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.
Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest
Deadline | 30th November |
Wordcount | 100 words |
Fee | $15 |
Prize | $1,000 |
Inkspot Publishing’s Inaugural Short Story Competition
Deadline | 30th November |
Wordcount | 2,500 words OR 5,000 words |
Fee | £10 for stories up to 2,500 words. £15 for stories up to 5,000 words |
Prize | First Prize: £1000 Second Prize: £250 Third Prize: £100 |
Flash Fiction Competition
Deadline | 30th November |
Wordcount | 1,000 words |
Fee | £7 |
Prize | £350+ publication on our website + Free assessment for 2nd and 3rd placed entries. |
Fish Short Story Prize
Deadline | 30th November |
Wordcount | 5,000 words |
Fee | €24 (€16 subsequent entries) |
Prize | 1st Place: €3,000 plus five-day Short Story Workshop; 2nd: €300 plus online writing course; 3rd: €300; 7 honourable mentions win €200 each |
Chaotic Creators Magazine Short Story Contest!
Deadline | 6th December |
Wordcount | 1,250 words |
Fee | £10 |
Prize | £50 |
Globe Soup 2025 Open Short Story Competition
Deadline | 16th December |
Wordcount | 8,000 words |
Fee | £16 |
Prize | Winner: £2,000; Second: £1,000; Third: £500; Additional £1,500 prize draw (available to all) |
FFF Competition Thirty-One
Deadline | 23rd December |
Wordcount | Between 100 and 300 words |
Fee | £4.40 fee per entry/story via PayPal or Stripe £2.95 fee per entry/story via BACS (UK only) |
Prize | 1 Winner will receive £165.00 and publication 2 Highly Commended will receive £77.00 and publication 3 Shortlisted will receive £66.00 and publication |
Farnham’s First Five Pages – Writing Competition
Deadline | 31st December |
Wordcount | 2,000 words |
Fee | £6 |
Prize | First prize: £200; second prize: £150; third prize: £50 |
Henshaw Press Short Story Competition
Deadline | 31st December |
Wordcount | Entrants to submit the first 5 pages of their novel and a 250-word synopsis. |
Fee | £10 |
Prize | First place – THE PARIS PRIZE FOR FICTION – £1000 and a critique Second place – £300 Third place – £200 |
Story Unlikely Short Story Contest
Deadline | 14th January |
Wordcount | 7,000 words |
Fee | Free |
Prize | $3,000 first place, $1,000 second place, $750 third place |
Fiction Factory First Chapter + Synopsis Competition
Deadline | 31st January |
Wordcount | First chapter of a novel |
Fee | £18 |
Prize | £500 + an appraisal |
Next Generation Short Story Awards
Deadline | 26th February |
Wordcount | 5,000 words |
Fee | $25 |
Prize | 1st Place $500 2nd Place $300 3rd Place $200 |
Canterbury Tales Writing Competition 2025/26
Deadline | 28th February |
Wordcount | 500 words |
Fee | Free |
Prize | 1st £300, 2nd £150, 3rd £100 (Prizes for entrant’s school library: 1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £250) |
Dan Pratt Writes
Aspiring Writer & Author. Read my Short Stories & Microfiction, Creative Writing Blog, Lit Mag Roundup and List of Short Story Competitions.