In the hands of Gabriel García Márquez, the fantastic was never shocking — it was inevitable. He showed us a world where miracles are mundane and time runs in circles. This contest invites you to blur the line between the real and the impossible — not by making the strange feel magical, but by making the magical feel ordinary.

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We’re looking for stories where the supernatural is woven seamlessly into the fabric of life: a woman who floats into the sky during laundry, a city that forgets its name, a man whose memories turn to bees. The best entries will ground wonder in rich cultural detail, family history, or emotional truth.

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Let the surreal walk quietly through the kitchen. Don’t explain it. Just let it exist.

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• Anchor magic in reality. Start with something deeply real — a grandmother, a harvest, a city street — and let the surreal bloom from it like a rumor.

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• Let language be lush. Márquez’s prose is rich with smell, touch, color, and sound. Let your world feel textured and alive.

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• Use repetition and rhythm. In magic realism, things often echo or spiral. Consider refrains, circular plot, or a return to the beginning with a shift in tone.

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• Don’t justify the magic. If someone grows feathers or forgets time, don’t explain why. Show how the town responds. Let it ripple through the ordinary.

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• Ground emotion in the absurd. Magical events should reflect very real feelings — grief, shame, joy, aging. The fantastic should illuminate, not distract.

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• Create myth in miniature. Your story doesn’t need to be grand. A single house, a small moment, or one strange occurrence can carry mythic weight.