If you enjoy writing short stories, or have just recently started experimenting, entering your work in short story contests can be a great way to hone your talent and get exposure for your work.
Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities out there, and many of them come with a chance to win cash prizes or publication in a magazine! We’ve put together a list of short story contests that you can enter today so you can grow your confidence and your skills.
2024 Short Story Contests
Below is a list of short story contests you can enter in 2024 for a chance to win cash prizes or publication.
| Contest Name | Submission Guidelines | Entry Fee | First Prize | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Short Memoir Prize | www.fishpublishing.com/competition/short-memoir-contest/ | €18 | €1,000 | January 31, 2022 |
| San Antonio Writers' Guild Annual Writing Contest | sanantoniowritersguild.org/annual-writing-contest/ | $20–$35 | $100 | January 31, 2022 |
| Bardsy Romance Anthology Contest | bardsy.com/contest | Free | $399 | February 10, 2022 |
| The CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition | www.thecwa.co.uk/debuts/short-story-competition | £12 | £500 | February 28, 2022 |
| Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition | www.storyawards.org/shortstoryaward | £10 | £1,000 | February 28, 2022 |
| Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize | www.writingclasses.com/contest/stella-kupferberg-memorial-short-story-prize-2021 | $25 | $1,000 | March 4, 2022 |
| Cheshire Prize for Literature | www.chester.ac.uk/press-office/cheshire-prize-literature-2020 | Free | £500 | March 9, 2022 |
| MRRLS Fable Contest | www.mrrls.com/fable | Free | £500 | April 22, 2022 |
| 29th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest | www.winningwriters.com/our-contests/tom-howard-john-h-reid-fiction-essay-contest | $20 | $3,000 | April 30, 2022 |
| The Bridport Prize | www.bridportprize.org.uk/the-competition/ | £9–£20 | £5,000 | May 31, 2022 |
| Bardsy Pre-Novel Writing Month Contest | https://bardsy.com/contest | Free | $299 | June 26, 2022 |
| Blackwater Press Short Story Contest | www.blackwaterpress.com/storycontest | $5 | $150 | June 30, 2022 |
| W&A Working Class Writers' Prize | www.writersandartists.co.uk/competitions | Free | Publication on their site + residential writing course | July 18, 2022 |
| Oxford Flash Fiction Prize 2021 | www.oxfordflashfictionprize.com/ | £6 | £400 | August 31, 2022 |
| Anthology Magazine Short Story Competition | www.anthology-magazine.com/short-story/ | £10–15 | £500 | August 31, 2022 |
| TCK Publishing Short Story Awards Contest | www.tckpublishing.com/short-story-awards-contest/ | $12 | $1,000 | August 31, 2022 |
| Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction | www.storyawards.org/flashfiction | £7 | £1,000. | August 31, 2022 |
| Pigeon Review Flash Fiction Competition | www.pigeonreview.com/flash-fiction-competition-leap-of-faith/ | $5 | $100 + publication | August 31, 2022 |
| Cranked Anvil Press Short Story Competition | crankedanvil.co.uk/shortstory/ | £5 for 1 entry; £8 for 2 entries; £10 for 3 entries | £150 | ongoing (quarterly) |
| The Drapers Guild Short Story Contest | www.drapersguild.com/short-story-contest | $15 | $100 + publication on site | ongoing |
How Do You Win a Short Story Contest?
The first step to winning a short story contest is, of course, writing a great short story. (If you’re in need of a little inspiration, you can start with our list of short story prompts.)
After that, though, you’ll need to submit your work and be sure to follow all of the submission guidelines to a tee. Failing to do so could result in immediate disqualification, no matter how great your story is. For more pointers, check out our post on how to enter a writing contest.
Do Short Stories Sell?
Writing a novel isn’t the only way to make money as a writer. There are a number of publications that will buy your short stories, which will help you gain exposure and even some extra cash.
Even if you’re not looking to sell your work, you can still publish your stories on your blog or website so you can reach more readers.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- List of Poetry Contests: Where to Submit Your Poems (Updated for 2021)
- 2020 Writing Contests: Where and How to Enter Your Work
- How to Enter a Writing Contest: 8 Tips for Success
- What to Do After Winning a Writing Contest: 5 Ways to Celebrate Your Win
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Hi there!
If it’s possible I have another flash fiction competition that’s coming up. (Full disclosure, I am also one of the judges).
Entry fee: $5
Top Prize: $100
Deadline: August 31st 2022
Link: https://www.pigeonreview.com/flash-fiction-competition-leap-of-faith
Thank you for your time and all your work making the list!
Thanks Nathaniel, I’ve added it to the list! :)
Thank you!
Hi there, Bardsy is running another contest if you’d like to add it to your list!
Name: 2022 Character Anthology & Contest: A Novel Idea
Top prize: $299
No entry fee.
Deadline: 6/26/22
Thank you!
Thanks Casey, I’ve updated the list :)
Hi Kaelyn,
I have another contest for you! Here are the details:
Name: Bardsy’s Spring Anthology Contest: Spring Break
Site: https://bardsy.com/contest
Deadline: 3/29/22
Word count: 1,200 to 3,000
No entry fee
Top prize: $399 and a 6-month Bardsy Elite membership. All finalists will be published in our Spring Anthology, receive $50, and receive a 3-month Bardsy Elite membership.
Prompt: Write a story involving a break from the ordinary. Think outside the box: it could be a protagonist doing something surprising, visiting an unfamiliar place or any other break you can imagine (orthopedic included!).
US and 18+ only please
Thanks so much!
Thanks Casey! I’ll check it out and update the list :)
Hi Kaelyn,
Bardsy is running another contest:
Name: Romance Anthology Contest: Love Is Blind
Theme: From classical Rome to Shakespearean England, and even the present-day La-La Land of reality television, the notion of blind love has resonated through the ages. Write a story where a romantic connection goes beyond the surface. Off-prompt entries will not be considered.
Entry period: 1/5/22 to 2/10/22
Top prize: $399, plus a free Bardsy Elite membership for 6 months
Other prizes: All finalists will receive $50 and a free Bardsy Elite membership for 3 months. We will also publish their story in our Romance Anthology.
Fee: Free
Word count: 1,200 to 3,000.
US and 18+ only please.
Thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing, Casey! I’ve added it to the list :)
Hi
I manage writing competitions for the Scottish Arts Trust, a registered charity, and hope you will be able to include the following in your list
The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition open to writers worldwide and stories on any topic up to 2,000 words. First Prize £1,000. Entry dates 1 December to 28 February. Publication offer for top 20 stories. Entry fee £10 per story. All proceeds used to support the arts in Scotland. http://www.storyawards.org
The Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction open to writers worldwide and stories on any topic up to 250 words. First Prize £1,000. Entry dates 1 June to 31 August. Publication offer to top 20 stories. Entry fee £7 per story. All proceeds used to support the arts in Scotland. http://www.storyawards.org
Hi Sara, thanks for sharing! I’ve added those contests to the list.
I thought you might be interested in listing this.
We want to find a Fable for the 21st century in the style of one of Scotland’s greatest writers Robert Louis Stevenson. Arguably amongst Stevenson’s greatest works, his Fables open up some interesting facets of a timeless art of storytelling. What better time to revisit them than in the upcoming Year of Scotland’s Stories.
Entries are free, open on the anniversary of Stevenson’s birthday on 13 November 2021 and close on 2 April 2022. The first prize is £500. The international judging panel, chaired by Alan Taylor the author and journalist can look forward to a set of fascinating entries. The official announcement of the results will take place at the International Robert Louis Stevenson Conference scheduled for June 2022 in Bordeaux.
The full details of the competition are at http://www.mrrls.com/fable .
With best wishes
Martin White (of mrrls.com and the competition organiser)
Thank you Martin, I’ve added the contest to the list! :)
Hi Kaelyn, I’ve got another contest for you!
Name: Bardsy Holiday Anthology Contest: The Gifts
Theme: Write a story about an exchange of gifts. Feel free to think outside the shiny, wrapped box; for example, gifts could mean time or love.
Entry period: 11/13/21 to 12/13/21
Finalists announced: 12/19
Top prize: $399, plus a free Bardsy Elite membership for 9 months
Other prizes: All finalists will receive a free Bardsy Elite membership for 3 months. We will also publish their story in our Holiday Anthology.
Fee: Free
Word count: 1,200 to 3,000.
US and 18+ only please.
Thank you!
Thanks, Casey! I’ve added it to the list :)
Hi Kaelyn! The San Antonio Writers Guild’s 29th writing contest is open for entries right now and would love it if you could mention it here.
The genres are book-length fiction, short story, nonfiction/memoir (either length), and poetry. Fees are modest – just to cover costs. Final judges are professional, successful writers, and contest finalists are welcome to correspond with those judges.
Our web page is https://sanantoniowritersguild.org/annual-writing-contest/ which includes our annual winners.
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Kathryn! I’ve added it to the list :)
Hi Kaelyn, I wonder if you could add a link to our inaugural Saudi Historical Fiction Awards? There’s one for short stories (£10 entry fee, deadline 15th November 2021) and one for novels (free entry, deadline 1st July 2022). Both have winning prizes of £10,000, with generous runners up prizes too. Full details are here: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/saudi-historical-novel-award/
Thanks if you can!
Richard
Thanks for sharing, Richard! I’ve added your short story contest to this list, and the novel contest to our list of book award contests :)
Hi Kaelyn!
I have a short story contest if you wouldn’t mind adding it to your list :)
Name: Pre-Novel Writing Month Contest
Description: Planning to write a novel this November? Hit the ground running (and potentially win some cash) by submitting a short story to Bardsy’s Pre-Novel Writing Month Contest.
Word count: 1,200 to 3,000.
Submissions open: September 22, 2021
Deadline: October 27, 2021
Winner announced: November 5, 2021
Word count: 1,200 to 3,000
Prize: $299, plus a free six-month Bardsy Elite membership.
All qualified entries receive professional feedback.
US only.
https://bardsy.com/contest
Thank you!
Hey Casey, I tried accessing the link and it says you’re not running any contests right now?
I apologize, the link should be working now!
Awesome! Included it in the list :)
Hi Kaelyn
We run two writing competitions for short stories and flash fiction, with deadlines all year round. We’re based in the UK, but the competitions are open internationally. Here are the details – I wonder if you would mind including them in your list please. We were recently recommended by Reedsy as one of the best writing competitions to enter 2021.
500 WORD FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
DEADLINES: QUARTERLY: 28th (or 29th) Feb; 31st May; 31st August; 30th November
ENTRY FEES: £3 for 1 entry; £5 for 2 entries
PRIZES: 1st prize £100; 2nd prize £25. The two winning entries will be published on the website.
WORD COUNT: max word count 500, not including the title
WEB LINK: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/flashcomp/
1500 WORD SHORT STORY COMPETITION
DEADLINES: QUARTERLY: 31st January; 30th April; 31st July; 31st October.
ENTRY FEES: £5 for 1 entry; £8 for 2 entries; £10 for 3 entries.
PRIZES: 1st prize £150; 2nd prize £75; 3rd prize £30. The three winning entries will be published on the website.
WORD COUNT: max word count 1500, not including the title
WEB LINK: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/shortstory/
Winning stories – as well as a selection of short-listed entries – are also considered for publication in our print anthologies.
Thanks for sharing, Paul! I’ll check them out and update the list :)
I’ve added your short story contest to this list, and your flash fiction contest to our list for flash fiction (https://www.tckpublishing.com/flash-fiction-contests/)
Hi Kaelyn,
I am hosting the Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing Contest. First place prize of $1,000. Deadline November 30, 2021. Would you please let me know how to submit this contest to be included in your list?
It is open to all ages and all genres, and it looks like you have several lists of contests for both kids and adults, so please let me know if there is a separate submission process for each list.
Many thanks!
Amber
http://www.tadpolepress.com/events
Thanks Amber, I’ll check it out and update the list!
Thanks for your response, Kaelyn! I just checked your lists of contests for short stories, poetry, and kids and didn’t see ours listed yet. Do you know when these lists will be updated for contests with a deadline of November 2021 like ours is?
Many thanks!
Amber
https://www.tadpolepress.com/contact
Hi Amber, your contest is now listed on the children’s, poetry, and flash fiction contest lists!
Thanks so much, Kaelyn!
Here is another short contest that may be of interest to your readers
https://thelampmagazine.com/2021/06/24/the-lamp-christmas-ghost-story-contest/
Entries are due by October 31, 2021. Winner receives $1000, two runners up receive $300 apiece.
Thanks Matthew! I’ll check it out and update the list :)
Hi
I am a new writer with dozen of short stories please advise me on how to bring them out.
Hi Muhammad, thanks for your comment! entering writing contests is one way :) you could also publish them on your blog, or submit your stories to one of these publications that will pay if they accept your writing. hope that helps!
For 2021 we’re hosting Future Folklore: a climate fiction contest.
This is for short stories that take place in a positive and possible climate future.
1,400-2000 words. Due August 9th.
STCWpublishing.com/contests
thank you for sharing about your contest Alexis! We’ll check it out and add it to the list :)
By the way, I really liked these story comps listed. Thanks!!
Could you post some writing contests for children? I’d like to get my kids more interested in writing. What better way than to put them in a contest where they can earn money!
I agree! please do this!!!!!
Hi Sarah, we have a list of writing contests for kids here. :)
Hi Jessica, thanks for your comment! We actually just posted a list of writing contests for kids :) we also have one on scholarships. hope that helps!
I love this.
There is also Penactive Short Story 2021 ongoing for teenagers in Nigeria.
Here’s a link for more details: https://bit.ly/35wNK1w
Thank you for sharing, Helen!
i just need update about competitions cause i am a writer
Hi Lydia, in addition to these short story competitions, you can also find a full list here.
Thanks Kaelyn for responding to everyone’s email, I am new to this platform but happy to join. I would love to enter these contests with my new short story.
Looking forward to more e-getting together.
Cheers
nice to e-meet you! We hope you find our site helpful, and best of luck with the short story contests! :)
Whether any Entry fee is there
Hi Rajlakshmi, I don’t quite understand your question, but some of the contests are free to enter, while others have a small fee, which is specified above. I hope that helps!