A global nonfiction writing prize · Edition One
Every storm leaves something behind.
Free to enter and open worldwide to anyone 18 or older. Tell the true story of a storm you weathered — or the idea it left behind. CAD $2,000 in prizes; winners and selected finalists published on StormIt.
Submissions open September 8, 2026
The theme
Some storms leave scars. Some leave questions. Some reveal broken systems. Some produce courage, understanding, invention, or change.
The Prize is not searching for the most dramatic life. It is searching for honesty, specificity, insight — and a story that stays with the reader. You do not need to be a professional writer. You need something true that deserves to be heard.
Two categories · one theme
A true personal story about a challenge, transition, loss, illness, migration, injustice, discovery, or quiet turning point — and what it left behind. The storm does not have to look dramatic to outsiders; a deeply specific ordinary experience can outweigh an extraordinary one told without reflection.
Judges look for: Honesty, specificity, voice, and insight earned through experience.
Full category briefThe story of how a lived problem led you to imagine something better — a product, a service, a policy, a community initiative, a new way of thinking. Not a startup pitch: no business plan, prototype, or proof of feasibility required. Tell the human story of the problem and the change you now believe is possible.
Judges look for: Depth of understanding, originality of perspective, and a vision that matters beyond the writer.
Full category briefBoth categories are nonfiction, written in the first person, grounded in your own lived experience. 1,500–2,500 words. One entry per category, two entries at most.
This prize exists for stories only the person who lived them can truly tell. AI tools may help you organize, translate, or refine your work — but the experience, the reflection, and the essential authorship must remain yours.
Your story. Your ideas. Your voice. AI simply helps the world hear it.
The prizes
Winner, The Storm I Weathered — plus publication on StormIt.
Winner, The Idea the Storm Left Behind — plus publication on StormIt.
Up to eight per category, editorially selected — published on StormIt with a permanent author profile, editorial support, and a finalist certificate.
The prize pool is committed and founder-funded. Judging is editorially independent — sponsors never see entries, author identities, or scores, and never influence results.
Edition One timeline
The judges
The panel — writers, editors, and people who understand lived experience — will be announced before submissions open. Entries are anonymized before substantive review, and the final judges read only the shortlist.
Editorial care
Personal stories deserve careful handling. Pen names are available in both categories, identifying details may be changed to protect privacy, and no story is published without the author approving the final edited version. We do not reward graphic detail for its own sake, and the Prize is never a competition over who has suffered most.
Full details — category briefs, eligibility, the AI policy, your rights as a writer, and how judging works — are on the Edition One page. Official rules will be published before submissions open.
The StormIt Global Story Prize is hosted by StormIt, published by OCorp Innovations Ltd. Questions: writeyourstorm@stormit.ca