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August, September and October 2021 Short Story Competitions

Updated: Aug 16, 2021



You can make anything by writing. C.S. Lewis

A happy-winter-is-nearly-over greeting to you if you are in the southern hemisphere or enjoy-the-warmer-days hello if you are in the northern hemisphere.


Have you been hibernating during the winter months, thinking about fantastic story ideas? Or have you spent the summer break enjoying new experiences, going to new places or meeting new people?


Or has our COVID world forced you to remain at home, in lockdown, and your imagination has ignited. Here in Australia, a lot of us are living a life in lockdown. In Brisbane, where I live, we have just come out of a successful snap lockdown. Unfortunately, fellow Australians in New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory are still in lockdown.


I send my good wishes out to all people across the globe who have been affected by the pandemic.


I know that escaping into stories has been helpful—as a reader and a writer. Hopefully, you might find some inspiration for your writing in the following competitions.


Below is a curated list of competitions. I go in and check to see if they are running at the time of writing this article. Please do check the websites to ensure the competition is still running and current, and to check all details about the competition.


Good luck and happy writing. Stay safe all.


I found this competition has had a deadline change. As it is in August I have added it here:


AUGUST


Val Wood Prize: 2000 words

Deadline: 28 August:

Entry: Free

Prize: £100 plus shared on various social media

More information: https://www.valwood.co.uk/val-wood-prize


Aesthetica Creative Writing: up to 2000 words

Deadline: 31 August

Entry: £18

Prize: £2500

More information: https://aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award/


Exeter Story Prize: up to 5000 words

Deadline: 31 August

Entry: £12

Prize: £500, £150, £100

More information: https://www.exeterwriters.org.uk/p/short-story-competition-2021.html


Scarlet Stilleto Awards: 5000 words

Deadline: 31 August:

Entry: $25 ($20 Members)

Prize: $1500; $1000; $600. (There are a number of prizes in this competition)

More information:https://www.sistersincrime.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Scarlet-Stiletto-2021-entry_FAQs.pdf


SEPTEMBER


Southhampton Review Short Fiction Prize: up to 7500 words. Flash Fiction welcomed: Deadline: 1 September:

Entry: $5

Prize: $1500, $300, $200

More information: https://www.thesouthamptonreview.com/short-short-fiction-contest


Stringybark Short Stories:

At the time of writing there short story is closed but will open soon

More information: https://www.stringybarkstories.net/competitions/open---no-open.html


Surrey International Writing Conference: 2500 - 4000 words

Deadline: 17 September

Entry: $15

Prize: $1000

More information: https://www.siwc.ca/writing-contest/


Mslexia Women’s Fiction Awards: up to 3000 words

Deadline: 20 September

Entry: £12

Prize: £3000

More information: https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/short-story/


Dzanc Prizes: This ones for a short story anthology

Deadline: 30 September

Entry: $25

Prize: $2500 and publication

More information: https://dzancbooks.submittable.com/submit


Hammond House International Literary prize: 1000 to 5000 words

Deadline: 30 September:

Entry: £10

Prize: £1000; £100; £50

More information: https://www.hammondhousepublishing.com/competitions


Overcome Writing Competition: up to 2000 words - Theme: Connected

Deadline: 5pm 30 September

Entry: £5

Prize: £250

More information: https://www.ovacome.org.uk/about-the-ovacome-writing-competition


OCTOBER


Galley Begger Press Short Story: up to 6000 words

Deadline: 10 October:

Entry: £10

Prize: £2500 short list £200

More information: https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/short-story-prize-tc


The Raven Short Story Contest: 250 to 2500 words

Deadline: 15 October

Entry: $20 (Early bird: $15)

Prize: $300

More information: https://pulpliterature.com/contests/the-raven-short-story-contest/


Scribble Annual Short Story Competition: 2000 words

Deadline: 15 October

Entry: $12

Prize: $200 plus publication in November edition

More information: https://www.scribblelit.com/1st-annual-short-story-contest


The Larry Brown Short Story Award: up to 4000 words

Deadline: 31 October

Entry: $10US

Prize: $500US; $50US

More information: https://pitheadchapel.com/larrybrown/


I thought I would throw in ...


NOVEMBER