Calling all fiction writers: On January 2, Washington City Paper will publish its second annual Fiction Issue. If you’ve been looking for a chance to set free your inner Edward P. Jones, Danielle Evans, or George Pelecanos, here it is.

Once again we’re looking for stories that are in some way about the District. Once again, we’d prefer these stories not stray too far north of 2,000 words. And once again we will pay you very little if your story is selected. (Though in a lit-mag culture in which contributors are often paid in free copies, perhaps this isn’t so bad.)

Take a look at the 2013 Fiction Issue to see what we featured then, but please don’t waste time trying to suss out themes, trends, and/or settings that we want to feature this time around. What we’re looking for is to be surprised, and doing what was done before won’t do that.

Clock’s ticking: Send your previously unpublished story to fiction@washingtoncitypaper.com by 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2.