Attention, writers! Barnes & Noble Press is thrilled to announce a special contest in collaboration with our partner, Reedsy, an online marketplace that allows authors to find and work with the best publishing professionals. With a community of over 1 million authors and 3,700 freelance professionals, Reedsy has become the place to find the right editors, designers, publicists, and marketers to make your book a success.

Reedsy runs its short story contest, Reedsy Prompts, every single week. The Prompts team sends out a newsletter every Friday with five themed prompts, and writers are given just over seven days to submit their stories for the chance to win exciting prizes.

If you’re ready to ignite your creativity, click on this page to join our “Familiar Strangers” contest. Choose one of the five prompts and craft a short story between 1,000 and 3,000 words for a chance to win $250! And as an extra incentive, we’ll also be giving a NOOK Glowlight 4 e-reader to the contest winner!

Let your stories merge recognition and mystery, leading your characters on journeys of discovery, surprise, and revelation. Our contest runs from October 4 to October 11, and the winner and runners-up will be announced on October 18.

Create your Reedsy Prompts account for free here and start brainstorming today.

Good luck writers!