Blog – Fountain Magazine

2025 Essay Contest Winners

The Fountain — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:48:58 +0000

The Fountain Essay Contest 2025

“Real or Fake?”: Reflections on How We Experience Life in the AI Age

…And the Winners Are:

1^st Place
The Counterfeit Nightingale and the Real Song
By Shivangi

2^nd Place
Between Sidq and Simulation: On Authenticity in the Age of AI
By Fatimah Azzahra Ishak

3^rd Place
Real is Fake and Fake is Real / Art and Precarity in the Age of AI: A Critical Review
By Jagriti Sharma

Honorable Mention
The Things We Count in the Dark, or the Insomnia of Authenticity
By Olesia Tsvientukh

Honorable Mention
EuloGPT
By Jed Richardson

Congratulations also to all who made to top ten:

“Ghosts in the Machine: Talking to My Father in the AI Age”
By Leander P. E. Isler

“The Last Broadcast”
By Hale Hayta

“The Fragility of Real”
By Alberte Kastrup

“The Cathedral I Found Inside a Typing Box at Midnight”
By Raphael Joseph D. Osano

“A Love Letter to Human Error”
By Anwita D. Pillai

Congratulations to the winners!

You may also want to see 2025 Essay Contest Shortlist .

2025 Essay Contest Shortlist

The Fountain — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:00:58 +0000

2025 Essay Contest

Real or Fake?

Reflections on How We Experience Life in the AI Age

Shortlist

Countdown to the winners is around the corner! Here is the shortlist. Winners will be announced very soon. Please follow our announcements!

Yahia Lababidi (What Cannot Be Outsourced)
Sue Harris (Don’t Wake Up)
Aleeza Rauf (I Fell in Love With A Lie)
Nataša Vlčková (The Quiet Mirror)
Noor Nildan (Earthling, Don’t Be Afraid, We Come in Peace)
Jed Richardson (EuloGPT)
Kudzanai Lucy Nemuramba (Fading Echoes)
Fatimah Azzahra Ishak (Between Sidq and Simulation)
Nina Bartolotta (The Social Dance)
Jaymee Harper (From the Ashes)
Sidra Noor (God of the 3 a.m.)
Guneesh Jassi (When Truth Drowns)
Hyomin Claire Yoo-Jin Y (Hesitation: Humanity’s Last Refuge in the Age of AI)
Trang Nguyen (Hi AI, give me some AE!)
Neda Petrovic (Homo Perditus)
Arman Levonan (Humanity Behind the Glass Screen)
Gale Ryan (I Miss the Dinosaurs)
Jinisa “Jin” Srisujjalertwaja (Is That a Person)
Josie Levin (It Is Not Alive)
Jagriti Sharma (Real Is Fake and Fake Is Real)
Leander P. E. Isler (Ghosts in the Machine)
Khushi Kumari (AI- Real or Fake)
Anwita D Pillai (A Love Letter to Human Error)
Vince East (A Trivial Anomaly)
Lily Tadevosyan (AI in Opposition to Reality)
Nevelle Thomas (AI wrote an essay that was so perfect that I deleted it)
Amna Majid (AI Revealed Who We Really Are)
Annie Pardis (AI’s Cave)
Destiny Hankerson (In the Age of AI, the Power Is in Our Hands – and Hearts!)
Arnavi Rathore (Almost Real, A Heartbeat Beyond Code)
Varsha Kolpe (Anchored in Light)
Elena Zancanaro (Between the Glow and the Shadow)
Sneha Parackal (Between Real and Fake Life in the AI Age)
Margarette Gatchalian (Beyond the Checkbox)
Lisa Parris (Caribbean Voices Offline: When AI Barely Knows We Exist)
Róbert Csoma (Code Can’t Bleed)
Saicharan Ritwik Chinni (The Floating Earring)
Madalina Cara (Vanishing voices, and algorithms)
Roa La (A Mafia Boss Among Us)
Aeman Abbasi (Artificial Origins, Human Truths)
Stefany Coching (The Beginnings of AI Uprising)
Raphael Joseph D. Osano (The Cathedral I Found Inside a Typing Box at Midnight)
Eiffel Aurora – Lucian (The Soul and the Algorithm)
Divna Vuksanović (Fountain Philosophy: From Reflections in Water to Algorithmic Illusions)
Alberte Kastrup (The Fragility of Real)
Adie Tinyy (The Joke’s on Us, Or Is It)
Hale Hayta (The Last Broadcast)
Lawrencia Musona (The Loneliness Algorithm)
Sarai Louis (The Oasis)
Olesia Tsvientukh (The Things We Count in the Dark)
Sindiswa Ndzinisa (The Virtual Heirloom)
Lim Zhi Zenn (The World’s Most Treasured Robber)
Dulaj Zahra (This is how I stayed)
Tarun Mhanta (Through the Glass)
Samina Misra (When Fake Feels Real)
A Beneke (When the Mirror Learns to Lie)
Sob Kamwa Francois (Whispers from the Cloud)
Abdul-Wasiu Abdul-Ganiyy (Wired Illusion)
Khamara Nicholson (Now I know what’s real, what’s fake)
Jessica Reimer (Please Confirm You’re Not a Robot)
Milanka Sulejic (Real or Fake)
Maria Karabun (Reflection in the mirror)
Miraal Omerkhawaja (The Age of Cognitive Surrender)
Brighton Matereke (The AI Mirror)
Clara Zhao (Love Me through the Screen)
Kylee Perry (Memories Outlive Machines)
Mileva Roumer (Now Featuring- Your Face Without You Beta Test My Soul)
Mi Ainsel (Of Lies – Self, Doubt, and AI)
Robert Hurtado (Permanently Impermanent: The Illusions We Live With)
Darryl de Carteret (Real Mates, Artificial Friends and Growing Up Then and Living Now)
Mercy Pam (Real or Fake)
Haniya Wasim (Searching for What Is Real in an Age of Illusions)
Maria Guia Lopez de Leon (Soft Launching My Soul in an AI World)
Phoebe Amakiri (The Age of Almost)
Sam Okwuoha (The Authenticity Paradox)
Katim Touray (The Brushstroke and the Byte)
Peter Kaitano (The Canvas of My Mind)
Shivangi (The Counterfeit Nightingale and the Real Song)
John Tommy (The Digital Echo)

The Fountain Essay Contest 2025

The Fountain — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 00:05:36 +0000

Real or Fake?

Reflections on How We Experience Life in the AI Age

“The picture reflects all the instructions. But something looks off, though I’m not so sure what it is.”

“The script is quite good. But why is it repetitive?”

“What a tragedy! But hold on, is this news real?”

New AI technologies have introduced amazing capabilities for content creation – beyond what we could have imagined. We are all excited to produce scripts, illustrations, videos, and so much more with this constantly evolving cutting-edge technology at the tip of our fingers.

But do they feel as genuine as we would normally expect? Do we feel the same sense of fulfilment or claim ownership as we otherwise would? Immersed in our screens, how real—or fake—does life feel? Do our relationships matter at all? How real are our friendships with others?

Participate in the contest and share your reflections.

Submissions to be posted: July 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025
Contest open to all writers worldwide
Ideal word count to be between 1,500 and 2,500
For submissions: CLICK TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

Cash prizes

1st Place – $1,000
2nd Place – $500
3rd Place – $300
Two Honorable Mentions – $150 each

THEME

What qualifies a good essay?

An essay that you feel your heart rests more comfortably on. The more concise an essay, the more acceptable it is. Its authenticity and uniqueness, and how elaborately you put your theme into words so that others are inspired from it.

REFERENCES

Do we have to include references, bibliography, notes, etc. as in an academic journal?

The Fountain is not a journal. Thus, we do not expect a full scale reference list for all the information you provide. But, we encourage contributors to provide at least a reasonable number of references (not more than four or five) especially for the arguments borrowed from other sources, as it would make your work more reliable. If the kind of information you provide needs citation, please provide it; but essays with lengthy references are not preferred. Some reference and recommendations for further reading may help readers who are interested in the essay. Accuracy of data is expected in essays in which information provided needs sourcing. An essay based on personal experience does not require citation, and it is equally acceptable.

WORD COUNT

Does the word count limit include the bibliography or just the essay itself?

The Fountain is not a full-scale academic journal, so we expect authors to keep references to a maximum of four or five. Notes can be more. References and notes do not make a big change in word count which is advised to be between 1,500 and 2,500. A range is always necessary to be able to have an objective measure in terms of size.

STYLE

What kind of writing style do you expect? Can we use informal phrases? Is this essay supposed to be a personal opinion piece, or more of a scholarly supported article?

In writing style, we mainly seek consistency. We prefer the Chicago Manual of Style, but if you are more familiar with another style, that is also acceptable. Some informal usage can be OK in a certain essay, but not in another. It is basically the author’s call.

Would an essay in the short story genre qualify for the contest?

As long as your theme is skillfully woven through its structure, and if it upholds The Fountain’s values and principles, yes.

PUBLISHING

Are you going to publish submitted essays anywhere?

We might publish submissions in The Fountain, both the print and web editions, even if the essays did not win any prize. Other entrants may also be offered publication. Although by submitting your essay to this contest, you agree that you give permission to The Fountain to publish it in any medium, this does not restrict authors from withdrawing from The Fountain should they not win, and they are free to submit it elsewhere. Be advised to notify The Fountain in advance so your submission is removed.

NUMBER OF ENTRY

Can I submit more than one essay?

No. One entry per person.

DISQUALIFICATION

What makes an essay disqualified?

Offensive and devotional essays — particularly essays that emphasize superiority of a specific worldview or derogating a specific worldview—will be disqualified. Essays that “propagate” a certain spiritual order, a religious denomination, a spiritual leader, or a political activist, etc. in a way that subordinates all other faiths and traditions are considered devotional and will be disqualified.
Title is missing – Do not forget to put a title. Titles are important for readers and reviewers to see what lies in the center of your message. Missing title will disqualify your submission.
Submissions already published elsewhere are not accepted.

EVALUATION

Who will determine the winners? Can you explain more specifically what you are looking for in a winner?

The winners will be determined by our board who will decide according to the literary effectiveness of the essay in reflecting the philosophy behind the motto, richness in content, and authenticity.

All submitted essays will be evaluated using the following criteria.

Relevance to the contest theme (40 points)
Innovation & creativity (30 points)
Writing style and structure (30 points)

SUBMISSION

How am I going to submit my essay?

For submissions: CLICK TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

DEADLINE

When is the last day for submissions?

September 30, 2025

ELIGIBILITY

Who is eligible to participate in this contest?

There is no age limit or a condition to fulfill for entry. The contest is open to all who want to share his or her ideas with us.

In Memoriam of M. Fethullah Gülen

The Fountain — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:54:43 +0000

Fethullah Gülen, the beloved teacher, author, and poet, passed away on October 20, 2024.

His articles, each a fruit of honest faith, deep thought, poetic refinement, and, yes, suffering, have shaped The Fountain since its inception in 1993. From the very first issue, we humbly tried our best to reflect his vision of peaceful coexistence through dialogue among communities and his belief in the priceless value of every human being. The Fountain proudly cherishes the badge of honor as the only English periodical with Gülen authoring its lead article. To demonstrate our commitment to continue his work, we present this special edition dedicated to his legacy.

Featured in this issue are writers from around the world, with different faith traditions and nationalities, sharing how they were impacted by Gülen’s message, via a school, an iftar dinner, reading his books or The Fountain, or simply through a small act of kindness. We hope their reflections will serve as a testimony to how far and wide his message was welcomed globally and will continue to resonate in our hearts.

Please click to see sample pages of this special edition. The full content will be open to access soon.

The Fountain
On Life, Knowledge, and Belief

2024 Essay Contest Winners

The Fountain — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:48:58 +0000

…And the winners are:

1st Place

“Home Is Tucked Under the Smiling Sunflower Seeds” by Azra Ozturk

2nd Place

“Home Is Kobayashi Issa’s Cherry Blossoms” by Moon Taha Teen Nikita

3rd Place

“How To Build a Home From a Toolkit and a Sourdough Starter” by Pimvarin Srihawan

Honorable Mention

“Beyond Home: The Spirit of Sydney” by Brianna Head

Honorable Mention

“The Cartography of the Heart: Where Home Isn’t a Place, But a Night Sky” by Yamini Ramesh

Congratulations to the winners!

You may also want to see 2024 Essay Contest Shortlist .

2024 Essay Contest Top Ten

The Fountain — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 22:00:58 +0000

Let’s up the excitement a bit higher! Here is the Top Ten. Award winners will be announced very soon!!

“My Home, My Stability” by Michaela Harhajova
“A Mosquito Meets a Memory” by Maggie Whelan-Curtin
“A Personal Cartography of Home” by Daniella Musimbi
“Beyond Home: The Spirit of Sydney” by Brianna Head
“Home Is Kobayashi Issa’s Cherry Blossoms” by Moon Taha Teen Nikita
“Home Is Tucked Under the Smiling Sunflower Seeds” by Azra Ozturk
“How To Build a Home From a Toolkit and a Sourdough Starter” by Pimvarin Srihawan
“The Cartography of the Heart: Where Home Isn’t a Place, But a Night Sky” by Yamini Ramesh
“The Path to Eternal Home: From Temporary Shelters to Lasting Peace” by Zeynep Orhan
“Footsteps of Belonging Tracing the Path to Home” by Hale Hayta

2024 Essay Contest Shortlist

The Fountain — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 22:00:58 +0000

Countdown to the winners is around the corner! Here is the shortlist for Essay Contest 2024. We congratulate all the participants. Winners will be announced very soon. Please follow our announcements!

“My Home, My Stability” by Michaela Harhajova
“A Mosquito Meets a Memory” by Maggie Whelan-Curtin
“A Personal Cartography of Home” by Daniella Musimbi
“The Concept of Home: An Analysis of Its True Significance” by Mary Joy Tempra
“Is Home Really Just Brick and Mortar?” by Selman Uzun
“An Account of the Woods” by Allie Schick
“An Alphabet of Home” by Lisa-Anne Julien
“Call Me Kama’āina (Please)” by Madison Stevens
“Home Or Heaven” by Aditya Goel
“Shadows of Home” by Golf Greener
“Though Our Feet Wander, Our Hearts Are Bound to Return” by Hannah Hazzard
“Footsteps of Belonging Tracing the Path to Home” by Hale Hayta
“Beyond Home: The Spirit of Sydney” by Brianna Head
“The Itch to Change” by Keith Herron
“The Eviction of Innocence” by Kinzie Asmus-Kim
“Home by Heart” by Brian Warner
“Home Is Where the Poles Meet” by Kyra Swantkowski
“Home Is Kobayashi Issa’s Cherry Blossoms” by Moon Taha Teen Nikita
“Home Is Tucked Under the Smiling Sunflower Seeds” by Azra Ozturk
“Home Is Dinner Every Night” by Marie Vibbert
“How To Build a Home From a Toolkit and a Sourdough Starter” by Pimvarin Srihawan
“Nest on the Sea, or Art” by Jaeyong Park
“The Cartography of the Heart: Where Home Isn’t a Place, But a Night Sky” by Yamini Ramesh
“The Path to Eternal Home: From Temporary Shelters to Lasting Peace” by Zeynep Orhan
“The Places We Belong To” by Red Thunder
“The Stars Will Not Collide” by Phelelani Makhanya
“Welcome to a Home Built in Fleeting Glamourized Desperation” by Yvette Rejuso
“A House Called Home: A Place, a Concept, a Dream, a Memory” by Vaishnavi P
“A Sense of Belonging” by Neth Ak
“Home: The Paradise of Nature” by Meerab Nofal
“Home: Where Resilience Develops and Mission Flourishes” by Ali Suleiman

The Fountain Essay Contest 2024

The Fountain — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:05:36 +0000

“Home” holds a special place in our lives. A large, luxurious mansion or a small, decrepit place, our homes are hard to replace with anything. Our earliest memories form inside its walls; we utter our first words and take our first steps there. Does everyone feel the same about home? Is it where you were born or where you earn your bread? Is home a physical place? In a world that moves faster than ever and is confined to small screens, how do perceptions about “home” change? Where is home for people who are forced to leave their homes? Where is your home?

Submissions to be posted: April 1, 2024 – June 30, 2024
Deadline for submissions: June 30, 2024
Winners to be announced September 30, 2024
Contest open to all writers worldwide
Ideal word count to be between 1,500 and 2,500
For submissions: CLICK TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

Cash prizes

1st Place – $1,000
2nd Place – $500
3rd Place – $300
Two Honorable Mentions – $150 each

Frequently Asked Questions

THEME
REFERENCES
WORD COUNT
STYLE
PUBLISHING
NUMBER OF ENTRY
DISQUALIFICATION
EVALUATION
SUBMISSION
DEADLINE
ELIGIBILITY

THEME

What qualifies a good essay?

REFERENCES

Do we have to include references, bibliography, notes, etc. as in an academic journal?

WORD COUNT

Does the word count limit include the bibliography or just the essay itself?

STYLE

What kind of writing style do you expect? Can we use informal phrases? Is this essay supposed to be a personal opinion piece, or more of a scholarly supported article?

Would an essay in the short story genre qualify for the contest?

As long as your theme is skillfully woven through its structure, and if it upholds The Fountain’s values and principles, yes.

PUBLISHING

Are you going to publish submitted essays anywhere?

We might publish submissions in The Fountain, both the print and web editions, even if the essays did not win any prize. By submitting your essay to this contest, you agree that you give permission to The Fountain to publish it in any medium.

As the copyright holders before published, the authors have the right to submit their work elsewhere on condition that they notify The Fountain in advance.

NUMBER OF ENTRY

Can I submit more than one essay?

No. One entry per person.

DISQUALIFICATION

What makes an essay disqualified?

Offensive and devotional essays — particularly essays that emphasize superiority of a specific worldview or derogating a specific worldview—will be disqualified. Essays that “propagate” a certain spiritual order, a religious denomination, a spiritual leader, or a political activist, etc. in a way that subordinates all other faiths and traditions are considered devotional and will be disqualified.
Title is missing – Do not forget to put a title. Titles are important for readers and reviewers to see what lies in the center of your message. Missing title will disqualify your submission.
Submissions already published elsewhere are not accepted.

EVALUATION

Who will determine the winners? Can you explain more specifically what you are looking for in a winner?

The winners will be determined by our board who will decide according to the literary effectiveness of the essay in reflecting the philosophy behind the motto, richness in content, and authenticity.

All submitted essays will be evaluated using the following criteria.

Relevance to the contest theme (40 points)
Innovation & creativity (30 points)
Writing style and structure (30 points)

SUBMISSION

How am I going to submit my essay?

For submissions: CLICK TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

DEADLINE

When is the last day for submissions?

June 30, 2024

ELIGIBILITY

Who is eligible to participate in this contest?

There is no age limit or a condition to fulfill for entry. The contest is open to all who want to share his or her ideas with us.

2022-2023 Essay Contest Winners

The Fountain — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 00:48:58 +0000

…And the winners are:

A Silent Ticking Time Bomb, by Keneth Erfelua
What Is Distraction? by Colm O_Shea
A Trip to the Zoo, by Zulma Suro
Unplugging the Mind: Reclaiming Focus in the Age of Distractions, by Mohammad Abul Mufazzal
Distraction Timed, by Allison Hope

The winners will soon receive e-mails from the Editorial Board.

You may also want to see 2023 Essay Contest Shortlist.

2023 Essay Contest Shortlist

The Fountain — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 22:00:58 +0000

Countdown to the winners is around the corner! Here is the shortlist. Winners will be announced very soon. Please follow our announcements!

“Distraction Timed,” by Allison Hope
“Unplugging the Mind: Reclaiming Focus in the Age of Distractions,” by Mohammad Abul Mufazzal
“Focus for Life,” Stephanie Neverdowski
“How Can We Maintain Focus in a Society Built for Distraction?” by Elizabeth J. Peterson
“What Is Distraction?” By Colm O’Shea
“Focused We Toil, Distracted We Dream,” by William Godwin
“Flux and Fury,” by Temitope Ajao
“Eco-friendly “sorting out your distractions” system,” by Mette Dencker
“Interacting with Self to Extract Distractions From the Contract,” by Bilal Sarimeseli
“Navigating the Seas of Distraction,” by Nesibe Can
“Scale of Vital Considerations,” by Hannah Onoguwe
“Setting Priorities,” by Philip Umbrino
“Redefining Distraction: Taking Ownership of Your Autonomy,” by Chelsea Emerick
“A Silent Ticking Time Bomb,” by Keneth Erfelua
“25 Pomodoro Minutes in a Digital World,” by Katharin Garland
“A Focused Mind,” by Donavon Lewis
“A Trip to the Zoo,” by Zulma Suro
“How to Avoid Losing Creative Momentum to Utter Distraction,” by Cynthia Gallaher