For all of you budding short story writers in the BWC, we’ve compiled a list of international short story competitions you might consider trying your hand at in 2014. Apart from the opportunity to make some dosh from your writing, recently-published BWC member Colette Victor also confirms that having a few short story competition wins under your belt can help you on the road to publication.
Since there are more writing competitions than you can shake an aardvark at, our search was narrowed to competitions that are (a) international, (b) include publication in either anthologies or magazines, and (c) preferably do not require the donation of one or more of your limbs in order to enter.
Most of the competitions listed below require that your submission has not been published elsewhere beforehand, but you can check each site individually for comprehensive entry rules. Some also include poetry and flash fiction categories, so these have been indicated where applicable.
JANUARY DEADLINES
Chapter One International Short Story Competition
Theme: Open
Word limit: 2500 words max.
Entry fee: £10
Prize: 1st prize £2500, 2nd prize £1000, 3rd prize £500
Deadline: January 30, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Winners, runners-up and highly commended published in Chapter One Promotions anthology
Website: http://www.chapteronepromotions.com/competitions/open-short-story-competition.htm
Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize
Theme: Open
Word limit: Max. 12 double-spaced pages
Entry fee: $25USD
Prize: $1000USD
Deadline: January 30, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Unclear
Publication: The Thomas Wolfe Review
Website: http://www.ncwriters.org/programs-and-services/competitions/26-thomas-wolfe-fiction-prize
Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Prize
Theme: Open
Word limit: 3000 words max.
Entry fee: $15USD
Prize: $1500USD
Deadline: January 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: 3 submissions max.
Publication: Winner published in Glimmer Train Stories
Extra information: This is a quarterly competition, so future deadlines will be announced for April, July and October 2014
Website: http://www.glimmertrain.com/veryshort.html
Labello Press International Short Story Competition
Theme: Open
Word limit: 12,000 words max.
Entry fee: €10
Prize: First Prize €300
Deadline: January 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Gem Street 2014 (anthology)
Website: http://www.labellopress.com/submission-guidelines.html
FEBRUARY DEADLINES
The Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction
Theme: Open
Word limit: 30 double-spaced pages max.
Entry fee: $2USD
Prize: $1000USD
Deadline: February 1, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: No
Publication: Fall 2014 issue of The Madison Review
Extra information: Also a poetry category
Website: http://english.wisc.edu/madisonreview/?page_id=58
The Ledge Fiction Awards Competition
Theme: Open
Word limit: 7500 words max.
Entry fee: $15USD
Prize: $1000USD
Deadline: February 28, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: The Ledge Magazine
Extra information: Also a poetry category
Website: http://www.theledgemagazine.com/Annual%20Contests.html
MARCH DEADLINES
The Pinch Literary Awards
Theme: Open
Word limit: 5000 words max
Entry fee: $20USD
Prizes: 1st prize $1000USD
Deadline: March 1, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Spring edition of The Pinch Journal (University of Memphis)
Extra information: Also includes poetry and nonfiction categories
Website: http://www.thepinchjournal.com/contest/
The Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction
Theme: Open
Word limit: Under 50 pages
Entry fee: $15USD
Prizes: 1st prize £2000USD
Deadline: March 14, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Fall/Winter 2014 edition of Colorado Review
Website: http://coloradoreview.colostate.edu/nelligan-prize
Mslexia 2013 Women’s Short Story Competition
Theme: Open
Word limit: 2,200 words max
Entry fee: £10
Prizes: 1st prize £2000, 2nd prize £500, 3rd prize £250
Deadline: March 17, 2014
Multiple entries permitted:
Publication: Jun/Jul/Aug 2014 edition of Mslexia Magazine
Extra information: Women writers only
Website: http://mslexia.co.uk/whatson/msbusiness/scomp_active.php
Momaya Press Short Story Award
Theme: ‘Captivity’
Word limit: 3000 words max.
Entry fee: £8
Prize: 1st prize £110
Deadline: March 30, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Momaya Annual Review 2014
Website: http://momayapress.com/momaya-short-story-competition/
The Bath Short Story Award
Theme: Open
Word limit: 2,200 words max
Entry fee: £8
Prizes: 1st prize £1000, 2nd prize £200, 3rd prize £100
Deadline: March 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: E-book anthology
Website: http://bathshortstoryaward.co.uk
Exeter Writers Short Story Competition
Theme: Open (but no children’s stories)
Word limit: 3000 words max
Entry fee: £5 per entry
Prizes: 1st prize £500, 2nd prize £250, 3rd prize £100
Deadline: March 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Exeter Writers website
Website: http://www.exeterwriters.org.uk/p/competition.html
APRIL DEADLINES
Inkhead Short Story Competition
Theme: Stories must be written under one of five possible titles (listed on their website)
Word limit: 1000 words max
Entry fee: £5 per entry
Prizes: £100
Deadline: April 1, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Inkhead Winners Anthology
Website: http://www.inkhead.co.uk/pages/competition-2014
Bristol Short Story Prize
Theme: Open
Word limit: 4,000 words max
Entry fee: £8 per entry
Prizes: 1st prize £1000, 2nd prize £700, 3rd prize £400
Deadline: April 30, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology (Volume 7)
Website: http://www.bristolprize.co.uk
MAY DEADLINES
The Bridport Prize
Theme: Open
Word limit: 5000 words max
Entry fee: £9
Prizes: 1st prize £5000, 2nd prize £1000, 3rd prize £500
Deadline: May 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Bridport Prize 2014 Anthology
Extra information: Also includes poetry and flash fiction categories
Website: http://www.bridportprize.org.uk
Cinnamon Press Writing Awards
Theme: Open
Word limit: Short stories 2000-4000 words, first novels/novellas up to 10,000 words (can be longer, but they accept only the first 10,000 words)
Entry fee: £12
Prizes: Short stories: 1st prize £150; Novels/novellas: £1000 plus publishing contract
Deadline: May 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Not stated
Publication: Short stories published in Cinnamon Press winners’ anthology, novels/novellas published by Cinnamon Press
Extra information: Also includes a poetry category
Website: http://www.cinnamonpress.com/competitions/
JULY DEADLINES
Tethered by Letters’ Fall Literary Contest
Theme: Open
Word limit: 7500 words max.
Entry fee: $10 USD per short story
Prizes: 1st prize $250 USD
Deadline: July 15, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Tethered by Letters’ Fall 2014 Quarterly Journal
Extra information: Also includes flash fiction and poetry categories
Website: http://tetheredbyletters.com/submissions/contest-submission
Highlands and Islands Short Story Competition
Theme: Open (no link with Scotland necessary. Unconventional story lines encouraged)
Word limit: 2500 words max.
Entry fee: £5 (or 3 stories for £12)
Prizes: 1st prize £400 plus a Writing Retreat in Wales
Deadline: July 31, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Not stated
Publication: Online only (HISSAC website)
Website: http://www.hissac.co.uk/CompetitionDetails
SEPTEMBER DEADLINES
Bartleby Snopes Literary Magazine Sixth Annual Dialogue Only Writing Contest
Theme: Dialogue
Word limit: 2000 words max.
Entry fee: $10USD
Prizes: 1st prize $300USD
Deadline: September 15, 2014
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Issue 13 of Bartleby Snopes Literary Magazine
Website: http://www.bartlebysnopes.com
NOVEMBER DEADLINES
The New Writer Annual Prose and Poetry Prizes
Theme: Open
Word limit: 500-3000 words
Entry fee: £5 per entry
Prizes: 1st prize £300, 2nd prize £200, 3rd prize £100
Deadline: To be announced (was in November last year!)
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: The New Writer Annual Collection (anthology)
Extra information: Also includes a poetry category
Website: http://www.thenewwriter.com/prose-and-poetry-prize
ROLLING DEADLINES
Writers’ Forum Short Story Competition
Theme: Open
Word limit: 1000-3000 words
Entry fee: £5 (or £3 for subscribers)
Prizes: 1st prize £300, 2nd prize £150, 3rd prize £100
Deadline: Rolling
Multiple entries permitted: Yes
Publication: Published in Writers’ Forum Magazine
Extra information: Also includes a poetry competition
Website: http://www.writers-forum.com/comps.html
The list above has been compiled mainly from the Booktrust website, which also includes more information about UK writing competitions.
If any BWC members or random site visitors know of a competition that fits our bill (i.e., it’s international, includes publication, and doesn’t cost too much to enter), just leave a comment here and we’ll see about adding it to the list.
Disclaimer: we cannot speak for the legitimacy of any of these competitions. They all seem bona fide, but we advise that you check the individual websites to make up your own mind!
Not surprisingly for a writers’ group, the BWC has quite a few bloggers among its ranks. Here follows, in alphabetical (rather than preferential) order, and for your reading pleasure, a list of blogs penned by our members.
Brussels Writers' Circle 