Oops, we’re doing it again—kicking off another year of Flash 405! February is the start of our short-form season, with contests running every other month through September. Each Flash 405 contest will feature a new theme, a new judge, and up to five winning works. Our first and second place winners will receive a cash prize and be published alongside honorable mentions.
This round will be judged by Expo’s own Heather Vaughan. Heather is Nonfiction Editor of our annual issue and we are thrilled to have her take the helm of our first Flash 405 contest of 2026! Submissions will open on February 4 through March 5, 2026.
Read on to learn more about contest rules and “Oops”, this month’s contest theme:
– February 2026 Round –
The Judge: Heather Vaughan
Heather Vaughan (she/her) is a writer and educator from Southern California whose work explores culture, gender, sex, and belonging. She is an alum of the Fulbright Program, the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop and the Juniper Institute. She lives in Oaxaca, Mexico.
The Theme: Normal
From Heather:
“Tell us about a time you—or someone else—messed up, biffed it, dropped the ball. Mistakes happen, and they usually come with a good story. Whose fault was it? What were the consequences? Did anyone learn their lesson?”
Before submitting, we encourage you to read the full guidelines; these can be found on our Submittable (link below) or on our Flash 405 contest page, where you can also see past contests and winners.
Please reach out to expositionreviewflash405@gmail.com with any questions.
Good luck!
