It’s a busy time at the The A3 Review. Issue #5 has officially launched! Short fiction and poetry from the UK, North America and Ireland. There’s also a guest piece from leading US flash fiction writer Meg Pokrass. You can order a copy via this link.

Meanwhile, our monthly contests to find contributors for Issue #6 are underway. The theme for October is Uniforms. Soldiers, nurses, prisoners, cops, sailors, fighter pilots, guerilla fighters, firefighters, goths, priests, chefs, hipsters and school children… the list of uniforms people wear is long and varied.

We’re looking for stories about how characters change when they put on a uniform, how people perceive those in uniform, how much of a disguise a uniform can be. You could write about a couple – one who loves their uniform, the other hates it. Or someone who doesn’t need to wear a uniform, but does anyway. Use the idea of rank and status to kickstart your creativity. Write about uniforms you’ve worn, or about those that excite or scare you. Secret uniforms and uniforms that elicit shame or pride.

Visit our Submittable page for more inspiration. The deadline is 22 October 2016.

Each month we choose two winning pieces for publication (The A3 Review is published twice a year). All winning entries receive Writing Maps and contributor copies, while three overall winners for each issue receive cash prizes totaling £275. You can get more inspiration by following The A3 Review on Twitter @TheA3Review and sign up for our newsletter here.

If you’re looking for detailed, knowledgeable and forward-looking feedback on your short fiction, editors KM Elkes and Shaun Levin are offering a critique service for writers. To find out more click here.

Happy writing and reading.