Writing Competitions.
If you are looking for an opportunity to test your writing skills and challenge yourself then look no further than this list of Short Story Writing Competitions accepting entrants this month.
The Bournemouth Writing Prize
Deadline | 15th January |
Wordcount | 3,000 words |
Fee | £10 |
Prize | £500 |
2025 Bristol Short Story Prize
Deadline | 31st January |
Wordcount | 4,000 words |
Fee | £12 |
Prize | 1st prize £1000, 2nd prize £500, 3rd prize £250. |
New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2025
Deadline | 31st January |
Wordcount | 300 words |
Fee | £10 |
Prize | 1st Place: £1,100 2nd Place: £300 3rd Place: £200 |
Story Unlikely’s Short Story Contest
Deadline | 31st January |
Wordcount | 4,000 words |
Fee | Free |
Prize | 1st Place $1,500 Cash prize 2nd Place $1,000 Cash prize 3rd Place $500 Cash prize |
Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition 2025
Deadline | 14th February |
Wordcount | 2,000 words |
Fee | Free, though entrants must be registered on writersandartists.co.uk |
Prize | An Arvon Residential Writing Week (worth £850) plus publication |
Elmbridge Literary Competition 2025
Deadline | 21st February |
Wordcount | 1,000 words |
Fee | £8 |
Prize | 1st Place: £250 2nd: £150 3rd: £100 |
Next Generation Short Story Awards
Deadline | 27th February |
Wordcount | 5,000 words |
Fee | $25 |
Prize | 1st Place $500 Cash prize 2nd Place $300 Cash prize 3rd Place $200 Cash prize |
Edinburgh Short Story Awards
Deadline | 28th February |
Wordcount | 2,000 words |
Fee | £11 |
Prize | £3,000 |
Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition
Deadline | 28th February |
Wordcount | 3,500 words |
Fee | £18 |
Prize | 1st Place £500 |
Emerging Author Dagger
Deadline | 28th February |
Wordcount | 3,000 words |
Fee | £42 |
Prize | 1st Place £500 |
Canterbury Tales Writing Competition 2024/25
Deadline | 28th February |
Wordcount | 500 words |
Fee | Free |
Prize | 1st £300 2nd £150 3rd £100 |
Exeter Writers Short Story Competition
Deadline | 28th February |
Wordcount | 3,000 words |
Fee | £7 |
Prize | First prize: £700 second prize: £350 third prize: £250 |
New2theScene Winter Short Story Competition 2025
Deadline | 2nd March |
Wordcount | 4,000 words |
Fee | Free |
Prize | First prize: Interview for the New2theScene podcast; £50 New2theScene vouchers; ‘Spotlight author’ and winner’s blog, with the story featured on the New2theScene website (and possibly an anthology); Notable mentions: £15 New2theScene vouchers; possible publication in anthology |
Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize 2025
Deadline | 17th March |
Wordcount | 5,000 words |
Fee | £10 |
Prize | 1st Prize: £1,000 2nd Prize: £500 3rd Prize: £250 |
South Warwickshire Literary Festival Writing Competition – Fiction
Deadline | 28th March |
Wordcount | 800 words |
Fee | £3.90 |
Prize | £75 |
Bath Short Story Award 2025
Deadline | 15th April |
Wordcount | 2,200 words |
Fee | £9 |
Prize | 1st Place: £1,200 Second prize: £300 Third prize: £100 all shortlisted stories will be published in an anthology |
Bridport Prize – Short Story
Deadline | 31st May |
Wordcount | 5,000 words |
Fee | £14 |
Prize | First prize: £5,000 Second prize: £1,000 Third prize: £500 |
The 2025 To Hull And Back Competition
Deadline | 30th June |
Wordcount | 2,500 words |
Fee | £10 |
Prize | 1st Prize: £1,000 2nd Prize: £200 3rd Prize: £100 |
Anthology Short Story Competition
Deadline | 31st July |
Wordcount | 1,500 words |
Fee | Early Bird fee – €15: November 2024 – January 2025 Standard fee – €18: – February – July 2025 |
Prize | 1st Prize: €1,000 and the winning story will be published in a future issue of Anthology. 2nd Prize: €250 3rd Prize: €150 |
Dan Pratt Writes
Aspiring Writer & Author. Read my Short Stories & Microfiction, Creative Writing Blog, Lit Mag Roundup and List of Short Story Competitions.