Short Story Contests 2026: Deadlines, Fees and Prizes
Quick answer: 23 real short story competitions in one living calendar, 4 taking entries right now (October 2026) and 6 free to enter. Compare entry fees, prizes, word limits and eligibility alongside dated calls and unconfirmed windows. Source checks and historical terms are marked on individual listings. Historical annual windows do not confirm a new opening; check current organiser terms before paying.
Open now (4)
- Writory Short Story Contest (International). Open, closes 30 November 2026. Entry: ₹199 in India, $8 elsewhere, per story; free entry is earned by contest winners and Seasoned Quill holders. Prize: 1st ₹5,000 or $100, 2nd ₹2,000 or $50, 3rd ₹1,000 or $20, plus a certificate and a score out of 100 for every entrant. Fiction, Any genre, 100 to 6,000 words. Three-month rounds close on the last day of February, May, August and November at 11:59 PM IST. Results follow on the 5th of the next month at 8:00 PM IST. Read blind against a published rubric, any language, writers keep all rights.
- NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge (International). Open, closes January 22, 2027. Entry: US$65 until 19 November 2026; US$72 until 22 January 2027 at 10 PM New York time. Prize: US$8,500 first prize, US$3,500 second, US$1,750 third, cash down to 10th place; over US$17,500 in total (2026 figures). Fiction, Assigned genre and subject, 2,000 words in round one. Registration for 2027 is open. The final entry deadline is 22 January 2027 at 10 PM New York time; the first of four timed writing rounds begins that day. Every submission receives written judge feedback. Registration deadlines are separate from each round's writing period. Final registration cutoff: 22 January 2027, 10 PM New York (EST, UTC−05:00). The early fee deadline is 19 November 2026. Official date source, checked 2026-10-06.
- Reedsy Prompts Weekly Short Story Contest (International (English)). Open, rolling. Entry: US$5 per competitive entry; posting a story without entering the contest is free. Prize: US$250 to the weekly winner plus publication and a newsletter spotlight; shortlisted writers get a US$25 Reedsy Marketplace credit. Fiction, Prompt-based, 1,000 to 3,000 words. Five prompts go out every Friday and entries are due the following Friday at 11:59 PM EST; open to writers over 18, winner announced a week after closing.
- Globe Soup 7 Day Story Writing Challenge (United Kingdom (worldwide)). Open, rolling. Entry: free. Prize: £500 to the overall winner; twelve genre finalists named. Fiction, Assigned genre and theme, Up to 2,000 words. Register by email and you are sent a random genre and a secret theme when a challenge launches, with exactly seven days to write; judged anonymously, skip any round you like.
Closed, opening later or awaiting confirmed dates (19)
- Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition (United States (open to non-US residents)). Typical August–December window; current dates to confirm. Entry: US$30 per entry until 16 November 2026, US$35 until the final deadline. Prize: 1st US$3,000, publication in Writer's Digest and a paid trip to the WD Annual Conference; 2nd US$1,500; 3rd US$500; 4th to 10th US$100. Fiction, 1,500 words maximum. Original, unpublished stories in English; AI-assisted work is not considered. Winners are notified by 28 February 2027.
- The Masters Review Short Story Award for New Writers (United States (English entries worldwide)). Typical December–February window; current dates to confirm. Entry: US$20 per entry. Prize: 1st US$3,000 plus publication and agency review; 2nd US$300; 3rd US$200; every entry considered for New Voices publication. Fiction, Under 6,000 words, Emerging writers. Two editions a year: winter (December to early February) and summer (July to August). Only for writers without a book from a major press; the summer 2026 edition closed 30 August.
- Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Competition (United States (any country may enter)). Typical July–October window; current dates to confirm. Entry: US$30 per story. Prize: 1st US$1,000 and publication; 2nd US$500; 3rd US$250; winners and finalists are read by sixteen literary agencies. Fiction, 5,000 words or fewer. Closes 1 October 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific; judged by 'Pemi Aguda, results on 15 December, all entries also considered for the print magazine.
- Narrative Magazine Fall Story Contest (United States (international)). Typical September–November window; current dates to confirm. Entry: US$27 per entry. Prize: 1st US$2,500; 2nd US$1,000; 3rd US$500; up to ten finalists US$100; all entries eligible for the US$5,000 Narrative Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Up to 15,000 words. Closes 13 November 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific; previously unpublished work only, winners announced by 31 December.
- Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest (Fiction) (United States). Typical February–March window; current dates to confirm. Entry: US$30 for non-subscribers (includes a one-year subscription); free for current subscribers. Prize: US$2,000 and publication in Ploughshares, plus a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management. Fiction, Up to 6,500 words, Emerging writers. For writers who have not published a book or chapbook; the window runs 1 February to 31 March each year, 2027 dates not yet formally posted.
- Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers (Canada). Typical November–February window; current dates to confirm. Entry: CA$29 per entry. Prize: CA$2,500; the winner and eleven finalists are sent to three Canadian magazines for consideration. Fiction, Nonfiction, Up to 2,500 words. Canadian citizens and permanent residents with at most one published book; the 2026 round closed 16 February, 2027 dates not yet published.
- Bath Short Story Award (United Kingdom (international)). Typical December–April window; current dates to confirm. Entry: £9 per story. Prize: 1st £1,200; 2nd £300; 3rd £100; Acorn Award £100 for the best unpublished writer; shortlist published in the BSSA anthology. Fiction, Up to 2,200 words. Writers aged 16 and over anywhere; judged anonymously by one guest judge. The 2026 round closed 27 April and 2027 dates are not yet announced; it usually opens in early December.
- Bristol Short Story Prize (United Kingdom (no geographical restriction)). Current dates to confirm. Entry: 2026 fee: £14 per story, with 250 free entries for writers facing a fee barrier; next call to confirm. Prize: 2026 awards: 1st £1,500; 2nd £500; 3rd £250; twelve further shortlisted writers £50 and anthology publication. Fiction, Up to 4,000 words. The 2026 round closed on 31 January and its winners are published. That edition accepted writers over 16 and used anonymous judging. A 2027 opening was not verified on the official homepage; check the next call before preparing an entry. The fetched homepage confirms the 2026 closure, not a new January deadline. Official date source, checked 2026-10-06.
- The Bridport Prize (Short Story) (United Kingdom (worldwide)). Opens November 15, 2026; closing date to confirm. Entry: 2027 fee to confirm; the displayed 2026 fee was £15 per short story. Prize: 2026 awards: 1st £5,000; 2nd £1,000; 3rd £500; ten highly commended £100; confirm 2027 terms. Fiction, Up to 5,000 words. The organiser confirms that the 2027 competition opens on 15 November 2026. The 2026 story rules accepted writers aged 16 and over, with anonymous judging and anthology publication. The next closing date and fees require confirmation. Confirmed 2027 opening: 15 November 2026. The £15 fee and listed awards describe 2026, not confirmed 2027 terms. Official date source, checked 2026-10-06.
- Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Commonwealth countries). Opens periodic windows. Entry: free. Prize: Overall winner £5,000; four other regional winners £2,500 each; publication by Granta online. Fiction, 2,000 to 5,000 words, Thirteen languages. Citizens of Commonwealth countries aged 18 and over, including India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Australia and Canada. Checked 16 September 2026: entries are closed and the next opening is postponed until January 2027 while the 2027 rules are reviewed; final dates are not yet published. The current FAQ excepts personal websites from its unpublished-work rule; do not assume that covers Wattpad or that the exception will remain in the final 2027 rules.
- Fish Short Story Prize (Ireland (any nationality, English)). Typical July–November window; current dates to confirm. Entry: €24 first entry, €16 each further entry; optional critique €65. Prize: 1st €3,000 plus a three-day workshop at the West Cork Literary Festival; 2nd and 3rd €300; seven honourable mentions €200; top ten published in the Fish Anthology. Fiction, Up to 5,000 words. Open now, closes 30 November 2026, results 17 March 2027; judged anonymously by literary agent Ciara McEllin.
- Mslexia Women's Short Story Competition (United Kingdom (any country)). Typical June–September window; current dates to confirm. Entry: £14 per story. Prize: 1st £3,000; three finalists £150; eight shortlisted £75; winners printed in Mslexia and an ebook anthology. Fiction, Up to 3,000 words, Women writers. Women of any age and nationality; closes 21 September 2026, judged anonymously by Ingrid Persaud, results in November.
- The Cambridge Prize (Short Story) (United Kingdom (no geographical restriction)). Typical July–August window; current dates to confirm. Entry: free. Prize: An undisclosed prize fund shared between three selected stories; winners published on the TSS website. Fiction, 1,001 to 2,500 words. Entrants must be 21 or over; the 2026 round ran 1 July to 31 August. No cash figure is published for 2026, so do not enter for a headline prize.
- Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize (United Kingdom (worldwide)). Typical August–November window; current dates to confirm. Entry: £11 per story; 200 free entries for low earners, first come first served. Prize: Winner £3,000; shortlisted writers £200 and pocket-book publication; longlisted writers £50 in book vouchers. Fiction, Up to 6,000 words. Open now, closes midnight 8 November 2026 UK time; no age limit, anonymous judging, longlist 22 February 2027 and winner 29 March 2027.
- The Moth Short Story Prize (Ireland (worldwide)). Typical April–June window; current dates to confirm. Entry: €17 per story. Prize: 1st €3,000; 2nd €1,000; 3rd a week at The Moth Retreat in rural Ireland; winner printed in the Irish Times. Fiction, Up to 3,000 words. Anyone over 16 anywhere; one guest judge reads anonymously. The 2026 round closed 15 June; it usually opens on 3 April.
- The Deodar Prize (India). Current dates to confirm. Entry: Fee to confirm: the official description says free, but its FAQ discusses a submission fee. Prize: Winner ₹1,00,000 and publication in The Bombay Literary Magazine; two runners-up ₹25,000 with editorial feedback. Fiction, Up to 2,500 words, Emerging Indian writers. The 2026 round, for Indian citizens over 18 with unpublished English fiction, closed on 15 July; winners are due at Mumbai Lit Fest on 24–25 October. Current official fee statements conflict, and the next call is not verified. Do not count this as a confirmed no-fee opportunity until the organiser resolves the conflicting fee information. Official date source, checked 2026-10-06.
- Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards (Short Story) (Philippines). Typical May–June window; current dates to confirm. Entry: free. Prize: PHP 18,000 first, PHP 12,000 second, PHP 9,000 third in each short story language; the Philippines' most prestigious literary credential. Fiction, 10 to 25 pages, English, Filipino, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilokano. Filipino citizens and former citizens of all ages, anywhere; anonymous judging. The 2026 window was 15 May to 30 June; the 77th edition should open around May 2027.
- Afritondo Short Story Prize (Africa (and writers of African heritage worldwide)). Typical November–December window; current dates to confirm. Entry: free. Prize: US$1,000 to the winner; US$100 to four shortlisted writers; longlisted stories published in an anthology. Fiction, 3,000 to 5,000 words, Set theme. Citizens of African countries, writers with an African parent, or Black writers anywhere. The 2026 round closed 24 December 2025; calls normally open in November. Longlisting grants anthology rights while copyright stays with you.
- Keekli Pan-India Short Story Writing Competition (India). Typical January–March window; current dates to confirm. Entry: free. Prize: No cash: the top stories are published in a national anthology, with author workshops and mentoring for the shortlist. Fiction, Nonfiction, 1,000 to 2,500 words, Students under 20. School and college students across India under 20, in English or Hindi, typed entries by email, no AI-generated work. The 2026 round closed 31 March; a good first publication credit.
Questions writers ask
Which short story contests are free to enter?
Globe Soup 7 Day Story Writing Challenge, Commonwealth Short Story Prize, The Cambridge Prize (Short Story), Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards (Short Story), Afritondo Short Story Prize, Keekli Pan-India Short Story Writing Competition cost nothing to enter. Reedsy lets you post a story free but only paid entries compete. Writory's free entry is earned: contest winners enter the next round free, and three consecutive rounds earn the Seasoned Quill free entry.
Is an entry fee normal for a short story competition in 2026?
Yes. Most established prizes charge between US$5 and US$35 a story, and the fee usually funds the prize money and the readers. Be wary of a contest that asks for far more than that, claims rights to your story, or will not say who reads the entries.
How do I tell a legitimate contest from a scam?
Look for named judges or a published rubric, past winners you can read, clear terms that leave the copyright with you, and a fee in proportion to the prize. Every contest on this page was checked on its own website; the deadline and fee shown link to the page they were read on.
How does the Writory short story contest work?
Stories of 100 to 6,000 words in any language are read blind against a published rubric. The first contest runs from 1 September 2026 to 30 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, with results and certificates on 5 December 2026 at 8:00 PM IST. Story rounds run every three months, closing on the last day of February, May, August and November. Results follow on the 5th of the next month. The next round opens on the 1st, before the previous round's results. Entry is ₹199 in India or $8 elsewhere, every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100, and writers keep all rights.
By the Writory editorial team. Statuses computed October 2026. Enter Writory's short story contest, contest pages by country, genre and language, the poetry contests calendar.