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Short Story Contest 2026 Rules and Themes
The theme this year is DEF CON 34's theme is Agency.
Agency is self-determination. It's about making choices that increase yours, AND helping others to control theirs.
This DEF CON is about reclaiming our agency. DEF CON’s hacker community can fight to reclaim their agency. The skill set of hackers - reckless curiosity, the drive to know how systems work and a vision that sees beyond what a thing is and into what it could be after its pesky warranty is voided - is more important now than it's ever been.
As you work on your various projects, keep in mind that the future is undefeated, and it belongs to the resourceful, the brave and most of all to those who can see around the corner of what is and what might be.
For more inspiration, see: https://defcon.org/html/links/dc-news.html#dc34theme
Now. DA RULES.
The contest will open on May 25th at 12:00 (noon) LOCAL LAS VEGAS, NV, TIME ZONE and will close Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, 00:00 (midnight) LOCAL LAS VEGAS, NV, TIME ZONE.
People's Choice judges will be given stories to read and judge on June 24th and this portion of the contest will close July 1st, 2026 00:00 (midnight) LOCAL LAS VEGAS, NV TIME ZONE. Judges representing different parts of the hacker community will be chosen secretly and announced publicly when winners have been decided upon.
All stories will be posted via public links on July 1st and announced via Reddit and the BlueSky account. All winners will be announced on July 10th, 2026.
WHAT WE WANT:
Please submit to DCshortstory[at]gmail.com.
Please submit ONLY in a .txt file, all other formats will be REJECTED. You may include line breaks and specific formatting you feel is important to the tone of your story. "Bad" language is not proscribed, but do remember, your winning story will be published for all ages to read. Verify that your .txt file works across systems. What we receive is what will be put up. We will not correct spacing or specific formatting.
Please do not include any of the DEF CON staff, goons, etc., without EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION from the individual which MUST BE forwarded to DCshortstory[at]gmail.com, along with contact information. The individual will be contacted by a member of the short story contest staff before the story is considered eligible for entry.
Please keep your short stories to actual SHORT stories. That means a submission of no less than 1,000 words and no more than 20,000. If you feel you have a story worthy of, and requiring, additional length (or works just fine as a haiku), include your plea in your submission email.
Leave the manuscripts and 404 page novels to your publisher and agents.
Please keep your stories in tune with our community. We want stories about hackers hacking, science, technology, nerdy things, geeky things, zombie things, making things work the way they were never intended to work, you all know the drill. Story must include the DEF CON convention in some way, either located at it or influenced by it as a few examples.
One entry per author. Please do not spam us with the "thousands of resumes sent out is sure to get me an interview!" technique. Write one GREAT story, not lots of MEH stories. If you submit two stories, both stories will be disqualified.
Illustrations and graphics are not accepted. This contest is about the beauty of the written word. We don't want graphic novels. Show us a picture in my head that is painted with your vocabulary.
Please remember when submitting to include the TITLE OF YOUR PIECE and the AUTHOR NAME you wish to have published. Real or handle, that is up to you but include it in your .txt file. We can't be chasing you down for titles and names. It will go in as "Untitled" or "Author Unknown" if you do not.
After submission you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours. If you do not receive a confirmation email then your submission has not been received and will be ineligible. Please contact us at the provided email if your submission is not going through.
It is your responsibility to verify that your story is included in the public listing on July 1st. Failure to contact us within 24 hours after it has gone up disqualifies your story. If you do not see your story, please contact us at the provided email.
WHAT YOU GET:
We will be putting ALL of the short story entries on the Conference media and we will be listing the winners in the online Conference program in a short blurb, letting everyone know where they can check to read more. If you do not want it online, then do not submit to the contest.
The winners will get recognition in the online program and in social media. Time permitting, the winners will walk the stage and/or be recognized at the Contest Closing Ceremony.
PRIZES:
First place winner will receive two (2) creative badges, received at con, onsite.
Second place winner will receive one (1) creative badge, received at con, onsite.
People's Choice winner (voted by the community representatives) will receive one (1) creative badge, received at con, onsite.
All entrants will get their story in the DEF CON media server.
Tips for winning:
Spell check, grammar check, watch your tenses and your "voice." Double-check your dates, your math, your facts. We are paying attention. If you misspell on purpose, make sure the reader can tell it's on purpose! Follow the rules as mentioned above. Write a good story.
*IMPORTANT: Communication/Updates/Contact at Con will be done through the BlueSky account @DCShortstory or via email DCshortstory[at]gmail.com. Follow it or you will miss things that are relevant to the contest.*
Best of luck to all of you! Now get writing!
The theme this year is DEF CON 34's theme is Agency.
Agency is self-determination. It's about making choices that increase yours, AND helping others to control theirs.
This DEF CON is about reclaiming our agency. DEF CON’s hacker community can fight to reclaim their agency. The skill set of hackers - reckless curiosity, the drive to know how systems work and a vision that sees beyond what a thing is and into what it could be after its pesky warranty is voided - is more important now than it's ever been.
As you work on your various projects, keep in mind that the future is undefeated, and it belongs to the resourceful, the brave and most of all to those who can see around the corner of what is and what might be.
For more inspiration, see: https://defcon.org/html/links/dc-news.html#dc34theme
Now. DA RULES.
The contest will open on May 25th at 12:00 (noon) LOCAL LAS VEGAS, NV, TIME ZONE and will close Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, 00:00 (midnight) LOCAL LAS VEGAS, NV, TIME ZONE.
People's Choice judges will be given stories to read and judge on June 24th and this portion of the contest will close July 1st, 2026 00:00 (midnight) LOCAL LAS VEGAS, NV TIME ZONE. Judges representing different parts of the hacker community will be chosen secretly and announced publicly when winners have been decided upon.
All stories will be posted via public links on July 1st and announced via Reddit and the BlueSky account. All winners will be announced on July 10th, 2026.
WHAT WE WANT:
Please submit to DCshortstory[at]gmail.com.
Please submit ONLY in a .txt file, all other formats will be REJECTED. You may include line breaks and specific formatting you feel is important to the tone of your story. "Bad" language is not proscribed, but do remember, your winning story will be published for all ages to read. Verify that your .txt file works across systems. What we receive is what will be put up. We will not correct spacing or specific formatting.
Please do not include any of the DEF CON staff, goons, etc., without EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION from the individual which MUST BE forwarded to DCshortstory[at]gmail.com, along with contact information. The individual will be contacted by a member of the short story contest staff before the story is considered eligible for entry.
Please keep your short stories to actual SHORT stories. That means a submission of no less than 1,000 words and no more than 20,000. If you feel you have a story worthy of, and requiring, additional length (or works just fine as a haiku), include your plea in your submission email.
Leave the manuscripts and 404 page novels to your publisher and agents.
Please keep your stories in tune with our community. We want stories about hackers hacking, science, technology, nerdy things, geeky things, zombie things, making things work the way they were never intended to work, you all know the drill. Story must include the DEF CON convention in some way, either located at it or influenced by it as a few examples.
One entry per author. Please do not spam us with the "thousands of resumes sent out is sure to get me an interview!" technique. Write one GREAT story, not lots of MEH stories. If you submit two stories, both stories will be disqualified.
Illustrations and graphics are not accepted. This contest is about the beauty of the written word. We don't want graphic novels. Show us a picture in my head that is painted with your vocabulary.
Please remember when submitting to include the TITLE OF YOUR PIECE and the AUTHOR NAME you wish to have published. Real or handle, that is up to you but include it in your .txt file. We can't be chasing you down for titles and names. It will go in as "Untitled" or "Author Unknown" if you do not.
After submission you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours. If you do not receive a confirmation email then your submission has not been received and will be ineligible. Please contact us at the provided email if your submission is not going through.
It is your responsibility to verify that your story is included in the public listing on July 1st. Failure to contact us within 24 hours after it has gone up disqualifies your story. If you do not see your story, please contact us at the provided email.
WHAT YOU GET:
We will be putting ALL of the short story entries on the Conference media and we will be listing the winners in the online Conference program in a short blurb, letting everyone know where they can check to read more. If you do not want it online, then do not submit to the contest.
The winners will get recognition in the online program and in social media. Time permitting, the winners will walk the stage and/or be recognized at the Contest Closing Ceremony.
PRIZES:
First place winner will receive two (2) creative badges, received at con, onsite.
Second place winner will receive one (1) creative badge, received at con, onsite.
People's Choice winner (voted by the community representatives) will receive one (1) creative badge, received at con, onsite.
All entrants will get their story in the DEF CON media server.
Tips for winning:
Spell check, grammar check, watch your tenses and your "voice." Double-check your dates, your math, your facts. We are paying attention. If you misspell on purpose, make sure the reader can tell it's on purpose! Follow the rules as mentioned above. Write a good story.
*IMPORTANT: Communication/Updates/Contact at Con will be done through the BlueSky account @DCShortstory or via email DCshortstory[at]gmail.com. Follow it or you will miss things that are relevant to the contest.*
Best of luck to all of you! Now get writing!
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