Meet the notable writers of the 2026 Short Story Showdown Writing Contest!
First Place: The Last Millennial
Sarah Waterman (@a3w_editorial and @sarahwatermanbooks) is a romance author and editor based in the Kansas City area. She is the author of the Station 8 firefighter romance duet (Under Fire and Knocked Down) and Fix The Right Thing First, a self-revision guide for writers who want to edit like a professional without the guesswork. In 2024, she founded A3W Editorial, an editing business specializing in developmental and copy/line editing for indie authors. When she's not writing or editing, she's probably on Instagram telling writers hard truths they needed to hear.
Read Sarah’s short story, The Last Millennial, and learn more about her writing process & journey.
Second Place: A Visit from Corporate
Danielle Robertson (@danjvrobertson) holds a BA in creative writing from SUNY Purchase and is a Tin House YA Workshop alum. Her short fiction for teens and adults has been published in anthologies by Terrorcore Publishing, Read Furiously, Haunted Words Press, and Once Upon a Book Club. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, their two children, and their overstuffed bookshelves.
Read Danielle’s short story, A Visit from Corporate, and learn more about her writing process & journey.
Third Place: One Hit Wonder
Sia Sankaran (@siawrites09) is a high school student who has always loved reading and creative writing, especially short stories and novels. She often draws inspiration from music, history, and the people around her. Outside of writing, she enjoys singing, reading, and baking.
Read Sia’s short story, One Hit Wonder, and learn more about her writing process & journey.
Honorable Mentions:
It’s Always Wednesday Down in Texas by Rohin Surath (@rohinsurath2007)
Morningstar by Nicholas Valencia (@stuff_from_nick)
Soulweaver by R.M.J. (@writtenbyrmj)
