Announcing the 2025 Stiletto Contest
The Stiletto Contest celebrates and recognizes excellence in the contemporary romance genre for published and unpublished novels.
Contemporary Romance Writers focuses on the contemporary romance genre, and the Stiletto Contest upholds the organization’s goal of bringing awareness to the best work by authors and writers in contemporary romance.
- Submissions open: March 1, 2025
- Submissions close: March 31, 2025
- Winners announced: July 26, 2025 at our Virtual Conference
Unpublished Division Final Round Judges include:
- TBD
The Entry Categories for the Published and Unpublished Divisions are:
- Contemporary Short (20,000 to 50,000 words)
- Contemporary Mid-Length (50,000 to 80,000 words)
- Contemporary Long (over 80,000 words)
- Contemporary Young Adult / New Adult
- Contemporary Women’s Fiction / Chick-Lit
- Contemporary Speculative / Paranormal (includes Urban Fantasy with romance)
- Contemporary Romantic Suspense
- Contemporary Erotic Romance
- Contemporary LGBTQIA+
Anti-Discrimination Policy
The Stiletto Contest does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, or religion. We expect the same from our judges and entrants with a zero tolerance policy.
Any questions should be directed to programs@contemporaryromance.org.
Important links:
Entry Form
Judge the Stiletto Contest
Finalists | Winners
Unpublished Division
Contemporary Romance Long (80k+)
TBD
Contemporary Romance Mid-Length (50-80k)
TBD
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
TBD
Contemporary Women’s Fiction/Chick-Lit
TBD
Contemporary Young Adult/New Adult
TBD
Published Division
Contemporary Erotic Romance
TBD
Contemporary Romance Long (80+)
TBD
Contemporary Romance Mid-Length (50-80k)
TBD
Contemporary Romance Short (20-50k)
TBD
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
TBD
Contemporary Women’s Fiction/Chick-Lit
TBD