Prizes
Here you will find listings for short story competitions that you can enter, when they close and where to go to get your entry form.
To ensure this list stays comprehensive, if you're running a short story competition, please email us with the subject line 'Short Story Competition'. Please include the name of the competition, the maximum words, the theme, the first prize, the entry fee and the closing date. Booktrust is not responsible for any external content on these sites.
The Asian Writer New Writing Competition - short story 3,000 words. Must contain the word 'five'. Entry fee £15. More information about The Asian Writer New Writing Competition. Closing date 31 May 2012.
BBC National Short Story Award - this prize is now open for entries. First prize £15,000. More information about the BBC National Short Story Award for 2012. The closing date has passed.
Bloody Scotland's Glengoyne Whisky Short Story Competition - Prize: A bespoke hand-engraved Glencairn Crystal Decanter filled with an exceptionally rare 35 Years Old Glengoyne Highland Single Malt, worth over £2,000. Entry fee £10. 3,000 word short story on the theme 'Worth the wait.' More information about the Bloody Scotland's Glengoyne Whisky Short Story Competition. Closing date 29 June 2012
Blue Thumbnail Short Story Comepetition - any theme. Maximum 3,000 words. Entry fee £6 per story. Win a place on a writing retreat in Greece for one week. More information on the Blue Thumbnail Short Story Competition
Bridport Prize - the 2012 prize is now accepting entries. Short stories max 5,000 words. Entry fee £8. Judge Patrick Gale. More information about the Bridport Prize. Closing date 31 May 2012.
Bristol Short Story Prize - short story, 3,000 words. More information about the Bristol Short Story Prize. The closing date for the 2012 prize has passed.
The British Thyroid Foundation (BTF) - based in Harrogate, The BTF is celebrating its 21st birthday by running a Crime Writing Competition to win a pair of tickets to the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and Festival Opening Party. They are looking for stories of up to 2,000 words on the theme 'Go For the Throat', which is where the thyroid is situated. More information about the competition. Entry fee is £3, all proceeds to BTF. Closing date 30 June 2012.
Cinnamon Press - this website runs monthly competitions. More information about the Cinnamon Press competitions
Circalit Short Story Competition with Peirene Press Write a short story of 900 words in the month of November. More information about the Circalit Short Story Competition with Peirene Press
Commonwealth Short Story Competition - short story 2,000-5,000 words. First prize £1,000 More information about the Commonwealth Short Story Competition. The closing date for the 2012 competition has passed.
cordelia.net Rome Short Story Competition - short story between 1,000-2,000 words long. Must include Italian women in some way. Entry fee is five euros.100 euros for first place. More information about the cordelia.net Rome Short Story Competition. Closing date 31 July 2012.
Dark Tales - First prize £100 for horror and speculative fiction. More information about the Dark Tales prize.
Dickens Bicentenary Writing Competition - any theme, stories up to 3,000 words. First prize £30. Entry fee £3. More information about the Dickens Bicentenary Writing Competition. Closing date 15 August 2012.
Eclat Fiction - regular competitions for stories up to £1,500. First prize £100. Any theme. More information about the Eclat Fiction competitions
Edge Hill Prize for the Short Story - awarded to the best short story collection. More information about the Edge Hill Prize for the Short Story
Emerald Writing - First prize £75 for flash fiction. More information about the Emerald Writing prize
Fish Publishing - this website runs monthly competitions. More information about the Fish Publishing competitions
Five Stop Story's monthly competition - First prize £50. Entry fee £4. 1,000-3,000 word short stories on any theme. More information about Five Stop Story. New competition every month.
Flash 500 - open theme short fiction up to 500 words. Entry fee £5. £300 for first place. More information about the Flash 500 competition. Closing date 31 March 2012.
Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award - awarded to the best short story collection. More information about the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award
Frome Festival Short Story Competition - First prize is £300 for short stories 1,000-2,000 words, any theme. Entry fee £5. More information about the Frome Festival Short Story Competition. Closing date 31 May 2012.
Glass Women's Prize - 1 prose piece (50-5,000 words) of interest to women. First prize $500. More information about the Glass Women's Prize. Closing date 21 September 2012.
Highlands & Islands Short Story Competition - Annual competition. First prize is £400. More information about the Highlands & Islands Short Story Competition. Closing date for the 2012 competition is 31 July 2012.
The Historical Fiction Short Story Competition 2012 - high-quality stories which relate directly to an aspect of the collection of the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum. £1,000 for first place. More information about The Historical Fiction Short Story Competition 2012. Closing date 22 June 2012.
The Ifanca Hélène James Short Story Competition - First prize £100 and a bottle of champagne for 2,200 words, any theme. More information about the The Ifanca Hélène James Short Story Competition. Closing date: 1 July 2012.
InkTears Short Story Competition 2011 - First prize £1,000 for short story 1,000-3,000 words, any theme. More information about the InkTears Short Story Competition.
The Jeremy Mogford Food and Drink Short Story Competition - First prize £7,500 for short story up to 2,500 words. Theme - food/drink. More information about The Jeremy Mogford Food and Drink Short Story Competition. Deadline 1 October 2012.
Leaf Books - this website runs regular competitions. More information about the Leaf Books competitions
The Lightship International Short Story Prize - First prize £1,000. Entry fee £12 for previously unpublished short stories up to 5,000 words. Open competition. One story per entry fee. No restriction on the number of entries. More information about The Lightship International Short Story Prize. Closing date 30 June 2012
Meridian Writing Competitions - this website hosts regular writing competitions. More information about Meridian Writing Competitions
Multi-Story - Bi-monthly competitions ranging from flash fiction up to 2500 words. First prize £300. Entry fee £5 for one or £8 for two. All judges are publishing professionals. More details about the Multi-Story competitions
The Munch Time - First prize 1,000 for stories between 600 and 800 words. More information about The Munch Time. Closing date 4 June 2012.
The New Writer - regular poetry, short story and microfiction competitions. More information about The New Writer Magazine.
The Nottingham Short Story Competition - original, unpublished short stories up to 2,500 words. Entry fee £10 per story. £1,000 for first place. More information about The Nottingham Short Story Competition. Closing date 30 April 2012.
Park Publications UK - this website runs regular competitions. More information about the Park Publications UK competitions
The Prolitzer Prize - First prize £130 for prose that challenges, engages and entertains. Entry fee £4. More information about The Prolitzer Prize. Closing date 1 October 2012.
Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Competition - First prize €2,000 for a short story, any theme, under 3,000 words. Entry fee €15. More infromation about the Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Competition. Closing date 31 July 2012.
Segora short story competition - First prize £100 for short stories of 1,500-3,000 words. Entry fee £5. More information about the Segora short story competition. Closing date: 31 May 2012.
The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award - First prize £30,000 for short stories of up to 6,000 words. More information about the The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award
The Thresholds Short Story Forum - Feature writing competition. First prize £250 and publication on The Forum. More information about The Threasholds Short Story Forum. Closing date 29 February 2012.
Tom-Gallon Trust Award and The Olive Cook Award - First prize £1,000 each awarded biennially, in alternate years. More information about Tom-Gallon Trust Award and The Olive Cook Award.
V S Pritchett Memorial Prize - First prize £1,000 to the best unpublished short story of the year. More information about the V S Pritchett Memorial Prize. Closing date 29 June 2012.
Weald & Download Open Air Museum Historical Fiction Short Story Competition - First prize £1,000 and story published in Sussex Life Magazine. Entry fee £7. Stories must relate directly to an aspect of the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum collection, and are set between the years 1200 and 1900. More information about the Weald & Download Open Air Museum Historical Fiction Short Story Competition. Closing date 22 June 2012.
The Willesden Herald International Short Story Prize - First prize £300 for short story 7,500 words max, any theme. Roddy Doyle is this year's judge. More information about the Willesden Herald International Short Story Prize 2011-12. The closing date has passed.
The Word Hut Short Story Competition - Prize: £50.00. £4.00 per entry. 1,000 words maximum, any subject. More information about The Word Hut Short Story Competition. Closing date: 13 May 2012.
Words Just Words Science Fiction Prize - Maximum length 3,500 words with optional feedback for £30. Entry fee £3.50. First prize: £50. More information about the Words Just Words Science Fiction Prize. Closing date 31 May 2012.
Writers' Forum Short Story Competition - Ongoing monthly competition with cash prizes. More information about the Writers' Forum Short Story Competition
Wyrd Books Short Story Competition - maximum length 2,000 words. Theme: esoteric, supernatural. More information about Wyrd Books Short Story Competition. Closing date 13 August 2013.
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