TEHRAN -- The sixth edition of the Khodnevis Story Writing Competition, organized by Saad Publishing, has concluded its initial phase with the announcement of 20 selected finalists. The contest aims to discover and support new literary talent in Iran’s contemporary fiction scene.
This year’s competition focused on the theme of the “Iranian narrative,” encouraging writers to explore subjects such as the Persian Gulf, influential Iranian women, national pride and independence, local myths and epics, the Iranian-Islamic way of life, and the protection of the country’s cultural and natural heritage. A free-topic category was also available.
According to the event organizers, more than 400 story proposals were submitted from across the country, ranging from small villages to major cities. The majority of participants held academic degrees, reflecting the strong link between Iran’s literary community and higher education. Tehran Province recorded the highest number of submissions.
After review, 20 story outlines were selected for the next round of the competition. 
In the next stage, each finalist will be asked to write a full chapter based on their selected proposal. From these, ten writers will be chosen to take part in Khodnevis’s specialized creative writing workshops. Divided into two groups, they will work with mentors to expand their ideas into complete novels.
Since its launch, the Khodnevis competition has led to the publication of more than 70 selected works, offering a platform for emerging authors to enter Iran’s literary market.