The Definitive List of Short Story Competitions in 2024
There are many reasons why writers should enter short story competitions. Perhaps the most obvious reason (besides the prize) is that they’re a great way to get your work in front of editors and agents. Winning can also lead to publication, awards, and other recognition.
But competitions aren't just about winning; they're also a great way to get feedback on your work and improve your writing because short stories allow you to practise all the skills of writing in a much more condensed format.
A good short story competition should motivate you to write something new or submit your best existing stories. They should have an inspiring or challenging theme, a prize that’s worth any entry fees or associated costs, and (ideally) a chance to get feedback on your story.
Here are our picks of the best short story competitions running this year.
7 Day Story Writing Challenges
Prize: £500 each challenge
Register now for our next 7-day story writing challenge. A secret theme, a randomly assigned genre and just 7 days to write a story of no more than 2,000 words. Our 7 day story writing challenges take place throughout the year. The challenges are free and you can even get feedback on your story. You can take part in one challenge or take part in all of them!
Deadline: rolling
Entry: free
New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024
Prize: £1,000
The New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024 is open to writers from around the world, and offers a top prize of £1,000, a second prize of £300 and a third prize of £200. The deadline is midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 31st January 2024 and £1.00 from each entry will be donated to the First Story charity.
Deadline: 31st Jan, 2024
Entry: £10
Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction 2024
Prize: $1,000 (AUD)
A flash fiction competition with a twist! Entrants will be given two writing prompts and one "anti-prompt" and will have 60 hours to write and submit a 500-word piece of flash fiction. Open to all ages and abilities.
Deadline: 21st Jan, 2024
Entry: $25 (AUD)
Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2023
Prize: $560
Our annual flagship competition, the Stringybark Stories Open Short Story Award 2023, is now bigger than ever! Thanks to Graeme Simpson and Anne Buist, a record prize pool of over $1300 is on offer. The theme is open, the only constraint is that there must be a reference to Australia somewhere in the story. It doesn't matter how small a link there is (it could be a jar of vegemite on the counter), there just needs to be one!
Deadline: 12th Feb, 2023
Entry: $15
Looking for more writing competitions? Check out our ‘Big List of International Writing Competitions!’
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest 2023
Prize: $3,000
Welcome to the 30th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $8,000 in prizes.
Deadline: 30th April, 2023
Entry: $20
Anthology Short Story Award 2023
Prize: $1,000
Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, this short story competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.
Deadline: 31st Aug, 2023
Entry: $15
Looking for inspiration? Why not check out our list of the 20 Greatest Short Story Writers of All Time!
Bridport Short Story Prize 2023
Prize: £5,000
Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.
Deadline: 31st May, 2023
Entry: £15
Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition 2023
Prize: $5,000
Enter our 91st Annual Writing Competition for the chance to have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen. The top winning entries of this writing contest will also be on display in the Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection. [$20 for a poetry entry, $30 for a manuscript entry]
Deadline: 5th May, 2023
Entry: $30
$1000 for 1000 Words Contest 2023
Prize: $1,000
The $1000 for 1000 Words fiction writing contest is open to all students enrolled in grades 6-12. Each entrant may submit a fiction piece consisting of exactly 1,000 words (not including title or author’s name). The fiction piece can be on any topic, as long as it is not vulgar or offensive, does not use inappropriate profanity, and is the original work of the entrant not previously published.
Deadline: 1st Feb, 2023
Entry: free
CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition 2023
Prize: £500
Our mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery — one that fits into legendary crime writer Margery’s definition of what makes a great story: “The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.”
Deadline: 28th Feb, 2023
Entry: $15
The Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition 2023
Prize: $1,000
We’re interested in flash fiction pieces of between 250 and 1,000 words. We’re seeking the finest work we can find that incorporates an uncanny element. Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but your submission may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme, as well as magic realism. What we’re looking for is superb writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises.
Deadline: 31st Jan, 2023
Entry: $15
Creative Writing Award for Short Fiction 2023
Prize: $3,068
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is a celebration of innovative new writing from across the globe. Each year, the competition invites submissions of short fiction that redefine the parameters of form, concept and technique.
Deadline: 8th Sept, 2023
Entry: $22
NOWW 25th International Writing Contest 2023
Prize: $150 (CAD)
A Canadian contest with an international flair. As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, we have increased the prize total to $1800 over six major categories: poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, crime fiction, literary critical writing, and The Bill MacDonald prize for prose (A Northwestern Ontario setting must be central to the work).
Deadline: 28th Feb, 2023
Entry: $10
Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomer Plus 2023
Prize: $500
Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomers Plus 2023 is open to people born 1966 or earlier. The deadline for entries is June 15, 2023. There is no prompt for the contest. Authors may write about any topic. The entry fee is $20 ($15 if submitting more than one story). The word count for this contest is 900 - 5000 words. Cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 will be awarded. There will be a minimum of 15 finalists whose story will appear in the book.
Deadline: 15th June, 2023
Entry: $20
Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition 2023
Prize: $1,600
As we adjust to new realities, inflationary pressures, geo-political tensions, environmental challenges and more it’s time to imagine and explore. The Minds Shine Bright writing competition Confidence 2023 is open and calling for entries of short stories, short scripts, flash fiction and poetry which explore the theme of confidence in some way.
Deadline: 28th Feb, 2023
Entry: $5
Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest 2023
Prize: €3,000
The challenge: write a story using 100 words on one of four topics. Open to all ages with a special prize for authors 14 years or younger. The contest supports nonprofit literacy programs.
Deadline: 15th Jan, 2022
Entry: $12
Dream Quest One Writing Contest 2023
Prize: $250
Write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme, fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short stage plays, screenplays, and screenwriting). All entries must be either typed or legibly hand printed. Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.
Deadline: 19th March, 2023
Entry: $10
Indignor Play House Annual Short Story Competition 2023
Prize: $500
Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2023.
Deadline: 31st Mar, 2023
Entry: $20
Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest 2023
Prize: $500
We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.
Deadline: 22nd Feb, 2023
Entry: $15
Narrative Prize 2023
Prize: $4,000
The Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative. The submission system is open all year.
Deadline: 15th Jun, 2023
Entry: $27
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