The annual writing competition hosted by MyAnimeList and Honeyfeed has returned for 2026 under the title NOVELOUS Worlds. This year, the contest is focusing on two specific genres: Rom-Com and Psychological Horror. Supported by Japanese publisher Shogakukan, the event aims to give international authors a platform to showcase their work to a wide audience through the light novel reading app, NOVELOUS.
The competition is structured to provide visibility to multiple participants rather than just the eventual winners. During the public voting phase, the top ten finalist novels will be hosted on the NOVELOUS app, making them accessible to light novel readers throughout North America.
There is no entry fee for participants, who must submit their original stories via the Honeyfeed platform. The submission window opens on 16 February 2026 and concludes on 10 May 2026. Following the initial entry period, a panel of judges will evaluate the submissions between 11 May and 28 June 2026 to determine the finalists.
The public will then have the opportunity to vote for their favourite finalists from 29 June 2026 until 27 July 2026. The final winners are scheduled to be announced on 12 August 2026. Three primary prizes are available, each valued at US$3,000. These include the Most Voted Rom-Com Entry, the Most Voted Psychological Horror Entry, and a Jury Choice Award which will be selected from across both genre categories.
If this event sounds of interest to you, check out all the details on its official website.
