Local writer wins North Coast Journal Flash Fiction contest
The North Coast Journal published the results of its annual Flash Fiction contest on December 4, 2025, naming Michael McLaurin the 99 word winner for his piece titled Flight. The announcement highlights a slate of finalists and judges, celebrating Humboldt County writers and underscoring the role of brief fiction in community storytelling and cultural connection.
On December 4, 2025 the North Coast Journal released the results of its annual Flash Fiction contest, printing the winning 99 word microstory and showcasing a set of finalists. Michael McLaurin took top honors with Flight, a compact piece praised by the contest judges for its immediacy and character work. The item also included short summaries of several finalists whose stories ranged from explorations of westward migration and lost civic icons to wry workplace vignettes.
The judging panel listed in the announcement comprised JoAnn Bauer, Jennifer Fumiko Cahill, David Holper, Jennifer McFadden and Nancy Short. Their selections and commentary framed the contest as both a platform for craft and a mirror for local concerns, elevating small moments and overlooked histories that resonate across Humboldt County. By printing the winning microstory in full, the Journal provided readers a direct encounter with the form that judges singled out.
Flash fiction contests operate as low barrier entry points for writers, encouraging experimentation and frequent submission. For a rural region where arts resources can be sparse, contests like this create public visibility for local voices and foster networks among writers, readers and cultural institutions. The finalists included pieces that touched on migration and civic memory, subjects that intersect with ongoing community conversations about place, belonging and the stewardship of public life.
Beyond literary value, the contest matters for public health and social equity. Storytelling offers a means of community connection and mental health support, particularly when it gives voice to people and experiences not often heard in mainstream outlets. Community literary events can reduce isolation, spark civic engagement and help frame policy conversations around local heritage and inclusion.
The North Coast Journal feature serves as both celebration and invitation, documenting the vitality of Humboldt County writing while making space for a diverse range of perspectives. For local readers and writers the contest underscores that small forms can carry large ideas, and that public recognition of creative work contributes to cultural resilience and the shared life of the community.
