The Henry Dumas Fiction Prize 2026

Location
International (Arkansas International)

Open to
English-language writers of any nationality who have not published a full-length book and do not have a book forthcoming before December 1, 2026.
Writers who have self-published books are ineligible. Writers who have published chapbooks are eligible.
Close friends and previous students of the judge, as well as anyone affiliated with Arkansas International within the past four years (including staff), are ineligible.

Application Fee
$20 per entry (multiple submissions allowed; each requires a separate fee)

What’s Provided
$1,000 prize
Publication in Arkansas International
All submissions will be considered for publication.

What the Applicant Must Provide / Cover
A single prose work of fiction not exceeding 7,500 words
Previously unpublished work only
Double-spaced manuscript submitted as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file
All identifying information must be removed (blind judging)

Judge
John Keene

Duration
Not applicable

Deadline
March 22, 2026

Additional Notes
The prize honors the legacy of Henry Dumas and seeks innovative fiction that “inhabits the geography” of its place in rare ways.