Here’s my updated UK or open-to UK entrants writing competition & subs calendar.
A number of the competitions are open to international authors, so do check the submission guidelines. I’ve also included a few U.S. comps, plus the occasional lit mag submission window. For more lit mag deadlines and competitions, check out Duotrope or writer blogs with free listings such as Paul McVeigh’s.
Word-counts are given – please note that these are usually maximum word-counts rather than target word-counts! You will be disqualified if you go over.
A note on fees. Yes, you’ll have heard the old adage about money flowing to the writer and not from the writer. I agree in the main. In particular, that you should never be paying simply for the privilege of being published.
That said, most UK competitions and their prize funds are entirely self-funded, hence they usually charge entry fees. This is pretty standard here and considered legit although it clearly excludes lower income writers. I’ll endeavour to add free-to-enter competitions whenever I can. Lit mags, on the other hand, do not (and never should) but are also usually self-run by volunteers and often again, do not pay their authors – the “prize” is usually publicity and kudos, or a nominal fee.
2020 Deadlines
MAR
15th Cambridge Prize for Flash Fiction, w/c 400 max, entry fee £9 per story, First Prize: £1000
APR
20th The Bath Short Story Award w/c 2200 max, entry fee: £8 per story, First Prize £1200
30th The Fiction Desk submission window closes, w/c 1000-20,000, publication PAID
30th The Bristol Prize w/c 4000 max, entry fee: £9 per story, First Prize: £1000
30th Momaya Short Story Prize , Theme: “Outsiders”, entry fee £11, First prize: £110
MAY
31st Shooter Lit Mag Competition w/c 5000 words, Entry fee: £7 or £10 for two, First Prize £400
31st The Bridport Prize w/c 5000 max, Entry fee: £12 per story, First Prize: £5000
JUNE
JULY
3rd VS Pritchett Memorial Prize w/c 2000-4000, Entry fee: £7.50 per story, First Prize:£1000