

Five contests for the price of four, August through December. The entire inaugural run of Whimsy in one go. For writers who just waltzed through the door and already feel at home.

£36 — saving £9 on regular entry
Become a Founding Writer

Or join for a single month from £9

From our wonderful writers

Some words on Whimsy

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