My Community - Stories across Charlotte: Now Accepting Submissions!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is gathering flash fiction stories from community members with the theme: what community means to you. This collection is aimed at helping library staff understand what the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community truly means to the local writers and authors, and how this meaning can be incorporated into the new Main Library.  

We are looking for inventive and creative entries for this collection that are in flash fiction format: 750 words or less. Entries will be accepted from March 1 through March 15, 2020. Ages 18 and older.  

What is Flash Fiction?

Flash fiction is a type of short story that limits the author to a word count of 750 words or less. If you’re submitting flash fiction stories to be published, some magazines limit flash fiction stories to as few as 300 words, but we accept up to 750 words.

Why Write Flash Fiction?

Flash fiction forces us to be economical with words. It helps focus the ideas and strip away anything that is not essential to the story. Often, when writing fiction, we write more than is necessary. In the editing process, anything that is not essential can be removed or reworked.

Collection Rules

• One submission is allowed per person and entries must not exceed 750 words.
• The author’s name and title will be included in the final book.
• Ages 18 and older.
• Submissions open March 1, 2020 - March 15, 2020.
• Once the book is compiled and published, it will live in Biblioboard. Biblioboard doesn't require a Library card to search for the book.

As a one-time collection, don't miss your opportunity to have your story collected and shared with the community. 

The Crowd-Source Community Story Project

As the library progresses toward the opening of the new Main Library in 2024, library staff are working on the visitor experience for the new Library. Part of that work involves looking at the many unique spaces new Main Library will have, one of which will be a space for writers and authors. While this space is still in the ideation stage, staff are looking at unique ways to connect local writers and authors to the library in an effort to ensure that the new Main Library is grounded in community perspective and input. Part of this effort is being made in the form of prototypes, short trials of innovative ideas, meant to enhance and inform the visitor experience at the new library.  One of these prototypes is a crowd-sourced community collection of short stories.