Credit: Seira Minami, illustrator of The Rising of the Shield Hero
In Partnership with
About the contest
The "MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 - THE ISEKAI presented by KADOKAWA" is more than just a writing competition—it's a global search for the next big Isekai hit. KADOKAWA, one of Japan's most influential publishers, is teaming up with MyAnimeList and Honeyfeed to discover fresh talent who can craft stories with the potential to stand alongside industry-defining titles like Overlord, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and Sword Art Online. As an added bonus, this year's contest features a special guest in the jury panel: Aneko Yusagi, writer of The Rising of the Shield Hero. Winners even receive personalized feedback from this renowned and experienced Isekai author, an incredible chance to gain insight directly from one of the most successful storytellers in the genre.
This is your chance to write a story that doesn't just entertain but excites. A story that makes readers all over the world say, "I couldn't stop reading."
- Entry fee: Free
- Writing platform: Honeyfeed
- Voting platform: MyAnimeList
| Novel entry period: | July 7 to September 29, 2025 |
| Judges voting period: | September 30 to November 16, 2025 |
| Public voting period (Finals): | November 17 to December 15, 2025 |
| Winners announced: | February 9, 2026 |
PRIZE
A KADOKAWA editor and a professional Japanese light novel author will be assigned to your work, and it will be revised in collaboration with you and The Hivemind Literary Agency. The Japanese translation is intended to be rendered in the style of Japanese light novels by a professional light novel author. Machine translation tools may be used as a reference during the Japanese translation process. English-language digital publication worldwide will also be considered.
Grand Prize — $5,000 USD
Your novel will be scheduled for publication by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel, subject to KADOKAWA’s final approval.
Contest Winners Prize — $3,000 USD
Winners: 2 winners; or 3 if no Grand Prize is selected
You might be offered publication of your novel in Japanese by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel.
Contest Prompt
Following in the footsteps of titles like Overlord, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and Sword Art Online, this contest’s theme is:
ISEKAI FANTASY
We’re searching for stories about being reincarnated into another world, transported to a different world, or drawn into a game-like world. The protagonist should begin with roots in the real world before finding their shine in a fantastical new setting.
Why have Isekai Fantasies become such a global sensation?
What is it about these stories that resonates so deeply with readers everywhere?
We invite you to explore these questions and create a story of your own—one that captures the magic and wonder that makes Isekai such a beloved genre.
What should be essential for your Isekai Fantasy Story
When it comes to entertainment through writing, the most vital factor is the reader. Can readers genuinely get excited about reading your novel?
Your story should be created with the primary goal of delivering enjoyment to the audience. How can you guarantee entertainment in your Isekai Fantasy contest submission?
⚡ Post exciting chapters from the very beginning
A story shouldn’t only become interesting by the end—it needs to capture the reader’s attention right from the start.
🦸 Make an appealing protagonist
Readers follow the protagonist, so they need to be engaging. Generally, protagonists fall into two categories: “aspirational” and “relatable.” Having a likeable protagonist and strong supporting characters also plays a significant role.
🏕️ Intriguing scenarios, immersive storytelling, and ease of reading
The story must pull readers in from the start. Long-winded or overly complex exposition early on can be a turn-off for your readers.
We’re looking for stories with a smooth, immersive flow—ones that keep emotionally invested readers turning the pages.
About KADOKAWA
KADOKAWA CORPORATION is a Japanese publisher known for releasing popular light novels such as Overlord, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and Sword Art Online.
This contest is being held to discover outstanding storytelling talent not just from Japan, but from around the world.
How to Enter
STEP 1
👁️🗨️ Review the Contest Rules and Participation Requirements
Carefully read this contest page to understand all requirements for both authors and entries.
STEP 2
📝 Create Your Novel on Honeyfeed
Log in to Honeyfeed, click "Create new novel", enter your title and synopsis, and set the maturity rating to "All Audiences."
STEP 3
⚔️ Submit to the Contest
Select your novel’s genres, then check the box next to:
"Would you like to submit this novel to the MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 - THE ISEKAI presented by KADOKAWA?" (Make sure to read carefully—there may be other contests or events active.)
STEP 4
🧙 Publish Your First Chapter
Once published, verify that your novel appears in the MAL x Honeyfeed Writing Contest section on the Honeyfeed homepage.
Authors can submit more than one novel to increase their chances of winning, but only one entry per author will be selected as a finalist candidate.
Contest Participation Requirements
🔵 Author Requirements
- Age: Participating authors must be at least 18 years old on or before February 9, 2026, to be eligible as a contest winner.
- Originality:
The author who submits their work to this contest must be the sole creator and author of the submitted novel. No co-authored works are allowed. - Copy editing, proofreading, or cover art by others is permitted.
- Collaboration on the story itself is strictly prohibited.
🔵 Entry Requirements
- Language: Your novel must be written in English. Novels in any other language will be taken down from the Honeyfeed website.
- Genre: Only new Isekai Fantasy stories created specifically for this contest are eligible.
- Word Count:
- Minimum: 50,000 words
- Maximum: 80,000 words
- (Recommended: 1,000 to 1,500 words per chapter, but this is not mandatory.)
- Maturity Rating: Your novel must be set to “All Audiences” on Honeyfeed. No NSFW or 18+ content allowed in this contest.
- Deadline & Novel Status on Honeyfeed:
- Your novel must be marked as “Completed” on Honeyfeed by September 29, 2025, and must include a satisfying conclusion. Entries still marked as “Ongoing” after this date will not be considered during the judging process. Novels marked as “Completed” but that do not have a satisfactory conclusion by the due date will be disqualified during the judging process.
- Deadline & Future Edits:
- You cannot make any changes, additions, or edits to your novel after September 29, 2025.
- If your novel did not make it as a finalist on November 17, 2025, you are free to make any changes, additions, or edits.
- If your novel made it into the finalist selection on November 17, 2025, you cannot make any changes, additions, or edits to your novel until February 9, 2026.
🔵 General Requirements
- Originality is Mandatory:
- Your novel must be entirely original and unpublished before this contest. This includes:
- Not being posted anywhere online (including prior versions on Honeyfeed or other websites).
- Not being published in any physical or digital form (e.g., self-published or traditional).
- Must not reuse or adapt settings, characters, plot points, designs, or story elements from:
- Your own past works.
- Other authors' works (fanfiction, spin-offs, rewrites, etc.).
- Exclusivity:
- Your novel must remain exclusive to Honeyfeed for the full duration of the contest period.
- Plagiarism:
- Any form of plagiarism—including heavily inspired elements from existing works—will result in immediate disqualification. Using AI for creative writing beyond minor support is considered plagiarism.
- ⚠️️ AI Policy
- ⚔️ You may use AI tools as a support aid (e.g., for idea organization, grammar assistance, etc.).
- ⚔️ You may use AI tools to create your novel cover image. Please include in the image credits the AI tool used to create your image.
- 💀 You may NOT use AI as a creative editor, story writer, or co-author.
- 💀 Fully or partially AI-generated stories are strictly forbidden.
- Violation of this rule will result in immediate disqualification at any stage of the contest.
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate entries based on the criteria below.
Failure to comply with any Participation Requirements or Judging Criteria may result in immediate disqualification.
Presentation & Publishing Quality
- The novel includes a cover image with proper credit given to the artist or clearly stated if AI-generated.
- Chapters are released on a consistent schedule, rather than all at once.
- The chapter length is reasonable and easy to read, not excessively long. (Recommended: 1,000 to 1,500 words per chapter)..
- The novel has a clear, engaging synopsis that hooks potential readers.
Storytelling & Writing
- The novel is exciting from the very beginning. Each chapter contains a compelling hook or turning point that keeps readers passionately engaged in your novel until the end.
- Writing demonstrates good English grammar, sentence structure, and clarity.
- The novel creatively and effectively incorporates the contest prompt, creating an Isekai that immerses readers in the world with smooth pacing, relatable stakes, and an emotional pull.
- The author maintains constant readability and flow—delivering an easy-to-follow and emotionally immersive plot.
- The novel features a protagonist whom readers care about, and is accompanied by a strong supporting character.
- The narrative has a satisfying and complete resolution within the required 50k–80k word count.
Isekai Fantasy Relevance
- The novel clearly fulfills the core "Isekai" trope—featuring a protagonist who is transported, reincarnated, or summoned from an ordinary world into a fantasy world, often keeping their memories from the previous world.
- The narrative explores the protagonist's adaptation or struggles in the new world.
- The Isekai premise is integral to the plot rather than just a background setting.
Community Engagement
- ⚔️ The author actively engages with readers by replying to comments and fostering discussion.
- ⚔️ The novel has received positive public feedback (e.g., encouraging comments, recurring readers).
- ⚔️ The author promotes their novel in appropriate spaces (e.g., Honeyfeed’s Discord, social media).
- ⚔️ The author maintains a positive presence and follows Honeyfeed’s site and Discord Community Guidelines.
📢 Want to increase your reach? Promote your novel using social media, post new chapter schedules, create visuals or trailers, and engage with readers via Honeyfeed’s Discord community!
Voting Procedures
The judges will read all eligible novels starting September 30th and vote on the finalist 10 by November 26, 2025. The voting process for the jury and the public will take place from November 17 to December 15, giving newcomers and the jury sufficient time to read and evaluate the finalist novels. You can cast your vote using the MyAnimeList mobile application.
The winners of the contest will be announced on February 9, 2026.
Judges Vote
Selecting the Top 10 Finalists
All eligible novel entries will be read, discussed, and voted on by our official judging committee. Judges will evaluate entries based on the Judging Criteria and select the Top 10 finalists.
Want to Be a Judge?
Judge Application FormJudge applications are open from July 7 to August 25, 2025.
Due to limited spaces, not all applicants will be selected.
Public & Jury Vote
Selecting Contest Winners
After the finalists are announced, a jury of experienced readers will review and provide constructive feedback on the Top 10 novels. The jury's feedback and scores will be combined with public votes to determine the contest's 3 winners.
If you're an avid reader who can offer thoughtful, detailed feedback, we invite you to apply to our Jury team.
Jury applications are open from September 29 to November 17, 2025.
Due to limited spaces, not all applicants will be selected.
Requirements to Become Part of the Judging Committee
- Applicants can’t participate as judge or jury for this contest.
- All applicants must be over the age of 18.
- Applicants must have access to Google Drive (having a Google/Gmail account).
- Applicants must have time to get on a computer, tablet, or smartphone to read novels and write feedback at least once a week.
- Applicants must have time to regularly check their email inbox.
- People accepted as judges must be open to reading at least nine assigned novel chapters weekly.
- Those who apply to become a judge must have a Discord account and access to the Honeyfeed Discord server. Jury applicants are not required to have Discord.
- People accepted as judges must attend the debate to choose the contest finalists. Debates will happen only via Discord.
- People accepted as Jurors must be open to reading at least one assigned novel to completion weekly.
Q&A
Q 1 I am not 18 years of age, but I have permission from my parents to enter the contest. Can I participate?
- A No. There are no exceptions to the age requirement, even if you have permission from a legal guardian.
Q 2 Will I have time to make edits to my novel after the submission window closes?
- A No. Any changes after the submission period will disqualify your entry. We advise you to fully proofread your chapters before submitting them to Honeyfeed. Depending on the number of submissions, some judges may have already picked up your novel to read before your story is concluded.
Q 3 Can I write sequels, spin-offs, or continue my story after the contest ends?
- A Yes! Once the contest winners are announced, you're free to continue your story, create spin-offs, or write sequels—either on Honeyfeed or elsewhere.
Q 4 What happens to my rights if I enter the contest?
- A You will retain full ownership of your novel at all times, including during and after the contest. The only requirement is that your entry remains exclusive to Honeyfeed throughout the contest period—it cannot be posted, published, or shared elsewhere until the contest ends. Even if your novel is selected as a winner, you still hold all rights to your work. This exclusivity is temporary and does not affect your creative or legal ownership in any way.
Q 5 Do I need to sign an agreement to receive the prize money?
- A Yes. To be officially recognized as a contest winner and receive your prize money, you’ll be required to sign a contract with The Hivemind Literary Agency (the official agency of Honeyfeed’s parent company). Full details regarding this agreement will be provided directly to the winners after the public announcement of the three contest winners.
Official MAL x Honeyfeed Writing Contest Rules
No purchase necessary to enter or win.
BY ENTERING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THIS WRITING CONTEST, ALL ENTRANTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS AGREE TO ABIDE BY THESE OFFICIAL WRITING CONTEST RULES, WHICH ARE FINAL AND BINDING ON ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THIS CONTEST.
1. Administrators and Sponsor. This writing contest is administered by MyAnimeList Co., Ltd. ("MyAnimeList" or "MAL") in collaboration with qdopp, Inc. d/b/a Honeyfeed ("Honeyfeed") (MAL and Honeyfeed may sometimes be referred to together herein as "Administrators") and sponsored by KADOKAWA CORPORATION (“KADOKAWA” or “Sponsor”). The contest is void in whole or in part where prohibited by law.
2. Eligibility. The contest is open to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have registered accounts with MAL and Honeyfeed. The Administrators reserve the right at any time to require proof of age and eligibility to participate in the contest. Failure to provide such proof or insufficient proof may result in disqualification from the contest in Administrators’ sole discretion. All information requested by and supplied to Administrators or Sponsor for the purpose of the contest must be truthful, complete, accurate and in no way misleading. Administrators reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify any entrant from the contest should such an entrant at any stage supply unsatisfactory, untruthful, incomplete, inaccurate or misleading information.
3. Contest Period. The period for entering the contest begins July 7, 2025, and will continue until September 29, 2025.
4. How to Enter the Contest. There is no purchase necessary to enter the writing contest. To enter this contest, review and follow all the steps on the Official MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 - THE ISEKAI presented by KADOKAWA Page (the "Official Writing Contest Page") during the contest period. All steps and rules set forth on the Official Writing Contest Page are incorporated herein by reference. You should also follow any other instructions or rules presented to you at the time of entry or submission.
Neither the Administrators nor the Sponsor assume any responsibility for late submissions or submission failures due to technological or other issues.
5. Novel Submission Rules. Any novel you submit through this writing contest must comply with all rules on the Official Writing Contest Page.
Please review those rules carefully, including the rules pertaining to your creation and promotion of any novel you submit through this writing contest. Please also review the Judging Criteria as well.
Contest prompt, theme, and genre
To enter the contest, your novel must have the specific prompt, theme, and genre, “ISEKAI FANTASY”.
--- --- --- --- ---- --- --- --- --- ----
For any novel submission, you must not submit any content that contains any elements that violate a third party's copyrights, trademark rights, privacy rights, or any other rights. Your novel submission and any other content you submit must comply with MAL's Terms of Use regarding user content and Honeyfeed's Terms of Service.
By submitting any novel or other content as part of this contest, you represent, warrant, and agree that: (a) you are in compliance with these Official Writing Contest Rules (“Contest Rules”) and all additional requirements and rules set forth on the Official Writing Contest Page; (b) you are in compliance with MAL's Terms of Use and Honeyfeed's Terms of Service; (c) your novel(s) and any other content does not infringe or violate any third-party rights; and (d) the novel(s) and any other content does not violate any law.
6. Contest Prizes and Conditions for Receiving a Prize. Prizes are available for participants who place first in each contest category. 3 Winners total for this contest. The prizes that are available to be won for this contest are the following:
| Prize item description: | Estimated value: | No. of items available to win: | Other restrictions: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prize: $5,000, plus your novel will be scheduled for publication by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel, subject to KADOKAWA’s final approval * | $5,000 | 1 | If no Grand Prize is awarded, three Contest Winners Prizes will be awarded. See below* |
| Contest Winners Prize: $3,000, plus you might be offered publication of your novel in Japanese by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel* | $3,000 | 2 (or 3, if no Grand Prize is awarded) | See below* |
*To receive a prize, you will be required to enter into a separate written agreement with qdopp, Inc. (“qdopp”), one of the Administrators and the company that operates The Hivemind Literary Agency (https://hivemindagency.net/), appointing qdopp as your exclusive agent for a minimum one-year term in negotiating the publication, sale, license or other commercialization of your novel for which you have been awarded a prize on a commission basis. You may also be required to provide an affidavit of eligibility to receive a prize.
7. Judging Criteria, Selection of Winners, and Odds of Winning. Administrators will review the novel entries for this contest and, once the entry period ends, the judges will evaluate the novel entries based on the criteria described on the Official Writing Contest Page. The judges will vote on the novel entries starting September 30, 2025 and will select the 10 finalists by November 26, 2025. Please see the Official Writing Contest Page for information on the criteria the judges will use to narrow the novel entries down to a total of 10.
After the novel entries are narrowed down to 10 by the Administrators’ judges, the jury and public voting phase will be conducted November 17 to December 15, 2025, as described on the Official Writing Contest Page.
During this period, the 10 judge-selected novels will be posted to a special voting page. The winners will be announced on January 26, 2026.
Odds of Winning: The odds of your novel being selected and included with the 10 novels selected by the judges are dependent upon the number of eligible submissions received by Administrators, the above-referenced criteria, and the judges' opinions. During the voting phase, a number of people assigned as 'Jury' will review and rate the overall content of your completed submission. The odds of your novel being selected in the public voting phase depend on the number of votes received in this phase as well as the review and feedback of the Jury.
Administrators may communicate with potential winners at the email address registered with the potential winners' MyAnimeList or Honeyfeed accounts with further information and any additional requirements to accept the prizes. If a potential winner cannot be contacted within 72 hours, fails to respond to any attempted contact, is in any way not in compliance with these Contest Rules, or declines to, does not, or cannot accept the prize to be awarded, such a potential winner will be disqualified, and his/her entry and submission will be declared null and void.
8. Release. By entering this writing contest, you release the Administrators and the Sponsor, and each of their affiliates, employees, officers, directors, managers, and agents from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with this contest or transmission, failed transmission, or acceptance of any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses, and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty, or any other theory.
9. Administrators’ and Sponsor’s Reservation of Rights. Sponsor and Administrators reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to: (a) terminate, cancel, suspend, and/or revise the contest for any or no reason; and (b) disqualify any individual in violation of these Contest Rules or if Sponsor or Administrators discover such individual to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the contest or acting in an unlawful or disruptive manner. Neither the Sponsor’s nor the Administrators’ failure to enforce any term or provision of these Contest Rules shall constitute a waiver of that term or provision.
10. Privacy. Information collected from you in connection with this contest will be used by Sponsor in awarding and otherwise fulfilling prizes, if applicable, and by Administrators for their administration of the contest, including to verify your eligibility and notify potential winners and to fulfill prizes. In addition, Sponsor and Administrators may use information collected about you to send you offers or information from us about MAL’s, Honeyfeed’s and/or KADOKAWA’s products and services, or about the products and services of their affiliates and business partners. If you do not wish to receive such offers and information, you may opt-out at any time by following the instructions at the bottom of any promotional email you receive or by following other opt-out instructions provided in the communication. Information collected is otherwise subject to and may be used and shared by Administrators in accordance with MyAnimeList's Privacy Policy at https://myanimelist.net/about/privacy_policy, Honeyfeed’s Privacy Policy at https://www.honeyfeed.fm/privacy, and applicable law.
11. Contact Information. Please direct any questions or comments regarding the writing contest to Customer Support.
Contact Information
Please direct any questions or feedback about the event to MyAnimeList at Contact Customer Support.
Questions about content eligibility criteria, judging details, awards, and prizes will not receive responses.
Curious to read about past contests?
View MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 "NOVELOUS Worlds"
