A Short Story Competition Open to UK Writers
Quick answer: Writory's short story competition is open to UK writers. The first contest runs from 1 September 2026 to 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, with results and certificates on 30 November 2026. Monthly rounds follow the debut: entries close on the 25th and results arrive on the 30th. Entry is $8, roughly £6, for one story of 100 to 3,000 words in any genre. Judging is blind against a published rubric, every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100 on 30 November 2026, and writers keep all rights.
Enter the debut round by 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. UK writers receive blind judging against a published rubric, a full scorecard and certificate on 30 November 2026, and keep every right to their story. Monthly rounds follow the debut.
Where it sits on the UK calendar
UK writers already have Bridport, Bristol and Mslexia, and nothing here needs to replace them; they carry a prestige a monthly contest does not pretend to. But their economics are built for the occasional swing: entry fees commonly £10 to £26, months of waiting, and usually a reply only if you make the shortlist. Enter four in a year and place in none, and you have spent a meaningful sum for four silences.
A contest with a returned scorecard is another part of a submission strategy: informative even when you do not place. Every entrant here gets a certificate and all five rubric marks out of 100 on 30 November 2026. The first contest runs from 1 September 2026 to 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, with results and certificates on 30 November 2026. Monthly rounds follow the debut: entries close on the 25th and results arrive on the 30th.
The terms, plainly
Writory is based in India and prices international entry in US dollars: $8 for one story, $14 for two, $25 for five. PayPal or your payment issuer determines any conversion and fees. We do not quote a fixed sterling price. The top prize per round is $100, winners enter the next round free, and entering three rounds running earns the Seasoned Quill badge and a free entry.
The deadline is 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, which falls in the UK early evening, so there is no midnight scramble. Writory's poetry rounds have drawn entrants from 40 countries, with winners already named in Ireland, Kenya and the United States; the story contest itself, rubric and all, is described in full at /short-story-contest.
The published rubric, 100 points
- Storytelling & Structure (25 points): Does every scene cause the next, and does the ending pay off the opening?
- Character & Emotional Impact (25 points): Do we want something with your character, and does the story make us feel it?
- Language & Craft (20 points): Clean, deliberate prose: rhythm, precision, and nothing wasted.
- Originality & Voice (20 points): The angle only you could write, told in a voice that sounds like nobody else.
- Impact & Resonance (10 points): What the story leaves behind after the last line.
How it works
Submit an original story of 100 to 3,000 words by 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Every story is judged blind against the rubric above, and results arrive on 30 November 2026: every entrant receives a certificate with their name and a score out of 100. Writers keep all rights. Winners earn free entry to the next round. Enter at https://writoryofficial.com/submit-story.
Common questions
Is the competition open to writers in the UK?
It is open to UK writers on the same terms as everyone else: worldwide entry, blind judging, no name or location visible to the panel. Writory's poetry rounds have drawn entrants from 40 countries, including a winner in Ireland.
Do judges penalise British spelling?
No. British, American and Indian conventions are all read as correct. Language & Craft is scored on precision and rhythm, not on which side of the Atlantic your spelling learned its manners.
Can I enter under a pen name?
You can. Judging is blind either way, so the panel never sees any name at all. The certificate is issued to the name on your account, so register the name you want on the record.
What does entry cost from the UK?
$8 for one story, $14 for two, $25 for five, charged in dollars and converted by your card at the day's rate. Win a month and the next entry is free; entering three rounds running earns the Seasoned Quill badge and a free entry.
How fast are results, honestly?
Entries close on 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, early evening in the UK, and every entrant's certificate and five-part score arrive on 30 November 2026. Non-winners hear back on the same date and with the same detail as winners.
More story contest pages
About Writory
Writory (writoryofficial.com) is an international monthly poetry contest founded in 2025 by Shivay Mehra. Poets from 40 countries have entered, readers come from more than 150 countries, and every submitted poem is judged and scored out of 100 across five criteria: creativity, emotion, structure, language and impact and resonance. Every entrant receives a certificate; winners receive cash prizes and are published by name. Entries close on the 25th of each month and results are announced on the 30th. Writory is listed by Duotrope, Poetry Kit, Christopher Fielden's competition list and Creative Writing NZ, among other organisations. Past results are public at past winners and the leaderboard.