If you're looking to submit short fiction, there's no shortage of competitions in the UK. The harder part is working out which ones are worth your time.
Some offer substantial prizes but attract thousands of entries. Others are more accessible, but with smaller rewards or niche audiences. Most run annually, which means long waits between submission and results — and usually no feedback at all.
This guide compares some of the most established short story competitions available to UK writers, covering entry fees, word limits, judging approaches, and what actually distinguishes them from each other.
Competition Comparison
The table below covers a range of competitions, from the most prestigious UK-only prizes to international contests open to UK writers. Where fees or word limits vary by year, we've listed typical recent figures.
| Competition | Fee | Word Limit | Deadline (typical) | Prompt? | Judging |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC National Short Story Award | Free | up to 8,000 | March | No | Panel |
| Bridport Prize | ~£12–£17 | up to 5,000 | May | No | Panel (blind) |
| Manchester Fiction Prize | ~£17 | ~3,000 | October | No | Panel (blind) |
| Bristol Short Story Prize | ~£9–£12 | 4,000 | February | No | Panel (blind) |
| London Magazine Prize | ~£10–£20 | 4,000 | March | No | Panel |
| Brick Lane Bookshop Prize | ~£10 | 1,000–5,000 | April | No | Panel |
| Bedford Competition | £8.50 | 3,000 | July | No | Panel |
| Creative Writing Ink | ~£12 | 3,000 | September | No | Panel (blind) |
| HG Wells Competition | ~£10 | 1,500–5,000 | July | Sometimes | Panel |
| Writers & Artists Competition | Free | up to 2,500 | June | No | Panel |
| Retreat West Short Story Prize | ~£9 | 2,000 | Quarterly | No | Panel (blind) |
| Leicester Writes Prize | ~£6 | 2,000 | October | No | Panel (blind) |
| Flash Fiction Festival | ~£7 | 300 | May | No | Panel |
| Reedsy Literary Prize | Free | Varies | Ongoing | Yes | Editorial |
| New Writers 100-Word | ~£5–£10 | 100 | Annual | No | Panel |
| Story Glory Contest | Free | 300–1,200 | Monthly | Yes | Panel |
A few things stand out. The BBC award is in a league of its own — free to enter, highest prize money, and by far the most prestigious — but it requires prior publication, which rules out most newer writers. For everyone else, the Bridport Prize and Manchester Fiction Prize are the most widely respected open competitions, both using blind judging. The Bristol Short Story Prize offers a similar calibre at a lower entry fee.
At the more accessible end, the Bedford Competition is good value at £8.50 with a £2,000 prize, and Creative Writing Ink is worth a look if you're interested in development opportunities alongside the prize. Reedsy is notable for being free and ongoing, though the prompt-based format won't suit everyone.
Prompts vs Open Submission
Most of the larger UK prizes — the BBC, Bridport, Manchester, Bristol — are completely open. There's no theme or prompt. You submit your strongest existing work or write something specifically for the competition.
A smaller group of competitions use prompts or themes. Reedsy runs prompt-based cycles. The HG Wells competition sometimes sets a theme. Story Glory provides a new prompt every month. In these cases, the prompt acts as a starting point rather than a strict constraint, but it does shape what gets submitted.
In practice, the difference matters more than you might think. Open competitions reward your best polished piece — you can enter the same story in multiple competitions. Prompt-based competitions demand fresh writing on a schedule, which builds a different kind of discipline. Neither is inherently better, but they develop different muscles.
If you're trying to build a body of work and write regularly, prompt-based competitions are underrated. If you've got one strong story and want to maximise its chances, the open competitions are where to focus.
Panel Judging vs Peer Review
Almost all traditional competitions rely on a small panel of judges — typically writers or editors — who assess submissions anonymously and select winners through longlists and shortlists.
This model has clear strengths: credibility, consistency, and the authority that comes from established literary figures making the call. But it also has limitations. Decisions come down to a handful of perspectives. Feedback is almost never provided. And the criteria behind the judging are rarely transparent — you submit, you wait, and months later you either see your name on a list or you don't.
An alternative model is peer review, where writers evaluate each other's work. In this approach, stories are read by multiple participants rather than a single panel, and the result reflects the views of many readers rather than the preference of a single panel. Feedback loops tend to be shorter, and the cycle between writing and getting a result is measured in days rather than months.
This isn't necessarily better or worse than panel judging — it's a different thing. Panel judging excels at identifying standout work and conferring prestige. Peer review excels at volume, regularity, and giving writers a faster sense of how their work lands with readers.
Disclosure: Fiction League uses a peer-review tournament model. We think it complements traditional competitions well, particularly for writers who want to write and get feedback more frequently than annual cycles allow.
Final Thoughts
The UK has a strong ecosystem of short story competitions, from the BBC award at the top to smaller monthly contests. Most follow a similar structure: annual cycles, entry fees, and panel-based judging. That works well for prestige and selectivity.
But if you only enter one or two competitions a year, progress can feel slow. In practice, many writers get the most out of combining these annual prizes with more regular writing — whether that's magazines, flash fiction contests, or platforms that run on shorter cycles.
One option for regular writing between the annual prizes is Fiction League — a free, ongoing short story competition where stories compete in anonymous peer-voted brackets. Unlike annual competitions, there's no waiting period: tournaments run continuously, results come back quickly, and there's no entry fee. It won't replace the prestige of a Bridport Prize win, but for writers who want to keep writing and get a sense of how their work lands with readers, it fits alongside the competitions above rather than competing with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I enter a UK short story competition?
Most UK short story competitions accept submissions online through their own websites. Check the word limit, entry fee, and whether the story must be unpublished — many competitions require that entries haven't appeared in print or online before. Read the guidelines carefully, as disqualification for minor infractions (name on manuscript, wrong format) is common.
What is the most prestigious short story competition in the UK?
The BBC National Short Story Award is the most prestigious — free to enter, with the highest prize money and widespread media coverage. The catch is that it requires prior publication, which rules out most emerging writers. For those without publication credits, the Bridport Prize is the most widely respected open competition, using blind judging and attracting a large, competitive field.
Are there free short story competitions in the UK?
Yes. The BBC National Short Story Award, Writers & Artists Competition, Reedsy Literary Prize, and Story Glory Contest are all free to enter. Most paid competitions charge between £8 and £17 per entry, with fees typically supporting the prize fund and running costs.
How long should a short story competition entry be?
It varies widely. Flash fiction competitions accept as few as 100 words (New Writers 100-Word) or 300 words (Flash Fiction Festival, Story Glory). Mid-range competitions typically ask for 2,000–3,000 words. The largest prizes — Bridport, Bristol, Manchester — accept up to 4,000–5,000 words. Check the specific guidelines before writing to length; submitting outside the word limit is grounds for disqualification.