Story competitions

Here are a few links to sites which list current writing competitions in the UK and overseas, we are very happy to receive emailed suggestions about any other competitions not listed here.

An annual poetry competition run by The Plough Arts Centre in Devon. Critiques are offered for a small fee, and all poets who make it to the long or short lists are notified.

Fish Publishing runs the Fish Short Story Prize, one of the largest international short story competitions. They also run poetry, crime, and historical fiction competitions and provide a full editorial consultancy
service designed to provide writers with one to one, on-going, constructive feedback on their work, whether it is a complete novel or just the beginnings."

The Bridport Prize is an annual international creative writing competition for poetry and short stories. The closing date for entries which may either be sent by post or online is 30th June. Bridport Prize is one of the top prizes of its kind in terms of both prestige and prize money. It has been the first step in the careers of many established poets and novelists. The prize money totals £14,000 with a first prize of £5000 for both poetry and short stories.

The author-network site provides excellent links to many writing orientated activities including a list of current writing competitions.

For all those that like to write short stories, here is a link to the BBC "Story" website with a comprehensive list of excellent short story competitions.

Interesting website about competitions in general. The "writing competitions" link is regularly updated and is very comprehensive.

Albedo One, Ireland's Magazine of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, is proud to announce the 3rd Aeon Award for short fiction: The Aeon Award 2008

The Raymond Carver Short Story Award.

These competitions seem to be only open to Irish nationals.

This contest is for stories of between 2,000 and 4,000 words, a shortlist of approximately 20 entries will be published in an anthology after which readers will be invited to vote to decide the winner.

British Arts web site has competitions for Literature and Literary awards.

Writelink, a writers' resource site for creative and freelance writers.

WritersReign is a stress-free zone for the aspiring writer looking for practical help to improve their writing and see it publish. Here is its competitions link.
This American contest is for poems in traditional verse forms - which is to say any form of poetry that has been in circulation for 50 years or more. There is no line limit, but as an incentive not to ramble on until even your best friend is thinking of breaking a chair over your head, the organisers have decided to charge by the line.

Winter Witch Books is a small, independent publisher. They are running a new winter tales competition, the first prize is GBP100, with runner up prizes of GBP25. Also, the winning entries will be included in an anthology of Winter Tales.

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