Prize Pool
$3,000 in Cash Prizes
Six winners across Judges and Popularity categories
Judges Category
1st Place
$650
2nd Place
$400
3rd Place
$150
Popularity Category
1st Place
$650
2nd Place
$400
3rd Place
$150
Authors may win in both categories
Plus: featured banner placement, a professional webnovel cover (valued at $100), and social media promotion
Explore Ideas
Need inspiration? Watch these videos to spark ideas for your mystery or thriller story
Requirements
How to Enter
Eligibility
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Be 18 years or older
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Follow Minkly on Instagram and/or join the Minkly Discord server
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Submit only one entry per author
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Not have won a previous Minkly contest (two contest cooldown period)
Story Requirements
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Must be uploaded on Minkly
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Must be fiction in the Mystery or Thriller genre
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Must be original — no AI generated or plagiarized content
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No explicit pornography (mature themes are allowed)
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Does NOT need to be exclusive to Minkly
Publication Rules
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First published no earlier than February 8, 2026
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Minimum 20,000 words published on Minkly by May 31, 2026
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Longer completed works or ongoing series are favored
Engagement Minimum
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Must receive at least 5 favorites and/or 10 reads
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Engagement may continue to grow until the end of the judging period on June 30, 2026
Disqualification & Removal
Entries may be disqualified for:
✕Plagiarized material
✕AI generated content
✕Not meeting the 20,000 word minimum
✕Not meeting the engagement minimum
✕Not primarily Mystery or Thriller
✕Explicit pornography
✕Violating platform terms
✕Not meeting eligibility requirements
Minkly reserves the right to review submissions and remove or disqualify entries that do not comply with contest rules.
Evaluation
How We Judge
Stories are evaluated across three dimensions
Judges & Moderator Picks
45%
Writing skill & style, plot coherence, character development, emotional impact, grammar & literary quality, originality, length, worldbuilding, and pacing
Community Pick
45%
Based on community votes. If entries receive equal votes, popularity and engagement (favorites, likes, reads, comments, reactions, reviews) are considered
Audio Fit
10%
How well the story translates to audio narration — clarity of prose, flow, dialogue readability, and listening experience
Schedule
Contest Timeline
March 1 - May 31, 2026
Three full months to craft, refine, and submit your best mystery or thriller story. Stories must reach 20,000 words by the submission deadline.
June 1 - June 30, 2026
Our panel of judges and moderators will carefully review all submissions. Community voting will be open during this period.
Beginning July 2026
Winners will be announced on our Discord server and Instagram post. All participants will be notified.
Key Dates
Contest Opens
Submission Deadline
Judging Begins
Judging Ends
Winners Announced
Join our Discord server for contest news, to connect with participants, and for the live winner announcement!
Rewards
Beyond the Cash
Featured Placement
Winners receive featured banner placement on Minkly's homepage for maximum visibility
Professional Cover
A commissioned professional webnovel cover valued at $100. Already have one? $100 added to your prize
Social Promotion
Winners get promoted across Minkly's social media platforms including Instagram and Reddit
Winner Obligations
If you win, you agree to the following:
•The winning story must remain published on Minkly and may not be removed from the platform for at least 2 years after contest winners are announced.
•Cross-posting is allowed, but Minkly must stay at least 5 chapters ahead of any other platform.
•Other platforms must clearly direct readers to Minkly for the latest chapters.
•Prize payments are issued via PayPal, and winners must provide valid payment information.
•Authors agree to reasonably cooperate with promotional efforts, including social media promotion and featured placement.
•Minkly may revoke prizes if winner conditions are not upheld.
•Minkly may amend contest rules if necessary, and updates will be communicated publicly.
By submitting an entry, participants confirm they have read, understood, and agree to all contest rules.