Spring is in full swing, and that means it’s almost time for April Flash 405!
Our 405-themed contest has historically opened the fourth day of each contest month, closing on the fifth of the following month. However, in the spirit of this round’s theme, we’re “quitting” our typical schedule and opening early! We will start accepting submissions on March 27, the same day as our our tenth-anniversary celebration at AWP Los Angeles!
The celebration will also feature readings by several previous Flash 405 winners.
Want to attend? If you’re in Los Angeles and/or attending AWP, our event at Truly LA is free!
Want to be featured in an Expo reading? Submit! Winners receive publication, a cash prize, and the opportunity to be featured in future Expo community events.
Keep reading to learn about how to submit, the contest theme, and the judge, Expo Associate Nonfiction Editor Francesca Spiegel.
– April 2025 Round –
The Judge: Francesca Spiegel
Francesca Spiegel has quit many things before: career wrong-ways, bad friendships, medications … She’s interested in the narrative patterns of everyday life and how you would write them. Francesca has been on Team Expo since 2023, and has previously edited a volume of essays published by Bloomsbury. If you want to read some of what she’s written, check out her mystery-essay, set on a scorching hot cycling lane in Los Angeles, here.
The Theme: Quitting
From Francesca:
“To quit. To drop out. To survive. Pull the emergency brakes. To rethink. To decamp. Do something smart instead. If quitting were easy, we wouldn’t be talking about it. Rip off the Band-Aid. Get the hell out. To withdraw. To start fresh. To get free. To sever ties. To try and still be friends? What was it you quit, and why was it important to you? I would love to read your true story, your truth veiled in fiction, your drama, your word art.”
Submissions are accepted via Submittable. However, before submitting, we also encourage you to read the full contest rules and check out past winners, which you can find on our main Flash 405 page.
Please reach out to expositionreview@gmail.com with any questions.
Good luck!
– Submissions open March 27–May 5, 2025 –
Photo credit: Getty Images