Beginning in April 2025, there will no longer be a $10 Canadian prize for the story of the month.
I pay out the prizes via PayPal, and the flat rate fees per transaction have been increasing over time. At this point, it costs me almost $15 each month to send the $10 prize. It is not a question of whether I can “afford” to pay out those prizes; it’s more that I can’t justify paying a 50% fee to a big corporation in order to get that prize into the authors’ hands. As a result, I have made the decision to remove that prizing.
I will still provide the Story of the Year with the same $50 Canadian prize.
My apologies to future monthly winners. I know how special it is for a writer to receive payment for their work.
Thank you! Not looking for pay in any case here. Just doing the work! :)
Completely understandable, Tim.
Thanks for all you do.
Thank you for the update. I completely understand. It’s been a wonderful thing you’ve done for a very long while, Tim. ✍️🥇🥳 Thank you for your continuing platform and support of writers of 50-Word Stories by publishing excellent work.
Makes sense to me, particularly as the site requires no submission fees. Why should big corporations benefit.
For myself, the joy is in being selected & recognized, not so much in the money. I agree with your posution, and applaud your work!
Idea:
Annual Anthology,
chapbook size
50 50-word stories from
Weekly winners
Maybe 50% discount for prepaid?
Something like that would be really cool, if I had the time to put it together and assuming that all authors agreed to have their work put in print. Maybe one day I’ll have the time to set up that type of project, even if it was more of a one-off going back through the site’s history.
I mean, you could probably make it so that by submitting people are agreeing to having their work put in printing?
Totally understandable. Your logic makes sense to this writer. Thanks for keeping this site going!
I completely understand! Thanks for the transparency and for all the great stories!
I totally agree with you. The accolade is enough. Thanks for your generosity for so many years already.
Receiving the monthly prize was a joy for me as it was the first payment I’ve received for my writing EVER and a milestone I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you for that, Tim. But I clearly don’t write for the massive earnings that I’ll accrue. I’d rather you spend your time in publishing than on moving money. It is a thrill to have any of my stories published on 50-word stories and that is enough!
Thank you, Tim, for all you do for writers! It’s understandable and quite an honor to be a part of 50-word stories and the amazing talent.
Totally get it, Tim. Just being published on your site is special enough. Thank you for all you do to support us writers dotted quietly around the globe. 🙏🏼
No worries. Having a story chosen is always an honor. Thanks for all the work you do!