Two tracks
Categories
Submit one manuscript per track. Both capped at 7,500 words.
- Best Short Story
- Best First Chapter
Rose City SFF Writers
Cyber-magi Award
The 2025 Cyber-magi Award celebrates and promotes science fiction, fantasy, and other speculative fiction in the Portland, Oregon area. Enter your original work, cheer on fellow writers, and help build our community.
Submissions close December 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM PTAwards ceremony January 24, 2026
What is the Cyber-magi Award?
The Cyber-magi Award includes two categories: Best Short Story and Best First Chapter. Entries must be unpublished, self-written (not AI), and between 500 and 7,500 words.
Active members of the Rose City Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meetup - attendance within the three months leading up to the deadline - are eligible to enter. You can edit your entry on this page until submissions close.
We also welcome inactive or non-members to serve as judges. The reading window runs December 17, 2025 through January 18, 2026, and you can read as few or as many stories as you have time for.
Who can enter
Eligibility
Active Rose City SFF Meetup members who attended an in-person gathering within three months of the deadline.
- Unpublished, self-written work
- No professional editing
- No AI-generated text
Cost
Entry Fee
Participation is free. Winners are celebrated at the Rose City SFF WinterCon.
- Zero cost to submit
- Community-funded awards
Get involved
Submit your Story
Sign in to submit
You'll need a Rose City SFF Writers account to submit and update entries. Once signed in, the form appears here.
Volunteer as a Judge
Volunteer as a judge
Log in to share a favorite story and confirm you're available during the judging window.
Rules & requirements
At a glance
- Writing submission due date
- December 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT
- Judging window
- December 17, 2025 - January 18, 2026
- Awards ceremony date
- January 24, 2026
- Awards
- Two winners: Best Short Story and Best First Chapter.
- Participation requirements
- Attend a Rose City SFF meetup within three months of the deadline.
- Goals
- Encourage, celebrate, and support science fiction and fantasy writers in the Portland area.
- Judging process
- Inactive or non-members review anonymized manuscripts using the rubric below.
Manuscript requirements
Submit one entry per category. For each submission:
- Indicate the submission category and title at the top (even if "Untitled").
- Do not include your name anywhere in the manuscript; we will assign an anonymous code.
- Upload a PDF file up to 5 MB.
- Word count must fall between 500 and 7,500 words.
- Works must be unpublished, not professionally edited, and entirely your own writing (no AI-generated text).
- Use a legible font (for example, 12pt Arial or Times New Roman) and double spacing.
- Submit your entries using the form above on this page.
Rubric
Judges score each manuscript in these areas.
Short Story
- How hooked were you by the beginning of the story? (1-5)
- How well did the story engage you to the ending? (1-5)
- How eloquent was the language and writing style used? (1-5)
- Did the story contain science fiction or fantasy elements? (0 or 5)
First Chapter of Novel or Novella
- How hooked were you by the beginning of the chapter? (1-5)
- How much do you want to read the rest of this novel/novella? (1-5)
- How eloquent was the language and writing style used? (1-5)
- Did the chapter contain science fiction or fantasy elements? (0 or 5)
FAQ
Will the rubric or feedback be given to participants?
Scores stay internal, but judges may leave constructive notes. We'll share those with you.
Will works be shared publicly?
Excerpts will be read aloud at the award ceremony.
Is grammar, style, and spell-checker software OK to use?
Absolutely.
Is AI-generated text allowed?
No. Works suspected of AI authorship will be removed from consideration.
Will Mick's Choice Awards be a feature this year?
Yes! Expect dramatic readings of each finalist during the ceremony.
Does the manuscript need to be SFW?
Not necessarily, but please include content warnings so we can alert judges. Disrespectful or excessively explicit pieces may be reassigned or removed.
Can the rules change?
We reserve the right to adjust guidelines at any time - especially in the event of alien invasions or magical mishaps.