Want your writing to be in i-D?
We’re launching a literary competition!
Whether you’re secretly writing poetry in your Notes app, or convinced that your Substack essays are genius, i-D wants to read it! Inspired by our 1997 i-D writing competition, we’re bringing back the i-D Creative Writing Competition, and we’ve decided to dial up some of the greats—Chris Kraus, Cat Marnell, Julio Torres, and Jeremy O. Harris—to judge.
The competition focuses on four categories: fiction, non-fiction, experimental, and drama! All you need to do is to submit an original, unpublished work, up to 1500 words long. Maybe it’s a new idea, or a piece that has been sitting on your desktop for months, or maybe inspiration has struck… right now! One winner from each category will be selected by our judges and published in i-D’s Fall 2026 issue.
Short stories on any subject your imagination can dream up. Guest judged by Chris Kraus.
Personal essays, memoir, cultural observations—anything rooted in the real world. Guest judged by Cat Marnell.
Things aren’t so straight-laced anymore. Poetry, hybrid work, fragmented prose, things that don’t fit neatly into boxes. Guest judged by Julio Torres.
Screenplay excerpts, scenes, monologues, whatever you think brings the DRAMA! Guest judged by Jeremy O. Harris.
Entries are open to writers aged 18 and over, located in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the EMEA region. Each winner will receive a $500 USD cash prize.
The submission window opens on 14 May 2026 and closes on 28 May 2026 at 23:59 GMT. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
All submissions go through this Google Form. Please read our Terms & Conditions here.
It would have been great if India was included. Being an indian, there's not much support in the country for being in art world, despite the fact that this country could take you places. The architecture and designs in India are no joke. Sadly, ironic. It would have opened a massive opportunity for Indians who are underground artists.
Omg!