Writing Competitions

The Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year 2026 is open for entries. Submission Guidelines Open to writers 18+ The poem or poem sequence may be on any subject and in…

The Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition 2026 is open for entries. Submission Guidelines No theme Entries should be a maximum of 50 lines, excluding the title Entries must be original…

The Henshaw Short Story Competition is open for entries. Submission Guidelines All profits go towards books for schools. A short story on any subject up to 2,000 words. Entry fee:…

The Reedsy Literary Prize opens for entries on 25th February. Submission Guidelines Each submission must be between 2,000 and 5,000 words Only one submission allowed per entrant Writers must be…

The Wells Festival of Literature’s Writing Competitions will open for entries from 1st April. Open Poetry No theme Maximum lines 40 Entry fee: £8 Judge: Clare Shaw Prizes: £1,000, £500…

The John McGivering Writing Prize 2026 and Competition for Younger Writers will open for entries on 1 March. Submission Guidelines Theme: Supernatural. Entries must be connected to Kipling’s writings and/or…

The 2026 Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is open for entries. Submission Guidelines Original work of fiction under 2000 words Translations are accepted, and prizes will be shared between translator…

Inkspot Publishing’s £500 for 500 Flash Fiction Writing Competition is open for entries. Submission Guidelines 500 words excluding title Writers cannot submit work that has already won or been shortlisted…

The Creative Future Writers’ Award 2026 is open for entries. Submission Guidelines Open to any underrepresented writer over 18, living in the UK, who has not published a book in…

FFF Competition Thirty-Two is open for submissions. Submission Guidelines Submit a flash fiction piece of between 100 and 300 words, on any theme. Judge: Kerri McCourt Entry fee: £4.40 per entry/story via…

The Cats Protection Short Story Competition opens for entries on 20th January. Submission Guidelines Submit an original short story all about cats Must be between 250 and 1,000 words Open…

The Mo Siewcharran Prize 2026 opens for entries on 2nd February 2026. Submission Guidelines Open to romance and psychological thriller submissions. Entrants must be unagented and previously unpublished, aged 18…