The First Line Literary Journal Quarterly Contest
This is a quarterly contest in which you use the first line prompt they provide to write your story of 300 to 5,000 words. The editors are open to all genres and try to pick as eclectic a group of winners as possible. There is no entry fee.
The next deadline is August 1, 2016. The first line of the story must be: Mrs. Morrison was too busy to die.
Fiction: All stories must be written with the first line provided. The line cannot be altered in any way, unless otherwise noted by the editors. The story should be between 300 and 5,000 words (this is more like a guideline and not a hard-and-fast rule; going over or under the word count won't get your story tossed from the slush pile). The sentences can be found on the home page of The First Line's Web site, as well as in the prior issue. Note: We are open to all genres. We try to make TFL as eclectic as possible.
Non-Fiction: 500-800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work.
Payment: We pay on publication $25 - $50 (US) for fiction, $5 - $10 for poetry, and $25 (US) for nonfiction. We also send you a copy of the issue in which your story or nonfiction appears. You'll receive your money and issue at the same time.