Creative Non-Fiction 2026 Contest: The Shortlist

Contest Winners | Reading Room

We are so thrilled to announce the shortlist for our 2026 Creative Non-Fiction Contest, selected by our judge, Kai Cheng Thom. A big congratulations to these talented writers!

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Room Magazine’s 2026 Creative Non-Fiction Contest Shortlist

Thank you to every writer who trusted us with their writing. To all those who submitted their work: it takes courage to put your writing forward for scrutiny, and we encourage you to keep at your craft.

The winners chosen by Kai Cheng Thom will be available shortly, so be sure to keep an eye on our website!

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Cover image for Room Magazine Issue 49.2, Science. Art by Candace Cosentino of an old-fashioned computer monitor with a bounty of dandelions growing from it.

ROOM 49.2 SCIENCE

I hope this issue makes you curious and furious, leads to 2 a.m. Wikipedia rabbit holes, fulfills urges to seek out knowledge-keepers. Quickly or slowly, dive in: -ologies of all varieties await you.

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ROOM 49.1 No Future for Who?

In Room Magazine 49.1 No Future for Who?, we are really asking. We are coming in hot. We are causing a scene. We are being unreasonable. We are not fucking around. We are not taking “no” for an answer. “No” is the only word we still know. For who? For who? No.

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