overlaylink

In Conversation With A Romantasy Author

December 07, 2023 | 2 min read

Everyone who participated in our 2023 NaNoWriMo Leaderboard was entered to win a free Alpha, and the winner is...

Stefanie L.!

Stefanie is a writer who completed NaNo this year on her Traveler — and won! She wrote 57,471 words whenever life allowed her to. We sat down to chat about her writing, how she manages with a busy schedule, and more...

 

Why don't you introduce yourself?

My name is Stefanie, and I live in Virginia by the ocean. I am currently writing for fun and hoping to be published one day. I have been writing romantasy!

Which Freewrite do you use?

I have a Freewrite Traveler that I bought for NaNoWriMo! I absolutely love it! It helped immensely to reach that 50k word goal. 

You have a busy schedule. How do you fit in writing? 

I am a mom to two little girls, and I write whenever life allows me. Sometimes that’s early mornings or in the pick-up line at school. Traveler has been so convenient for writing wherever my kids take me.

Romantasy is a relatively new term. What, in your opinion, makes a book romantasy?

Yes, a hot topic floating around in 2023 is what makes a romantasy and how it differs from its older counterparts, romance and fantasy. For me, a great romantasy falls within the graph below. There are equal parts romance building, magical elements, family, and world politics.

What takes the story to the next level is when the plot uses the problems of these elements and mixes them together to make hurdles for the character.

What attracts you to romantasy as a genre?

I have a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and the themes in my work definitely come from learning about how stories capture the culture that we live in and preserve those thoughts and ideas for eternity. 

And I have always loved magic! I am also drawn to stories of women who are finding themselves and their strength within worlds that are harsh and unforgiving because it's relatable to so many of us. We feel we are only seen if we follow the rules, and these stories help us stand up for ourselves and grow.

Who are some of your writing influences?

Like I said, I've always loved magic. Arthurian stories were my favorite until I grew up and discovered Sarah J. Maas, Carissa Broadbent, and Stephanie Garber!

Where can people follow along with your writing journey?

My Instagram handle is @RomantasyStefanie. Follow me there!

--

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Stefanie! We hope you enjoy Alpha!

https://getfreewrite.com/products/alpha

 

October 12, 2025 4 min read

The winner of the inaugural Freewrite 500 flash fiction competition is Brie Ripley Sparks, with her short story "High Holy Days."

October 12, 2025 2 min read

The first place story in the 2025 Freewrite 500 is "High Holy Days" by Brie Ripley Sparks.

September 10, 2025 3 min read

The Freewrite 500 Writing Contest — Terms and Conditions

Last Updated: 10-09-2025

By submitting an entry to The Freewrite 500 Writing Contest (the “Contest”), you agree to abide by the following Terms and Conditions.

1. Organizer

The Contest is organized by Freewrite, a brand owned and operated by Astrohaus, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “Freewrite”, “we”, “our”, or “us”).

2. Eligibility

  • The Contest is open to individuals who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.

  • Employees of Freewrite, the Flash Fiction Institute, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.

  • Void where prohibited by law.

3. How to Enter

  • Entries must be submitted through the official entry form before Monday, September 22.

  • Entries must be original works of flash fiction no longer than 500 words.

  • All submissions must be the original work of the entrant.

  • Only one entry per person is allowed.

  • Entries must be written in English.

  • The deadline for submission is 11:59 p.m. EST on September 22, 2025. Late or incomplete entries will not be accepted.

4. Entry Requirements

  • Submissions must be the entrant’s own original work and must not have been previously published, including on personal blogs or social media.

  • Entries must not contain any material that is obscene, offensive, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate.

  • By entering, you confirm that your submission does not infringe on any third-party rights, including copyright, trademark, or privacy rights.

5. Judging and Winner Selection

  • All eligible entries will be judged by a panel of reviewers affiliated with Freewrite and the Flash Fiction Institute.

  • Judging criteria include length, creativity, and adherence to theme, and overall quality of writing.

  • The winner will be notified via email.

6. Use of Generative AI Prohibited

  • The use of generative AI in the creation of a submission for this competition is prohibited.

  • The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any entry that is suspected to have been generated, in whole or in part, using generative AI tools (including but not limited to text-generating algorithms, large language models, or similar technologies).

7. Prize

  • The winning entry will be published on both the Freewrite Blog and the Flash Fiction Institute Blog.

  • The winner will receive recognition across Freewrite and Flash Fiction Institute's social media platforms.

  • No cash prizes will be offered. Prizes include a Freewrite Traveler, a Words Are Hard writing prompt deck, publication on the Freewrite blog and the Flash Fiction Institute blog, and a free flash gym session hosted by the Flash Fiction Institute.

8. Rights and Usage

  • By entering the contest, entrants grant Freewrite and the Flash Fiction Institute first publication rights. This means Freewrite and the Flash Fiction Institute have a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to publish, reproduce, and distribute the submitted entry in connection with the promotion of the Contest, including on their websites, blogs, email newsletters, social media channels, and more.

  • After initial publication, all rights revert back to the author, who is then free to republish or distribute their work elsewhere. However, we request that any subsequent publication acknowledges Freewrite and the Flash Fiction Institute as the original place of publication.

  • The winning author will be credited by name or preferred pen name when their work is published.

9. Privacy

  • Personal information collected during the entry process will be used only for the administration of the Contest and in accordance with Freewrite’s Privacy Policy.

  • Entrants may be contacted by Freewrite regarding their submission or related opportunities.

10. Disqualification

Freewrite reserves the right to disqualify any entry that:

  • Violates these Terms and Conditions,

  • Is found to contain plagiarized material,

  • Is deemed offensive or inappropriate,

  • Is submitted by someone ineligible.

11. Limitation of Liability

Freewrite is not responsible for:

  • Lost, late, incomplete, or misdirected entries;

  • Technical failures of any kind;

  • Any injury or damage to persons or property related to participation in the Contest.

12. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of [Insert State], without regard to its conflict of laws principles.

13. Contact

For any questions regarding the Contest, please contact us at:
📧 hello@getfreewrite.com.