Nomination Guidelines

Nomination Guidelines

Nomination Guidelines - Contributors:

Contributors to Micromance Magazine are automatically eligible for nomination - there are 5 categories open to contributors of Micromance Magazine:

  • Sweet Nothings (75-100 words)
  • Quickies (101-500 words)
  • Short and Sweet (501-1200 words)
  • Series Romance (1201-3500 words)
  • Poetry
Winners of all 5 categories will be awarded The Cupid Prize.

The Cupid Prize is, in a sense, a reader's choice award, as contributors are nominated based upon reader's engagement with their stories/poetry - likes, comments, views, shares, etc.

Two nominees from each category per month are chosen

  • the top viewed in each category
  • most liked in each category.
There will be up to 24 longlisted in each category. That 24 will get narrowed down to a shortlist of 6 (the top 3 overall in views & top 3 overall in likes per category), for a total of 30 pieces (6 per category). Those 30 will be turned over to 5 guest judges (one for each category) who will choose one winner, and the remaining 5 will be shortlisted finalists.


The Sixth Category - Non-Contributors:

The Cupid Prize is for excellence in love lit... and love lit is not exclusive to Micromance Magazine. Many talented flash fiction writers write romance/love stories and are published in other places. Although the drabble, series and poetry categories are only for contributors to Micromance Magazine, the flash fiction categories are open for all. Part of Micromance Magazine's mission is to make Flash Romance a solid genre in the writing community and that means including all writers of Flash Romance. All sub genres allowed - paranormal, LGBTQ+, speculative, romantasy, gothic, horror...

NO EROTICA...

Non-contributor nominees will be judged based upon quality of writing and how well the story fits the theme of "love lit."

Love Lit, as defined by the EIC of Micromance Magazine, is:

  • genre romance - a sweet or slightly steamy love story - a meet cute, an enemies to lovers... any trope... but must have a happy ending
  • love stories - stories told from male or female POV that don't quite fit the genre romance label - sad ending, lovers don't stay together, etc.
  • chick lit - fun, light stories about the dynamic between sisters/friends, but must have a connection to romance - a girls' night out to help one of them get over a breakup; a best friend offering to make a voodoo doll of her bestie's ex, etc.
  • women's fiction - similar to "love stories" - a newly divorced woman and the challenges she faces as a single mother getting back "out there," etc.
Nominees will be narrowed down to a shortlist by the EIC of Micromance Magazine, G. Lynn Brown, then the shortlist will be given to a guest judge to choose a winner and the five remaining shortlisted finalists.

Nominations for the non-contributor category run from:

October 31 to December 31

Nominations are open to ALL lit mags/journals - digital/online, or in-print...


Non-Contributor Category Guidelines:

  • Three (3) stories may be nominated by each publication
  • Stories must be between 500 and 1200 words
  • Stories must have been published (or scheduled for publication) during current year
  • For online/digital publications, email link to post
  • For in-print publications, copy of original .doc may be emailed or scans of the printed pages may be emailed - whichever is easiest for you
  • Be sure writer's name is included
  • Be sure editor's name/contact info (email) is included

*Nominating Lit Mags/editors will be recognized for their participation in promoting Flash Romance*


Nominations are to be emailed, with Nomination in the subject line, to:



Any questions may be directed to G. Lynn Brown at:



For more info about Micromance Magazine: