The 18th Annual Literal Literary Postcard Story Contest

The writing contest whose name is almost as long as the entries! 


Deadline: April 3, 2023 April 17, 2023 at 11:59PM PDT.

How it works:

1) Send us a story and a postcard—the relationship can be as strong or as tangential as you like, so long as there is a clear connection between the story and the image.

2) If you’re not sure where to look for a postcard, you can make your own or visit Wikimedia Commons.

3) The story can be fiction or non-fiction; maximum length is 500 words.

For a classic example of a postcard story, read "Grizzly Bill" or "No Time to Write." Visit our postcard story archive for more examples of notable stories.

Prizes:


First Prize: $500

Second Prize: $250

Third Prize: $150

All winning entries will be published in Geist and on geist.com

Entry Fee: $25

Includes a one-year subscription to Geist, Canada's favourite literary magazine. International entrants will receive the digital edition.

All additional entries are $5.

How to enter: Submit your entry online through Submittable.

You can also mail your entry, fee and cover letter to us at:


Postcard Contest
210-111 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4

Please note that judging is blind, so ensure your name doesn't appear on the story or the postcard. 

Entries without an accompanying cover letter or entry fee will not be accepted. Entries must be postmarked by contest deadline.

Good luck and happy writing!

Questions? Check out our Postcard Story Contest FAQ.

Still unsure? Please email geist@geist.com or call 604-681-9161 with your queries.

THE FINE PRINT

Winning entries: Geist takes first serial rights for print and non-exclusive electronic rights to post the text and image at geist.com. All other rights remain with the author.

All publication rights for non-winning entries are retained by the entrants.

Postcards will be returned only if requested.

Geist contests are open to all entrants except Geist staff, contract employees, board members and executives of the Geist Foundation. 

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Comments (41)

Comment Feed

Postcard contest result

Any results yet for #17? Assume it will be less than 4 years from final submission date. I can understand the delay, as I often nod off, too, after reading the first page of something. Oh wait--there is only one page!
Concerned citizens keenly await the controversial decision. (drumroll)

Brian more than 1 year ago

Contest update

Hello Concerned Citizen,

Please see an update on the 17th Contest from 2021 here:

https://www.geist.com/contests/contests-update-2021/

Your patience continues to be appreciated!

- Geist Staff

Geist.com more than 1 year ago

Contest?

Hi Geist—
Has there been any final decsion on the contest? It seems like it's been pushed back a number of times?

Bill more than 6 years ago

Re: Contest?

Thanks for your patience. The shortlist will be posted online soon and the winners will be announced in our Fall issue.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Postcard Contest

Hello, Reading these messages, I understand that the winning Postcard Contest entries will be published in the Summer Issue, and that all entrants will be notified via email. I haven't received a notification yet, and my entry is still listed as "In Progress", but the Summer issue is out. I'm confused. :s Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Shirley Harshenin more than 6 years ago

Re: Postcard Contest

Thanks for your patience. The shortlist will be posted online soon and the winners will be announced in our Fall issue.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Postcard contest

Hello,
Just wondering if the shortlist has been posted? Thanks!

Ashley more than 6 years ago

Re: Postcard contest

Thanks for your note. The shortlist will be posted online soon and the winners will be announced in our Fall issue.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Postcard Contest

Hi, I'm just wondering when the winners and/or shortlist will be announced. I submitted a story and have yet to hear anything.

Sarah more than 6 years ago

Re: Postcard Contest

Thanks for your patience. The shortlist will be posted online soon and the winners will be announced in our Fall issue.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Contest?

Hi, any updates on the contest? It says below the issue came out in June? Thx.

trista_murray7@hotmail.com more than 6 years ago

Re: Contest?

That reply was from last year; this year's summer issue will be out in July. We're still in the judging process but we will keep entrants posted.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Contest

Hello! Will the contestants who don't get selected be notified via email that their entries weren't chosen? Thank you

Jesse more than 6 years ago

Re: Contest

Yes, all contestants will be notified via email.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Contest announcement

Hello Geist,
Just curious, when will the winners be announced?
Thanks!

Lynne more than 6 years ago

Re: Contest announcement

Thanks for your note. The shortlist will be posted online in the next few weeks and the winners will be announced an upcoming issue.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Update

Hi - I haven't been notified yet, any update?

Lynne more than 6 years ago

Re: Update

Thanks for your patience. The shortlist will be posted online soon and the winners will be announced in our Fall issue.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Extended Deadline Date

Good morning,

I just want to double check I'm reading this right - deadline is now March 1, 2017? Thanks!

jennifer more than 6 years ago

Re: Extended Deadline Date

It is! We got a number of emails asking us to extend the deadline, so we have. March 1, 2017 is the day.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

Announcement date

When are winners likely to be announced?

Tristan Marajh more than 6 years ago

Re: Announcement date

Winners will be announced in our summer issue, on newsstands in June.

Geist.com more than 6 years ago

size of postcard

Is there a specific size for the post card?

Ranjith Embuldeniya more than 7 years ago

Re: size of postcard

No! We don't require postcards to be any specific size.

Geist.com more than 7 years ago

Replacing image

Hello. I accidently used a copyrighted image as the postcard for my entry. I'm paying an additional $5 online to re-enter my entry but with an image from Wikimedia Commons. Can I request this be read and judged instead of the previous entry? I only ask that since I fear the copyrighted image would disqualify me as a participant, meaning the second entry would not be judged despite the image given proper citing.

Philip more than 8 years ago

Re: Replacing image

Hi there. Neither of your entries will be disqualified, not to worry. Thanks for letting us know.

Geist.com more than 8 years ago

Online or snail mail?

Hello! A little while bag, as the Long-Distance competition was wrapping up, Geist stated that future submissions would be accepted via snail mail, and I see it also says that in the Submission Guidelines section of the website.
I just wanted to double check that we can submit online for this contest. Thanks!

Tim more than 8 years ago

Re: Online or snail mail?

Hi there! We are continuing to accept online submissions for contests only. So, yes, you can submit to the Postcard Story Contest online. Thanks for asking!

Geist.com more than 8 years ago

Contest Announcements

When will the winners of the contest be announced?

Tiffany Smith more than 8 years ago

Re: Contest Announcements

Winners will be announced in our summer issue!

Geist.com more than 8 years ago

Postcard or photo?

Hi, do we need to make a postcard or will a photo do? Can I send the photo in a word doc or do you need me to learn some graphic design first?

Lhasa more than 8 years ago

Re: Postcard or photo?

Any kind of image will do! A photograph of any kind, an actual postcard, or anything else. The photo can be in the word doc itself.

Geist.com more than 8 years ago

Deadline

Did I read somewhere that the post card contest has been extended to February 28th?

Che more than 8 years ago

Re: Deadline

Yes! The deadline for the Literal Literary Postcard Story Contest has been extended to February 28, 2015, 11:59 p.m. PST.

Geist.com more than 8 years ago

Images from Wikimedia Commons

Hi-- will you accept 'postcard' images from Wikimedia Commons that require us to credit the author in order to use the photo? Can we put the credit under the photo?

Shannon more than 8 years ago

Re: Images from Wikimedia Commons

Absolutely! Having a credit under the image, if published and in your submission, is no problem.

Geist.com more than 8 years ago

Response

Hi Jill,

The setting for the story can be anywhere in the world and this goes for the postcard itself as well.

The Canadian connection is only required for regular, non-contest, submission to Geist.

Web Editor more than 10 years ago

postcard place

I thought I read somewhere that the postcard has to be a Canadian postcard, but now I can't see that anywhere... can the story take place elsewhere?

jill more than 10 years ago

Response

Hi Judith,

Geist welcomes all international entrants (best of luck to you and your class!).

The entry process is the same for Canadian and international entrants.

Please note that international entrants will receive a subscription to the digital edition of Geist

Web Editor more than 11 years ago

check on American bank?

I am having my dear "Memoir Sisters" class enter this contest as a writing assignment. We are all in the USA. Can we write checks off our banks here? Anything else we should do differently because we're in the USA. We're very excited about this contest & the opportunity it gives our creative writing class.
Thanks - Judith S. Crandell

Judith Speizer Crandell more than 11 years ago

Postcard Story Contest

I'm so glad there is still time for this! You're the only mag I'd take with me for any trip. Well, except for my Bugs Bunny one...when my brain is on overload from the maze that is social media.

Terry Gibson more than 11 years ago

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