Flash Fiction Competitions
Flash Fiction Competitions Intro
This page lists flash fiction, micro fiction, sudden fiction, twitterage, twitterature, dribble, drabble, minisaga, nanotale, micro-story and very short fiction competitions, prizes and awards. Please read and make sure you fully understand the rules and the terms & conditions of each competition listed before entering.
Last updated 28th September 2024
PLEASE NOTE: Most of the flash fiction competitions listed on this page accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world. The country each competition is run from is listed so you know which global market you are submitting to.
The competitions listed on this page used to be included on my short story competitions page, but as flash fiction competitions and micro fiction contests are growing in popularity, I decided to create a separate resource for them.
What Is Flash Fiction?
Flash fiction refers to a story of extreme brevity. Research shows that this is generally regarded as a story containing fewer than 1,000 words, although there is no exact rule on upper word limits.
So, any competitions with maximum word count limits of 1,000 words or less will be listed here. Any contests with word count limits over 1,000 words will be listed on the short story competitions page (see link above).
Do You Run Flash Fiction Competitions
If you run flash fiction competitions and would like to be featured on this page, please contact me and provide all of the following information :
- How often you will be running the contest (eg, annually, quarterly, one-off)
- The name of your flash fiction competition
- A link to your website
- The country you are based in (where you operate from, NOT where you accept entries from)
- Closing date
- The date you announce winners
- Maximum word count accepted
- Entry fee
- Top prize
- Any other details, including how winning writers' stories will be published and any limitations regarding style, theme etc
If you notice that any of the information on this page is incorrect while using it, please let me know and I'll update the page. I do my best to keep everything up to date, but it's impossible to stay on top of every change made to every competition. Any help with this is very much appreciated.
Featured Flash Fiction Competitions
Do you run flash fiction competitions that you'd like featured at the top of this page? If so, please get in touch.
Featured Competition 1: FanStory
At FanStory new writing contests with cash prizes are announced weekly.
You'll Enjoy:
- Contests. FanStory run competitions for short stories, flash fiction, poetry, non-fiction and much more. Enter all contests with cash prizes for free with upgraded membership. Contests with cash prizes are announced every week. Click here to view the current listing.
- Feedback. Get detailed feedback for every poem, short story and book chapter that you write including your contest entries. All skill levels welcomed.
- Community. Make connections and friends. Enjoy sharing your writing. Click here for more info.
Contest Highlights:
- 80 Word Flash Fiction: Write a story on any topic that uses exactly 80 words. What can you share with only 80 words? Cash prize for the winning entry.
- Dribble Flash Fiction: Write a story on any topic. But use only 50 words. Enter for your chance at the cash prize.
- Flash Fiction: Write a story on any topic that uses 150 words. Cash prize for the winning entry.
- Future Flash Fiction: Write a flash fiction story on any topic. But it must take place in the future. Cash Prize!
- Newbie Flash Fiction: For our New Arrival contest we challenge you to write a story that uses exactly 100 words. Title does not count towards the word count. Write about anything with 100 words. Enter for your chance at the cash prize.
- True Story Flash: Write a true story on any topic that uses exactly 100 words. The winner takes away a cash prize.
These are just a few of the contests. View the full listing here.
Featured Competition 2: Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction
The Not Quite Write Prize is a quarterly flash fiction writing competition. The competition commences on the third Friday of the month in January, April, July and October.
The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction challenges writers to create an original piece of flash fiction based on two typical writing prompts plus one "anti-prompt". The anti-prompt is a challenge to break a specific “rule” of writing while telling a great story. There is 500 word maximum limit and the entry fee is AU$25.
Participants compete for AU$2,000 in cash prizes, including AU$1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and two bonus wildcard prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice.
The AU$2,000 is awarded as follows:
- 1st place: AU$1,000
- 2nd place: AU$500
- 3rd place: AU$200
- 4th place: AU$100
- Honourable mention x 2: AU$50
- Wildcards x 2: AU$50
Your ticket grants you immediate and unlimited access to the exclusive Participant Lounge and Forum. Personalised and on-air critique packages are also available until sold out. The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction is hosted in Australia and open to all writers of any age and level of ability around the world.
Featured Competition 3: Mike’s Not-Entirely-Serious Wantonly-Rule-Breaking Adverb Writing Challenge
Mike's Not-Entirely-Serious Wantonly-Rule-Breaking Adverb Writing Challenge is free to enter and guarantees publication in a book that supports First Story, a charity that supports and inspires creativity, literacy and confidence in UK secondary schools.
Send your 100 word flash fiction story, crammed with as many adverbs as humanly possible, and see your work published.
To date, five anthologies have been published via this challenge, each containing 100 adverb riddled stories. That's 500 stories in total. The next anthology will contain 500 more, taking our total to 1,000.
To learn more and submit, please visit the adverb challenge page.
Regular Flash Fiction Competitions
This list details flash fiction competitions and micro fiction contests that are run more than once a year.
| Regular Flash Fiction Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Words | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Regular Flash Fiction Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Word Stories | Canada | Monthly | Monthly | 50 | FREE | $10 | Any style / genre - winners published on website |
| 101 Words Writing Contest | USA | Daily | Daily | 101 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - winners considered for publication in Flash Fiction Magazine which pays $10 if you're selected |
| Anansi Archive Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | £1 | £50 | Any style / genre - they also run quarterly short fiction and poetry competitions |
| Association of Christian Writers Writing Competitions | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | They run a variety of competitions (flash fiction, short story and poetry), so check website for current details - winners published in Christian Writers (circulation 700) - top prize has been up to £100 in the past |
| Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge | USA | Varies | Varies | 99 | FREE | None | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - stories must be exactly 99 words in length - winners published on Carrot Ranch website |
| Chris Fielden's Flash Fiction Writing Challenges | UK | NA | Everyone is a winner | Varies | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre but each challenge is themed, so check the link for current challenges - word limits vary from 50 to 200 words - ALL entries are published on christopherfielden.com - some of the challenges offer publication in professional print and eBook formats every time 100 stories are received, but some are now website publishing only - all the proceeds from book sales are donated to different charities - challenges currently running: 1. Adverb Challenge - 2. Nonsense Challenge - 3. Sensory Challenge - 4. Cliché Challenge - 5. Preposition Challenge - 6. Young Writers Challenge NOTE: In January 2021, the 81 Word Challenge received its 1,000th submission and the News Challenge received its 100th submission. Both challenges are now closed but the anthologies will be / have been published. |
| Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | £5 | £150 | Any style / genre - winners published on the website and considered for future print anthologies |
| Cranked Anvil Prompt Competition | UK | Triannually | Triannually | 1,000 | £5 | £150 | Each story should contain all the prompt elements specified, so check their website for full details - winners published on the website and considered for future print anthologies |
| Crazy Cats Theatre Writing Competitions | UK | Bi-Monthly | Bi-Monthly | 400 | £5 | £50 | They run a variety of flash fiction competitions, so check website for current details - winners published on website - they also run short story comps |
| Didcot Writers Monthly Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 500 | Varies | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current theme - prize is publication on the Didcot Writers website |
| Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Biannually | Biannually | 1,000 | £6 | £300 | Any style / genre except children's and YA - winners published on website and in anthology - they also run a short story comp |
| Flash Fiction 500 Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | £5 | £300 | Any style / genre - winners published on website |
| Free Flash Fiction (FFF) Competition | UK | Bi-monthly | Bi-monthly | 300 | £3.85 / £2.35 | £150 | Any style / genre - entry fee is £3.85 via PayPal / Stripe or £2.35 via BACS - winners published on website |
| F(r)iction Contest | USA | Biannually | Biannually | 1,000 | $10 | $300 | Any style / genre - they also have creative nonfiction, poetry and short story categories - winners published online and considered for publication in print in the F(r)iction journal |
| Fusilli Flash Fiction | UK | Varies | Varies | 200 | £2.50 | £30 | Any style / genre but stories must contain a twist - winners published on website - every time 50 stories are received, a winner is announced - all shortlisted entries get their entry fee refunded |
| Gotham Writers | NY, USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - they run a variety of contests, so best to check the website to see what is currently open - prizes vary but have been up to $1,000 in the past |
| Inkspiration Flash Fiction Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | Varies | FREE | £20 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - word limit varies but is never over 1,000 words - winners published online |
| Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction | Australia | Bi-Monthly | Bi-Monthly | 999 | $15 | $400 | Any style / genre - winners published at Letter Review |
| Many Planets Fiction Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 500 | See notes | £50 | Any style / genre but for stories set in the future, so check website for full details - winner is published online and receives a detailed review of their work - the entry fee is "pay what you wish" to make it accessible to as many people as possible, but you have to pay something so the contest is not free to enter |
| Microcosms Flash Fiction Competitions | UK/USA | Weekly | Weekly | 300 | FREE | $25 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details |
| NAWG's 250 Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 250 | £2.50 | £100 | Any style / genre - winner published on the NAWG website & in NAWG's annual anthology (both optional) |
| Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction | Australia | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | $25 | $1,000 | Any style / genre but each contest is based on prompts, so check website for full details - winner published online and via the Not Quite Write Podcast - submission dates are 19-21 January, 19-21 April, 19-21 July and 18-20 October (also listed below in the prestigious comps list due to $1,000 prize) |
| NYC Midnight Flash Fiction and Micro Fiction Writing Challenges | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Style & genres vary - NYC Midnight run short story, flash fiction, micro fiction, screenwriting and screenplay competitions - all entrants receive feedback from the judges |
| Oxford Flash Fiction Prize | UK | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | 1,000 | £6 | Varies | Any style / genre - shortlisted entrants will be offered publication in a digital anthology - top prize has been up to £1,000 in the past |
| Retreat West Monthly Micro Fiction Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 100 | £5 | See notes | Any style / genre but done from prompts, so check website for details - winner receives a % of entry fees and 1 free entry to the annual RW Flash Fiction Prize - winning stories published on website |
| Retreat West Themed Flash Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | £8 | £200 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners published on the Retreat West website |
| Shooter Literary Magazine 'Shooter Flash' Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 1,000 | £3.50 | £50 | Any style / genre and they also accept non-fiction - winner published on website and in anthology sent to Shooter subscribers |
| Storytwigs Micro-Writing Competition | USA | Monthly | Monthly | 100 | FREE | $100 | Any style / genre but entries must be based on a prompt, so check website for current details - winners published on website - cash prizes for runners-up - to find competition details, look in the 'For Writers' section of the website |
| The League of Poets Weekly Contest | Nigeria | Weekly | Weekly | 40 lines | FREE | Varies | Any style or subject, but each week there is a different topic / theme, so check website for current details - prizes vary, but winners always receive certificates of writing distinction - they also accept poetry submissions |
| Tortive Lit's FlashFiction101 | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 101 | £1.50 | See notes | Any style / genre but sometimes uses prompts or themes, so check website for current details - winner receives 50% of the total entry fees received - winners are published online |
| University of Chester Flash Magazine | UK | Varies | Varies | 360 | FREE | See notes | See main listing in new flash fiction magazines table below - they also run other comps from time to time and have lots of useful flash fiction resources on their website - to find details, put "flash fiction" into their website search function |
| VSS Threads 1-Weaver Flash Fiction Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 500 chars | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but based on daily prompts - run on the Threads social media platform - each month they choose a PoM (pick of the month) from the flashes submitted - each year, they choose an overall winner - PoMs are prestige only, so no prize - they award "a modest prize" for the end of year 1-Weaver champion |
| Wild Words Writing Competition | UK | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | 1,000 | £7 | See notes | Any style / genre - themed, so check the website for the current theme - winner receives mentoring session and their story is published on the website |
| WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest | USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | 750 | $10 | $400 | Any style / genre - multiple runner-up prizes (a very generous prize pot) - top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine, and contestants are interviewed on WOW’s blog, The Muffin |
| YeahWrite Super Challenge | USA | Varies | Varies | 1,000 | $30 | See notes | Any style / genre, but check website for current prompts - alternates between fiction and non-fiction - prize varies ($150 guaranteed minimum) - YeahWrite also offer free weekly prompts for both fiction and creative non-fiction |
Prestigious / Big Prize Flash Fiction Competitions
This list contains details of well established, respected flash fiction competitions that offer big monetary prizes and large doses of kudos for winning writers.
| Prestigious Flash Fiction Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Words | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Prestigious Flash Fiction Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath Flash Fiction Award | UK | Tri-Annually | Tri-Annually | 300 | £9 | £1,000 | Any style / genre (except children's) - winners published on website and in an anthology which includes stories from winners, shortlisted and longlisted entries - published in digital and print formats - some of the organisers are now running a flash fiction festival |
| Bridport Prize Flash Fiction Competition | UK | May | November | 250 | £9 | £1,000 | Any style / genre - winners published in anthology |
| César Egido International Flash Fiction Competition | Spain | Varies | Varies | 100 | FREE | $20,000 | Any style / genre - usually runs every 2 years, but check website as fequency does vary - winners published in anthology - last time the competition ran, there were 59,245 entries from 170 countries, so competition is somewhat fierce... |
| Edinburgh Flash Fiction Award | Scotland | August | February | 250 | £10 | £2,000 | Any style / genre - publication in anthology offered to top 30 stories - managed by the Scottish Arts Trust - all proceeds are used to support the arts in Scotland |
| Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize | Ireland | February | April | 300 | € 14 | € 1,000 | Any style / genre - winning stories published in the Fish Anthology |
| Fractured Lit Micro Fiction Prize | USA | September | December | 400 | $20 | $3,000 | Any style / genre - winners published on website |
| Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | 1,000 | Varies | $1,000 | Any style / genre - winners published on Gemini Magazine website - entry fee usually around $6 to $10 - winner nominated for Pushcart Prize |
| Minds Shine Bright Confidence Writing Competition | Australia | March | August | 1,000 | $5 | $1,600 | Any style / genre but themed around confidence - multiple runner-up prizes - winning and commended entries published in anthology and winners will receive both a print and eBook version - runs biennially (every other year) – also open to poetry and short stories |
| New Millennium Flash Fiction Award | USA | Varies | Varies | 1,000 | $20 | $1,000 | Any style / genre - winners published in printed anthology and on website |
| New Writers Flash Fiction Competition | UK | January | March | 300 | £10 | £1,000 | Any style / genre - £1 from each entry fee is donated to First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people - winning stories published on website |
| New Writers Short Story Competition | UK | April | June | 1,000 | £10 | £1,000 | Any style / genre - £1 from each entry fee is donated to First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people - winning stories published on the website and in an anthology |
| Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction | Australia | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | $25 | $1,000 | Any style / genre but each contest is based on prompts, so check website for full details - winner published online and via the Not Quite Write Podcast - submission dates are 19-21 January, 19-21 April, 19-21 July and 18-20 October (also listed above in the regular comps list due to frequency) |
| Quantum Shorts Competition | Singapore | Varies | Varies | 1,000 | FREE | $1,500 | Any style / genre but themed around quantum physics, so check website for full details - the competition is Biennial - winners published on website and receive illustrations to accompany their stories |
| Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition | UK | December | March | 1,000 | £15 | £1,000 | Any style / genre - winners published in anthology and the winner will be commissioned to write four further stories for InterAct Stroke Support over the course of one year - when it's running, the competition details are in the website's main menu |
| SmokeLong Quarterly Awards, Fellowships and Competitions | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - they run a variety of flash fiction awards, so check the website to see what's currently running - prizes / payments are generous and have been up to $2,500 - check the 'Opportunities' section of their website or use their website search function using words like 'competition', 'award' and 'fellowship' - also open to general submissions |
| Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing Contest | USA | Biannually | Biannually | 100 | $15 | $2,000 | Any style / genre but sometimes themed, so check website for current details - winners maybe published on website - deadlines are end of April / November |
| The Masters Review Flash Fiction Contest | USA | May | August | 1,000 | $20 | $3,000 | Any style / genre - they also run other competitions, like short story, novel excerpt etc. |
| The Subbub Prize | UK | August | October | 500 | £5 | £1,000 | Any style or genre - winners published on website - profits donated to the National Literacy Trust |
| Writing Battle Contest | Canada | Quarterly | Quarterly | 1,000 | $25 | $1,000 | Themed around four different genre prompts each time it runs, so check website for current details - winners published on website |
Annual Flash Fiction Competitions
This table lists flash fiction competitions and micro fiction contests that are run once a year.
| Annual Flash Fiction Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Words | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Annual Flash Fiction Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthology Flash Fiction Competition | Ireland | September | November | 250 | €12 | €300 | Any style or genre - winners offered publication in Anthology Magazine |
| Atticus Books Lancaster One Minute Monologue Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | See notes | FREE | £50 | Monologues - maximum length: one minute when read aloud - top 30 winners published in a booklet - writers reading at the live event are filmed/recorded for YouTube, radio and the Atticus website |
| Australasian Association of Writing Programs Sudden Writing Prize | Australia | June | September | See notes | $5 | $500 | Any style or gnre - 400 words (prose), 40 lines (poetry), or 200 words (prose poetry) - winner also receives publication on the Express Media website + a Voiceworks subscription + a one-year membership to the AAWP + fully subsidised conference fees for the AAWP conference + invite to read at the event |
| Beechmore Books Writing Competion | UK | September | October | 1000 | FREE | £200 | Any style or genre but themed, so check website for current details - winner published in the Beechmore Journal - when the competition is open, you can usually find details in the banner at the top or in the content of the homepage |
| Bibliophone's Writing Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 1000 | Varies | See notes | Any style or genre - 10 winning stories narrated by a professional voice actor and recorded as an audiobook - this competition is sometimes free to enter, but sometimes has an entry fee which supports charities (100% of the fee goes to the nominated charity) so check website for current details |
| Blandford Rotary Short Story & Poetry Competition | UK | September | November | 250 | £3.50 | £60 | Any style / genre - in addition to cash prizes, there is an award ceremony, cups, certificates, readings and other goodies - there are also categories for poetry, short stories and young writers - to find the current details put "competition" into their website's search box |
| Chilling Pen Award | Australia | October | October | 1000 | FREE | $500 | Horror, and it's themed, so check website for full details - winners published on website |
| Coram Voice 'Voices' Writing Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre - for children writers in care and care leavers up to the age of 25 - winner receive £100 in shopping vouchers - shortlisted entries published on website and in a printed book - to find competition details, check the 'Get Involved' section of their website |
| Darling Axe 'An Axe To Grind' Writing Contest | Canada | March | April | 1000 | $5 | $700 | Any style or genre - winners published on the Chopping Blog |
| Do Wha(TS) Write | Canada | December | February | 1000 | $2 | $200 | Any style or genre - winning story published on website |
| Doug Weller's Six Word Wonder | USA | November | February | 6 | FREE | $100 | Any style or genre - winners published in paperback / eBook |
| Edinburgh True Flash Award | Scotland | August | February | 250 | £10 | £300 | Any style / genre - open to memoir, auto-fiction, creative non-fiction and any true story - all shortlisted authors offered publication in anthology - managed by the Scottish Arts Trust - all proceeds are used to support the arts in Scotland |
| EGG+FROG Britain vs. The World: Flash Battle | UK | April | May | 500 | £5 | £100 | Any style or genre - two categories: UK writers and international writers - all finalists published at EGG+FROG |
| Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest | USA | February | March | 100 | $15 | $300 | Any style or genre but see website for current topics - winners published in an e-magazine - the contest is a fundraiser for Ethos Literacy, a nonprofit providing free literacy tutoring to adults - they also award a youth prize for writers of 14 and younger |
| Evening Standard Stories Competition | UK | April | July | 1000 | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre but themed, so check website for current details - top prize is a one-year mentorship in the winner's chosen field by management and production company, 42, who represent some of the world's leading voices across all forms of media AND complimentary places on a City Lit creative writing course of their choice AND masterclass with Evening Standard Stories Editor PLUS publication of their winning piece on the Evening Standard channels - submissions can be spoken word or performance, monologue, a script or a self-contained episode of a narrative podcast |
| Fairfield Scribes "The Scribes Prize" | Canada / USA | September | October | 110 | $5 | $250 | Any style / genre - all winning entries awarded a cash prize, digital award seal to use for promotions, interview & permanent author page on website, plus publication - they also accept creative non-fiction |
| Farnham Flash Fiction Competition | UK | February | March | 500 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - winning stories performed at awards ceremony and published in festival book |
| Fosseway Writers Flash Fiction Competition | UK | September | October | 300 | £5 | £50 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners published on website |
| Hastings Literary Festival Flash Fiction Competition | UK | June | August | 500 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - winners published in anthology |
| Hawkeye Books 'Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition' | Australia | August | October | 1000 | $17.50AU | See notes | Any style / genre but themed so check website for current details - 40 winning stories published in an anthology and a free copy is given to all published entrants - top prize is a ticket to the CYA Festival and a 12 month membership to Queensland Writers Centre (QWC), and the front cover design of the anthology will be based on the winning story |
| Ireland Writing Retreat Wild Atlantic Writing Awards (WAWA) | Ireland | Varies | Varies | 500 | €10 | €500 | Any style / genre but sometimes themed, so check website for current details - they also run a non-fiction award |
| London Independent Short Story Prize (LISP) | UK | July | October | 300 | see notes | £100 | Any style / genre - entry fee varies depending on how close to the deadline you submit, so best to check website for current details - they have multiple categories, including flash fiction, poetry, short story and screenplay - winners published in anthology |
| Minds Shine Bright Seasons Writing Competition | Australia | March | August | 1000 | $5 | $500 | Any style / genre but themed around the seasons - multiple runner-up prizes - winning and commended entries published in anthology and winners will receive both a print and eBook version - runs biennially (every other year) – also open to poetry and short stories |
| Mslexia Women's Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - doesn't always run every year, so check website for current competition details as they run all sorts of different contests |
| Nottingham Writers' Club National Flash Fiction Competition | UK | February | May | 100 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - the long list, short list and top three winning writers published on website |
| Polar Expressions Publishing Short Story Competition | Canada | July | ? | 750 | FREE | C$500 | Any style / genre - you must be a Canadian resident to enter - winners published in an anthology |
| Prescot Festival Short Story Competition | UK | June | June | 1000 | FREE | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - only open to unpublished writers living in the six Merseyside boroughs of Liverpool (Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Halton, Wirral or Liverpool) - when the comp is running you can find details in the 'News' section of the website |
| Pulp Fictional Flash Fiction Competition | UK | January | March | 1000 | £6 | £250 | Any style / genre - £6 entry fee allows two stories to be submitted - winners published in anthology - they also run a short story competition |
| Retreat West Flash Fiction Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | £8 | £350 | Any style / genre except children's - decent runner-up cash prizes - all winning and shortlisted stories published in anthology - they run a variety of writing comps, so check website for full details |
| Room Magazine Short Forms Contest | Canada | Varies | Varies | 500 | Varies | $500 | Any style / genre - entry fee include a year's subscription to Room Magazine - winners published in Room Magazine |
| Scenic Writer’s Shack Short Story Competition | Australia | February | March | 500 | FREE | $100 | Any style / genre but your story must start with a specific opening sentence, so check website for full details - when it's running, you will find the competition details on the homepage |
| SMK Contests | USA | November | January | Varies | $5 | $100 | Any style / genre - they have multiple categories for flash fiction, poetry, short story, non-fiction, novel and more, so check website for full details |
| Southam Flash Fiction Competition | UK | September | October | 100 | £3 | £60 | Any style / genre but story must contain a specific word or phrase, so check website for full details - winner published in local magazine and on website |
| South Warwickshire Literary Festival Writing Competition | UK | March | April | 800 | £3.50 | £50 | Any style / genre - winners offered the chance to read their work at the festival if they are able to attend - also open to non-fiction and poetry |
| Story Street Writers "Nightmare on Story Street" | USA | September | October | 100 | FREE | $100 | Horror - winners published online |
| Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival Very Short Fiction Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | 1000 | $10 | $500 | Any style / genre - winners published in New Orleans Review |
| The League of Poets Anthology of Contemporary Writers Competition | Nigeria | September | ? | 500 | $2 | See notes | Any style or subject, but themed, so check website for current details - prize is publication for top 100 winners, certificates of participation and a free digital copy of the anthology - they also accept poetry |
| The Phare WriteWords Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 1000 | £7 | £150 | Any style or genre - also has poetry and short story categories - winners published in anthology |
| Tim Saunders Publications' "The Paul Cave Prize for Children's Literature" | UK | February | March | 300 | £10 | £10 | Flash fiction written for children - winners published on website and in a book - winners receive a free printed copy of the book - also open to poetry and short stories |
| Tim Saunders Publications' "The Paul Cave Prize for Literature" | UK | September | November | See notes | See notes | See notes | Any style or genre - for flash fiction up to 300 words (£8 entry fee, £25 top prize) and short stories up to 1,000 words (£12 entry fee, £50 top prize) - winners published on website and receive a free copy of The Paul Cave Prize for Literature book - also open to novellas and poetry |
| Walk Listen Create's 'Write About Walking' Competition | UK | August | September | 250 | €9 | €100 | Any style or genre but themed so check the website for full details - open to poetry and prose - winning stories are published in illustrated anthology by Sampson Low Publishers - to find the contest details, look in the "Awards & Calls" section of their website |
| Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest | USA | December | December | 350 | FREE | $50 | They ask for genre or humour based stories with a "weird" Christmas / solstice / winter-holiday theme - multiple cash prizes - winners published on website and read aloud on podcast - to find the current competition page, look through the most recent posts on the homepage |
| Wilson's Tales of the Borders 100 Word Competition | UK | August | October | 100 | FREE | £50 | Any style or genre - winners published in the next Wilson's Tales Revival Edition, online and (probably) voiced in audio editions |
| Witcraft Annual Humour Competition | Australia | July | August | 1000 | $5 | $250 | Humour - winning stories and honourable mentions published on the Witcraft website and might be included in an anthology |
| Worthing Flash 100-Word Challenge | UK | May | May | 100 | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre - top prize is a copy of ‘Murder from Beyond the Grave’ by Derek McMillan - to find the competition page, put “100 word challenge” into the website’s search function |
| Write by the Sea Literary Festival Writing Competition (Fiction) | Ireland | June | September | 700 | € 10 | € 500 | Any style or genre - they also have categories for memoir / essay, poetry and short stories |
Flash Fiction Magazines
This table gives details of magazines that focus solely on flash fiction. They don't always run flash fiction competitions, but are open for general submissions.
| Flash Fiction Magazine | Country | Submissions | Payment | Flash Fiction Magazine Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Fiction North | UK | online submissions only - see link | None | 500 words max - free platform - showcases both experienced and newer writers from around the world |
| Flash Fiction Magazine | USA | online submissions only - see link | $40 for stories in anthologies - no payment for online | 300 to 1,000 words |
| Friday Flash Fiction | UK | online submissions only - see link | None | stories up to 100 words in length and stories up to 500 words in length - successful submissions published online |
| New Flash Fiction | UK | online submissions only - see link | None | 750 words - they sometimes run the Anton Chekhov Prize for Very Short Fiction too |
| Sassafras Literary Magazine | Sweden | online submissions only - see link | None | 1,000 words max |
| Superfast Stories | USA | Send query to Dee Lorraine | None | 100 word stories that are narrated by the writer, made into videos and published on YouTube - no payment, but you do get a snazzy video for your writing CV |
| University of Chester Flash Magazine | UK | online submissions only - see link | None | 360 words max - one of the most respected flash fiction / micro fiction publications on the market - winners published in highly prestigious, industry leading magazine - also run comps on occasion |
One-Off Flash Fiction Competitions
This table will list one-off flash fiction competitions and micro fiction contests.
| One-Off Flash Fiction Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Words | Entry Fee | Top Prize | One-Off Flash Fiction Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calibre Audio's Inclusive Voices 50th Anniversary Short Story Competition | UK | 31st August 2024 | October 2024 | 550 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but must contain a print disabled character (someone who finds it difficult to read the printed word) - 4 age categories: under 11s, 11-17, 18-25 and 26 and over - open to narrative and verse - top prize is a day in the Calibre Studio in Buckinghamshire with the opportunity to record the story / hear the story being recorded for inclusion in the Calibre Collection, take part in a photoshoot and enjoy a celebratory lunch, the opportunity to attend a prize giving event at the Birmingham Central Library, publication in the Best Inclusive Voices print book / audiobook, an Echo Dot and a £20 book token |
| No other one-off flash fiction competitions to list at present | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | No other one-off flash fiction competitions to list at present, more coming soon… |
Other Flash Fiction Competitions List Providers
Here are some other useful lists of flash fiction competitions:
- Book Fox lists 17 flash fiction competitions
- Brilliant Flash Fiction Mag lists loads of flash fiction competitions
- Henry Harvin's top flash fiction competitions
- Maura Yzmore's writing resources include details of many flash fiction competitions
- Microcosms's Other Awesome Contests (and Submissions) reseource lists many flash fiction competitions
- TCK Publishing's List of Flash Fiction Competitions was last updated in 2022, but is still useful
- University of Chester explores flash and gives details of other flash fiction competitions
A History of Closed Flash Fiction Competitions
This table contains a history of previously listed flash fiction competitions that have closed.
| Flash Fiction Competition | Country | Closing Date | Winners Announced | Max Words | Entry Fee | Top Prize | Flash Fiction Competition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Sentences Rock Writing Contest | UK | Biannually | Biannually | See notes | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - no word limit, but stories must be written using 11 sentences - winners published in anthology - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2020 |
| 81 Words Challenge | UK | NA | Everyone is a winner | 81 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - all entries published on the website - we're using the 81 word challenge to try and set a World Record for the most contributing authors published in an anthology, so by submitting you could become part of publishing history - for full details on all the challenges, see my writing challenges listing above - CLOSED after the 1,000th story was received in January 2021 |
| 1,000 Word Challenge | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 1,000 | £5 | £150 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners published on the website - if you pay £15 entry, you can also get feedback from the judges - cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd place too - NOTE: They took a break in December '19. During my Jan '21 update, I noticed that they still haven't come back. Am leaving the listing live for now. If they don't start running again this year I'll remove the listing in my '22 update. - NOT UPDATED SITE IN AGES, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| 1,000 Words or Less Flash Fiction | Australia | Varies | Varies | 1,000 | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - top prize up to $1,000 - prize money paid in Australian dollars - winners published in printed book and eBook - CLOSED, website not updated since March 2016, so retired listing 2017 |
| Academy for Teachers 'Stories Out of School' Contest | USA | September | January | 749 | FREE | $1,000 | Any style / genre but the story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher - winner published in A Public Space - CONTEST NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2023 update |
| Ad Hoc Fiction Competition | UK | Weekly | Weekly | 150 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - run by Bath Flash Fiction Award - winner earns free entry into the Bath Flash Fiction award (usually £9) which offers a £1,000 top prize - look in the 'For Fun' section of the site for competition details - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Alice Little's Pick Your Own Path | UK | Rolling every 3 days, June to Sept 2021 | NA | 300 | FREE | See notes | Any style/genre, but must be in keeping with previous pages of the story - the project is like a game of consequences, or a gamebook adventure, where each page of the story is written by a different person; the story will branch in multiple directions so there will be more than one plot created from the same starting point; every few days, a new page will be selected for publication, an email notification will go out to let those signed up know the new deadline, and the process will begin again - winners published online as part of the story - CLOSED, was a one off |
| All for Writers Flash Fiction Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | Varies | FREE | £15 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners published in All for Writers Ezine - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| Alsina Flash Fiction Contests | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | £50 | Styles, genres and themes vary - word limits are between 400 and 1,200, so they also run short story comps - winning stories translated and recorded in multiple languages and distributed electronically through an app - HAVEN'T PUBLISHED anything for a year, so removed listing 2019 |
| Ann and Dan Very Short Story Contest | USA | March | March | 1,000 | FREE | $25 | Any style / genre - winning stories published on the Ann & Dan website - limited to 100 entries max (1 per author) - WEBSITE NOT UPDATED SINCE 2016, so removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| Arkbound Writing Competition | UK | December | January | 1,000 | £3 | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - overall winner is featured in Boundless, a printed magazine - Arkbound also run other competitions from time to time - BEEN ROLLING OVER FOR 3 YEARS, so removed listing 2020 |
| Artificium Short Fiction Competitions | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre but themes vary so check website for current details - also run short story competitions - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| Arts Quarter Books Teignmouth Prize Knockout Contest | UK | July | August | 1,000 | £5 | £100 | Any style, subject or theme - winner decided by 100 random readers on the basis of how long they remain interested in the story - prize is minimum of £100, or half the total entry fees if greater - DISCONTINUED 2019 |
| Asymmetry Flash Fiction Contest | USA | Varies | Varies | 1,000 | $2 | $40 | Speculative fiction - themed so check website for current details - winners published on website - NOT RUN FOR OVER A YEAR, so removed listing in 2019 |
| Avid Writers The Sunday Saga Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Weekly | Weekly | 500 | £2.50 | £25 | Any style / genre, but you have to choose from 3 lines of dialogue every Sunday to include in your story, so see website for current details - winner published in Spotlight - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| Bandit Flash Fiction Award | UK | April | June | 1,000 | FREE | £50 | Any style / genre - all shortlisted stories to be published digitally in an anthology - CANCELLED in 2018, hoping to run in 2019, listing retired until I hear more |
| Blinkpot Flash Fiction Award | UK | Varies | Varies | 100 | FREE | Varies | Any style / genre - winners published on website and sometimes in an anthology - top prize has been up to £100 in the past - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
| Blue Animal's Monthly Flash Fiction | USA | Monthly | Monthly | 300 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - winning stories featured on website and commented on by website staff - NOT PUBLISHED ANYTHING SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| (b)OINK Flash and Micro Fiction Contests | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre, but some are themed so check website for current details - they run frequent competitions, sometimes as often as monthly - prizes of up to $500 - NOT RUN since 2017, so removed from lists 2019 |
| Book Launch and Flash Fiction Contest: Philosophy through Science Fiction Stories: Exploring the Boundaries of the Possible | USA | See notes | March | 1,000 | FREE | $100 | Any style / genre but themed - it's an on-the-spot writing contest that you have to register for by 17th January 2021, so check the website for full details - winners might be published at Flash Fiction Online CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Booksie Pet Flash Fiction Contest | USA | 28th February 2023 | April 2023 | 300 | $4.99 | $250 | Write a true story about a pet - writers can feel free to add a photo of their pet - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Bournemouth Writing Festival's Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 29th February 2024 | April 2024 | 400 | £5 | See notes | Any style or genre but themed, so check website for full details - up to forty winners receive publication in an anthology and will be offered the chance to submit a collection of their work to publishers, Dithering Chaps - also open to poetry - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Brilliant Flash Fiction Writing Contest | USA | 15th April 2023 | May 2023 | 400 | FREE | $200 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Cafe Aphra Flash Fiction Fridays | UK | Varies | Varies | 500 | FREE | None | Any style / genre - stories published every two or three weeks on a Friday - always open to submissions - CLOSED 2018 |
| Casevac Contest | USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | $4 | $100 x 4 | Any style / genre but each contest has a prompt, so check website for current details - four winners are selected each quarter - winners published on website - NO LONGER RUNNING, changed to a short story / non-fiction comp |
| Charmouth Community Library Mini-Saga Competition | UK | September | October | 50 | £2 | £50 | Any style or genre - stories must be exactly 50 words long, plus a title of max 15 words - 3 categories: under 12, under 18 and all ages - 3 cash prizes in each category - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2020 |
| Comps & Calls Flash Weekly | UK | Weekly | Weekly | Varies | FREE | £10 | Any style or genre but theme changes each week, so check website for details - story length varies from 100 words to 999 words - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| Creative Writing Institute Flash Fiction Contest | USA | 31st October 2018 | November | 1,000 | FREE | $100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - winners published on website - CLOSED, was a one-off NOTE 1: I have received a number of complaints regarding this contest as they state: 'No swearing, profanity, explicit sexual scenes, graphic violence, LGBTQ' in their submission guidelines. It's the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer, or questioning) reference that is causing offense, as it seems discriminatory and prejudiced. I'm currently investigating this and will update the listing soon. NOTE 2: I have finished my investigations. Below is my email correspondence with Deb, the competition administrator. I thought it best to share the whole thing so that you can make up your own mind about the competition and the conduct/intentions of the people who run it. * Hi Deb I hope all is good with you. I’m emailing you because I’ve received complaints about your flash fiction contest from my website users via email, Facebook and Twitter. You state 'No swearing, profanity, explicit sexual scenes, graphic violence, LGBTQ' in your submission guidelines. It's the LGBTQ reference that is causing offense, as it is being viewed as discriminatory and prejudiced. If this is the case, it is not something I will support on my website. Please could you let me know why you view LGBTQ people as being in the same category as profanity, graphic violence and sexually explicit material, and why you have mentioned them in your subs guidelines? Also, please could you clarify if you accept entries from LGBTQ writers? If not, why not? And if you have any other comments regarding this issue that explain your brand’s position, please do share them. Many thanks, Chris * Hi Chris, We have had gays on staff and as students. We are not discriminating against gays. We are simply stating what kinds of stories we are looking for. As long as we hold the purse-strings, we will retain that right. I will not succumb to their shameful bullying tactics, nor will I spend any more time trying to reason with them. At first, I listed the LGBTQ separately and they asked why I was singling them out, so I included it in the group and now they're complaining about that. They won't be satisfied until they run my contest their way. I guess you'll have to figure out how far they can push you. So far as I am concerned, whether they are gays, Martians, or people of color, their rights end where mine begin. If you're willing to take the plunge, I would appreciate your backing. Very best, Deb * Hi Deb Thank you for your reply. Just to be clear, are you saying you won’t accept stories with any LGBTQ characters? Or are you saying you don’t want any LGBTQ sex scenes/references? I’m not being pushed or bullied. I found it surprising that you mentioned LTBTQ, to be honest. It comes across as being prejudiced against that group of people, whether that is the intention or not. Hence my query. Cheers, Chris * Hi Chris, We are not specifying any particular train of thought. It should be sufficient to say we don't want LGBTQ stories. If I were to enter a contest and it said, "No stories about cats," I wouldn't put a cat in my story. This whole thing befuddles me. Deb * Hi Deb OK, thanks for letting me know. I feel the mention of LGBTQ singles out certain people, hence it’s causing offense. Singling out cats is not comparative, as cats are not capable of taking offence – they are not people. Personally, I think that saying you don’t want any sexual content covers everything needed and is unlikely to cause offence to anyone. But that’s just my opinion. I would add that I’m a firm believer in freedom of speech, so I’m not trying to tell you how to run your competition. I’m simply trying to determine if I want to be associated with it, by advertising it on my website. I’ll give it some thought. Cheers, Chris * Thank you Chris. Everyone is welcome to enter the contest. You made a good suggestion and I will probably do that next year. Thanks very much. Very best, Deb * No problem, thanks Deb. Cheers, Chris * Have you decided where you stand? 🙂 You might want to check my front page. [CF: check link in main listing, the subs guidelines have been updated but still mention LGBTQ] Best, Deborah * Hi Deb I have given this some thought. To me, it comes across as prejudiced, even if that isn’t the intention. It’s like saying ‘no stories concerning Chinese people’ or ‘no stories concerning women’. I would regard these examples as racist/sexist and, therefore, discriminatory. I will leave the listing on the site, but will add a note regarding the issue. At the end of the day, my users can make up their own minds if they wish to enter or not. But it’s not something I can support as it goes against my beliefs of acceptance and equality. I’m swamped with work at the moment, but will update the site soon. Cheers, Chris * Chris, I'm so glad you believe in equality. You disagree, and I don't have a problem with that. God gives you that right and we are not here to take it away, but I have a question. Do we have the right to disagree? Do we not have the right to read what we choose? Gay writers are certainly welcome! I hope you'll rethink this. I know where your sympathies lie, but it doesn't bother me. I fail to see why this should trouble anyone. We are not exempting them. We are merely limiting content. Thanks so much. I value our relationship. Deborah * Hi Deb No problem at all. In answer to your question, yes, I believe we do have the right to disagree. I respect the opinions of others, even if I don’t agree with them. You and I simply don’t agree on this point. I will leave the listing on the site and let people make up their own minds. Cheers, Chris * I will defend to the death your right to believe anything you want, Chris. Thank you for allowing me the same privilege. Warmly, Deb |
| Creative Writing Life Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 999 | FREE | £20 | Any style / genre - winner's published in CWL magazine - they also run a 100 word competition with £1 entry and £100 prize - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2020 |
| Dandy Writers' Writing Contests | USA | Monthly | Monthly | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - they run a variety of regular contests for short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry and more, so check website for full details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| Debbie Brady Photographic Art 'Shell of a Story' Competition | Canada | Varies | Varies | 300 | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre but has a visual prompt, so check website for current details - winners published on website - there are a variety of art related prizes, so check website for full details - CLOSED 2022 |
| Dorset Fiction Award | UK | Varies | Varies | 999 | £7 | £500 | Any style / genre - winners published in digital anthology - the competition supports a different charity each time it runs - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| Ekphrastic Review 'Bird Watching' Flash Fiction and Poetry Contest | Canada | 1st May 2021 | 1st June 2021 | 1000 | $10 | $100 | Themed: entry $10 CAD for ebook of prompts (stories must be sparked by one of the artworks in the ebook) - selected works published on website, one winner announced from each category - also open to poetry - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Eyelands International Flash Fiction Contest | Greece | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | See notes | Any style / genre - they run a vaiety of competitions throughout the year, including flash fiction - NOW RUN A BOOK / NOVEL COMPETITION INSTEAD |
| Fiction Desk Flash Fiction Prize | UK | September | November | 1,000 | £5 | £300 | Any style / genre - winners published in the Fiction Desk anthology - CLOSED, they stopped running writing competitions at the end of 2018 |
| Fiction War Competition | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre, but check website for current prompt - top prize has been up to $2,500 in the past, word limit has been 100 to 1,000 - winners published in Fiction War Magazine WARNING: I have received complaints about this competition. One of the messages I received stated:"Fiction War (Wolvesburrow Publishing) may not be running at all now and the last year saw them running about a year behind with publication as well as owing many prize winners money. I was published in the second issue and paid but they heavily edited and rewrote my story." I am leaving the listing live for now so users see this warning. It will be retired next time I undertake a full page overhaul. REMOVED LISTING during 2021 update; website was 2 years out of date at that time |
| Fictionette Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | Varies | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - competition alternates between flash fiction and short story, so word limits vary - prize is publication online and in the Fictionette magazine - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| Field of Words Flash Fiction Competition | Australia | May | June | 1,000 | A$10 | A$200 | Any style / genre - open to Australian and international residents over 18 only - winners published on Field of Words website - runner up receives a cash prize too - NOT RUN since 2017, still run short story and memoir competitions |
| Fractured Lit Legends, Myths and Allegories Prize | USA | 16th April 2023 | July 2023 | 1,000 | $20 | $3,000 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Friendcentive Short Form Tournaments | USA | Monthly | Monthly | 280 charac- ters | $1.85 | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - multiple monthly contests - top prizes vary, but in the past has been valuable pieces of tech equipments like MacBook PROs, cameras etc. - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2021 |
| Fun Palaces: WriteScience Competition | UK | July | September | 250 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed around science - open to UK residents only - winners published on website and performed at reading events - competition is judged by a very prestigious panel CLOSED 2016 |
| Garden Gate Arts Ms Shakespeare Through Time | UK | 3rd January 2018 | 10th January 2018 | 1,000 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre of prose or dramatic monologue - only open to women who live in Yorkshire - 3 winners commissioned to write monologue, paid £300 and their work will be performed at Huddersfield Literature Festival - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Glittery Literary Writing Shimmering Short Story Contest | UK | Varies | Varies | 400 | See notes | £20 | Any style / genre - winners published in Glittery Literary book / anthology - entry fee is optional, so you can enter for free or pay a couple of quid - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
| Green Stories Eco-Santa Short Story Competition | UK | 30th November 2022 | End of February 2023 at the latest | 1,000 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre but themed so check website for full details - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Golfwell's Annual Golf Story Writing Competition | New Zealand | February | March | 700 | FREE | $125 | Any style / genre but themed around golf - winners published on the website and in book - they accept fiction and non-fiction entries - not running in 2019, hopes to be back 2020 - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2020 |
| Gotham Writers 'A Very Short Story Contest' | USA | 14th May 2018 | 14th June 2018 | 10 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - winner receives a free class with Gotham Writers - winners published on website CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Green Stories Flash Fiction Writing Competition | UK | March | June | 500 | FREE | £500 | Any style / genre but stories should be inspired by positive green solutions - they also run a short story and novel comp - FLASH COMP NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Grindstone Dirty Dozen Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | 144 | £1.44 | See notes | Any style / genre - prizes x 12 = publication in 'Dirty Dozen' Collection - winners also published in year-end anthology, and they receive an invite to participate in the Atmos Collections - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Grindstone Flash Fiction Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 500 | £8 | £500 | Any style / genre - winners published in year-end anthology, and will also receive an invite to participate in Grindstone's Atmos Collections - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Hammond House Publishing 'Staying Home' Competition | UK | 8th June 2020 | July 2020 | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed around staying at home - no prize, but winners published in anthology - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Hampshire Libraries 100 Words for 100 Years | UK | 16th October 2018 | 11th November 2018 | 100 | FREE | £50 | Any style / genre but themed around the First World War so see website for topics - winners published in a commemorative booklet and on the library website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Hertford Museum's Love Hertford Flash Fiction & Poetry Competition | UK | 19th June 2023 | 5th October 2023 | 400 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - winners published in the Love Hertford book, sold in aid of the Museum - shortlisted writers receive a copy of the book and are invited to read their work at an awards evening - also open to poetry - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Horror Scribes' Flash Contest | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 300 | £3 | £100 | Horror - winners published on website and/or in newsletter - NOT RUN FOR ALMOST A YEAR, so removed listing 2019 |
| Iceland Writers Retreat Writing Contest | Iceland | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current theme - prize is usually a place on a writing retreat - comps are sometimes for fiction, sometimes poetry and sometimes non-fiction - look at 'News & Events at bottom or homepage or in 'About IWR' section of website then 'News' to find latest competition details - CONTEST NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Info 4 Writers Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 999 | FREE | £15 | Any style / genre but themed so check website for current details - winners published on website - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| ITS Groups Children’s Fiction & Novel Competition | UK | December | January | 500 | Varies | Varies | Any style or genre - top prize has been up to £200 in the past, plus book illustration + video animation of the story - sometimes run a adults, sometimes for children - COMPETITION NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed link during 2022 update |
| KP and Jotter's That's What He Said $1k Flash Fiction Writing Competition | Australia | 5th April 2024 | 12th April 2024 | 1,000 | FREE | $1,000 | Any style / genre but stories must have a main character that represents diversity and writers must use these three words in any context: destruction, brain-storm, custard - CANCELLED so did not run in the end |
| Link Age Southwark Writing Competition | UK | 31st August 2018 | October | 1,000 | See notes | £200 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for details - free entry for ages 11 to 17, adults pay £5 - winners published on website and invited to award ceremony in London - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Luna Press Publishing Writing Contest | Scotland | April | May | 500 | 1.5 | See notes | Science fiction, fantasy & dark fantasy - winners published on website - up to 5 winners have prize pot (generated by entry fees) split between them - NO LONGER RUNNING, removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| Mash Stories Flash Fiction Competition | USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | FREE | $100 | Any style / genre, but stories must be based on 3 random objects so see website for current details - winners published on the website - CLOSED October 2016 |
| Mere Literary Festival Short Story Competition | UK | September | October | 350 | £2 | £50 | Any style / genre - themed and written in a week - the theme is released at the end of September and the deadline is a week later - alternates between flash fiction 1 year and poetry the next - WEBSITE HAS WHITE TEXT ON WHITE BACKGROUND, so is unusable - removed 2020 |
| Mighty Pens Awards and Competitions | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre, sometimes themed - Mighty Pens run a variety of competitions and awards - sometimes there is an entry fee, sometimes it's free to enter - prizes vary - winners usually published on website - best to check their website and see what they have running at present - look in 'Services' section of the site to find current competition details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
| Mighty Pens Winter Short Story Competition | UK | 31st January 2021 | 28th February 2021 | 1,000 | £4 | See notes | Any style / genre but themed around winter - four winners: (two from the under 18s and two from the over 18s categories) receive M&S gift card - winners published in Mighty Pens Members' Magazine - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| MK LitFest Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 31st May 2020 | 31st August 2020 | 500 | FREE | £25 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for details - entrants must live in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire or Bedfordshire UK - two age categories: 14 to 19 and over 20 - also open to poetry - at least 20 stories and 20 poems published in anthology - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| MK LitFest Green Spaces in the City: Flash Fiction and Poetry Competition | UK | 10th February 2023 | 17th March 2023 | 500 | FREE | £25 | Any style / genre but themed around green spaces in cities - two age categories: 14–19 and over 20 - winning stories will be published as a printed magazine and e-book - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Modern Art By Post Competition | Scotland | Monthly | Monthly | 75 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but must be inspired by a painting, so see the Modern Art website for full details - winner receives an original painting of their choice (subject to availability) + publication on the website - competition runs monthly, or each time 20 stories are received - CLOSED due to illness, removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| Modern Art By Post Competition | Scotland | 28th February 2017 | March 2017 | 75 | FREE | See notes | Due to the success of the inaugural competition, this has now being run tri-annually, so see the regular competitions list above for full details |
| Mum Life Stories Micro Fiction Writing Competition | Australia | Varies | Varies | Varies | See notes | Varies | Any style / genre but themed and run in rounds, so check website for full details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| Nine Voices Writing Competition | UK | 31st August 2017 | September 2017 | 199 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - any proceeds from the competition are donated to PMR GCA UK - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Norfolk Day Drabble Writing Competition | UK | 30th June 2021 | 27th July 2021 | 100 | FREE | See notes | Any style/genre - winners get a bundle of online courses - winner published in EDP - 3 categories: ages 5 to 10, ages 11 to 17 and 18+ - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Northern Scribes Micro-Magic Competition | UK | Biannually | Biannually | 100 | £4 | £100 | Any style / genre - winner published on the blog - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| Nowhere.Ink's $100 Weekly Writing Contest | USA | Weekly | Weekly | 500 | $2 | $100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winner published on website - winner also receives a copy of The Literary Hack, a quarterly magazine, and is considered for publication in it - WEBSITE not updated since June 2018, so removed listing 2019 |
| Outsideleft Short Story Competition | UK | May | September | 1,000 | FREE | £100 | Any style / genre but themed so check website for details - winners published on website - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2023 update |
| Pennine Ink Short Story Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - themed, so check website for current details - winner published in Pennine Ink Magazine and on the website - top prize has been up to £50 in the past - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
| Pigeon Review Flash Fiction Competition | USA | August | September | 1,000 | $5 | $100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners - published online - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| QuicFic Flash Fiction Writing Contest | USA | Biannually | Biannually | 600 | $5 | $20* | Any style / genre except erotica - winner published on website - prize paid as a $20 Amazon voucher |
| Read Me Colour Me Writing Competition | Wales, UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 1,000 | £6 | £100 | Any style / genre but themed and aimed at children, so check website for details - three entries selected for publication and receive £100 each plus 10 free copies of the book in which they appear - all entrants receive one copy of the book - profits from book sales raise money for sick children in need - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| RL Pearon Books "In A Flash" Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 31st March 2024 | 15th April 2024 | 400 | £5 | £20 | Any style or genre - winners published on website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| READ Foundation Writing Competition | UK | 10th October 2018 | 13th October 2018 | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - winner publicly displayed across hundreds of schools and read by tens of thousands of children, plus feedback from writer Qaisra Shahraz - also accept poems and non-fiction - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Reader's Digest 100-Word-Story Competition | UK | May | June | 100 | FREE | £1,000 | Any style / genre but entries must be exactly 100 words in length - winners published on Reader's Digest website - 1 category for adults and 2 for children (under 12s and 12 to 18-year-olds) - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing in 2024 |
| Reflex Fiction | UK | Varies | Varies | 360 | £7 | £1,200 | The inaugural competition was free to enter with a £100 prize - there is now an entry fee but the top prize is much bigger, so full details can be found on the big prize list below - CLOSED 2023 |
| Reflex Fiction | UK | Varies | Varies | 360 | £7 | £1,200 | Any style / genre - winners (and many of the non-winning entries) are published on the Reflex Fiction website - CLOSED 2023 |
| River Holme Connections 'My River in the Valley' Short Story Competition | UK | 6th July 2020 | 30th July 2020 | 500 | FREE | £50 | Any style / genre but themed around 'My River in the Valley' - only open to people living in Holme Valley UK - winning stories publicised on River Holme Connections social media platforms, website and in associated |
| Salisbury Literary Festival Story Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre, but must use a given story title, so see website for full details - winner usually receives a place on a writing course - winners published in Salisbury Journal - also run children's competition - NOT RUN SINCE 2019, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Santa Barbara Literary Journal Award | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | FREE | Varies | Any style / genre - winners published in Santa Barbara Literary Journal - top prize has been up to $100 in the past - to find award details, look in the 'About' section fo the website - NOT RUN SINCE 2019, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Searchlight Awards - Best Short Story for Children or Young Adults | UK | March | June | 1,000 | £10 | £500 | Stories that a child reader will love - top 10 stories feature in a pitch book sent to numerous literary agents/publishers who have requested it - winners also published in an anthology - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing in 2023 |
| Secret Attic Nifty Fifty Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 50 | See notes | £10 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - members enter free, non-members pay £3 and can then enter all their comps for that month - winning stories published in the Secret Attic Booklet - CLOSED 2024 |
| Secret Attic Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 500 | FREE | £15 | Any style / genre - winning stories published online - they also run "The Weekly Write" competition, which runs every week - CLOSED 2024 |
| Segora International Vignette Competition | France | June | August | 300 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre - winners published on website and invited to a presentation event in France - CLOSED 2022 after 15 years of running comps |
| Senior Travel Expert's Writing Competition | UK | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | 750 | FREE | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current theme - fiction and non-fiction entries accepted - winners published on website - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2020 |
| Shady Grove Flash Fiction Competition | USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | 300 | FREE | $100 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - DOESN'T LOOK ACTIVE ANYMORE, so removed listing 2020 |
| Silver Apples The Cats Flash Competition | Ireland | 12th April 2022 | June | 500 | €5 | €100 | Any style / genre but themed around cats - winner and shortlisted writers will be published in a special future issue of Silver Apples Magazine titled "Cats Flash" - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Sleek City Press Writing Contests | USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | 1,000 | $9 | $1,000 | Any style / genre but sometimes themed or using a prompt - generous cash prizes for runners up - winning entries considered for print anthology - CLOSED 2024 |
| Sleek City Press Page Potential Contest | Canada | 7th March 2022 | 1st May 2022 | 900 | See notes | $1,000 | Any style / genre - entry fee is $14 for published writers, $9 for unpublished writers - generous cash prizes for runners up - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Sleek City Press Page Potential Contest | USA | 5th June 2022 | 10th July 2022 | 100 | $8 | $250 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - there are ten x prizes of $250 for the best drabbles (total prize pot of $2,500) - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Sleek City Press Prose Contest | Canada | 18th September 2022 | 3rd November 2022 | 1,000 | See notes | $600 | Any style / genre and prompt is "who I was, before this" - entry fee is $10, $5 for students - they also accept creative non-fiction - $600 prize is awarded in each catgory - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| SlingInk 500 Word Story Competition | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | £5 | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners published on website - entries must be exactly 500 words in length - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED during 2018, removed from lists 2019 |
| SolitaryBzz Writing Competitions | USA | Weekly | Weekly | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre but themes, word counts and entry fees vary, so check website for current details - winning stories published on the solitaryBzz website until they will compete in a no entry fee winners' competition - prizes have been up to $150 in the past - CLOSED 2021 |
| South Warwickshire Literary Festival Creative Writing Competition | UK | 30th June 2023 | 23rd September 2023 | 800 | £3 | £50 | Any style / genre - winner offered the chance to read their story at the festival if they are able to attend - also open to non-fiction and poetry - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Stafford LitFest Writing Competition | UK | February | March | 300 | £5 | £50 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - prize paid in vouchers - winner receives VIP invite to Stafford LitFest - winning entries published in local monthly magazine The Purple Diary - also accept poetry and run children's comp for 11 to 15 year-olds with free entry and 3 x £10 voucher prizes - look in the 'Events/Blog' section of their website to find competition details - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2021 |
| Staunch Flash Fiction Prize | UK | September | October | 300 | FREE | See notes | A prize for thrillers in which no woman is beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered - winners receive publicity and might be published in anothology - CLOSED 2022 |
| Stirling Robyns Publishing Flash & Micro Fiction Competitions | UK/USA | Quarterly | Quarterly | See notes | $3 | $100 | Any style / genre - winners published in anthology and on website - flash fiction contest has a maximum word count of 1,000 words, micro fiction is 300 - NOT RUN since 2017, so removed listing 2019 |
| Stories of the Nature of Cities Prize for Flash Fiction | USA | Varies | Varies | 750 | FREE | $2,000 | Any style / genre but inspired by a phrase, so see website for current details - multiple generous runner-up cash prizes - winners published in anthology by Publication Studios - NOT RUN SINCE 2020, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Story Cities | UK | 16th September 2018 | November | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style or genre but themed so check website for full details - winners published in printed anthology and receive a free copy of the book CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Stroud Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition | UK | September | October | 500 | £5 | £500 | Any style, subject or theme - winners announced at the festival - also run a competition for young writers - look in the 'About Us' section to find competition details - not run since 2019 due to the pandemic, but they are hoping to re-open in 2022 so have left listing live for now - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed during 2023 update |
| Sweek Flash Fiction Competitions | Holland | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - winners published on the website - NOT RUN SINCE 2018, so removed listing during 2020 update |
| Sweek Short Writing Contest | Holland | 25th of June | 12th July 2017 | 500 | FREE | €75 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Sydney Gardens Tree Weekender Writing Competition | UK | 1st November 2021 | November 2021 | 250 | FREE | £50 book token | Any style or genre but themed around trees in parks and public gardens - winners published on website and as geo-located audio stories located in Bath, UK, and within Sydney Gardens - lots of other perks, so check website for more details - they also accept poetry - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Systems Change Alliance 2020 Flash Fiction Challenge | Portugal | 1st November 2020 | 1st December 2020 | 1,250 | FREE | €300 | Any style / genre but themed around 'Visioning a Better World Beyond the Pandemic' - winners published on website - may become an annual competition in the future - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Tesseray Publishing Body Be Gone™ Flash Fiction Contest | USA | 28th October 2020 | November | 2,000 | FREE | $150 | Any style / genre but themed around the Body Be Gone™ game - winner also receives a copy of the game - winners published in anthology and receive 1 free copy each - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Tethered by Letters 'Don't Blink Or You'll Miss It' Twitter Competition | USA | Monthly | Monthly | See notes | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - stories must comply with Twitter (under 140 characters) using the hashtag #BlinkTBL - winner receives a copy of F(r)iction and gets a story edited for free by the judge - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing Jan 2018 |
| The Arcanist Ghost Story Contest | USA | 28th September 2018 | 1st October 2018 | 1,000 | See notes | $200 | Ghost stories and hauntings - $5 early bird, $7 standard and $10 last minute - winner also receives a Ghost Stories booklet and a special addition halloween t-shirt - winners published in The Arcanist - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| The Book Collector 'Fantasy Banquet for Bibliophiles' Competition | UK | 22nd January 2021 | 14th February 2021 | 1,000 | FREE | £500 | Describe an imaginary banquet for book-lovers - characters can be alive, dead or fictional, from any period, of any age, colour or creed - winner published in The Book Collector - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| The Casket of Fictional Delights Flash Fiction Competition | UK | May | October | 300 | £5 | £150 | Any style / genre - winners published on website - the 10 winning stories will be professionally recorded and broadcast as audio stories on iTunes and other platforms - NOT RUN SINCE 2018, so removed listing 2020 |
| The Failing Writers Podcast Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 22nd October 2021 | 31st October 2021 | 666 | FREE | £100 | Any style or genre, but themed around Halloween - listen to Episode 24 of the Failing Writers Podcast for a specific word or phrase the story must include (see link for full details) - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| The Periscope Prize | UK | Varies | Varies | 900 | £10 | £1,500 | Any style / genre but check website for current theme / prompt - winners published online - entry times vary, but the comp usually runs twice a year - CLOSED, became a short story comp instead, so still running, just not flash anymore |
| The Short Story (TSS) Flash Fiction 400 | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 400 | £5 | £400 | Any style / genre - winning stories published online to a significant flash fiction readership - 1st place winners nominated for the Best Small Fiction Awards - NOT RUN FOR A YEAR, so removed listing 2020 |
| The Tea In Me Story Contest | USA | Monthly | Monthly | 100 | FREE | $75 | Any style / genre but themed so check website for current details - entries have to made on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2024 |
| The Useless Beauty of Maupassant Short Story Award | UK | January | March | 10 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - yes, the word limit is 10, it's not a misprint 🙂 - winner receives 50 copies of limited edition book containing the winning stories, a bottle of Absinthe designed by a local artist and a 1783 copy of The Arabian Nights (VOL. II) - CLOSED DUE TO POOR QUALITY OF WORKS SUBMITTED, so removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| The Write Contest | USA | Bimonthly | Bimonthly | 350 | $15 | $100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current theme - winners are published on The Write Contest website and Facebook group - WEBSITE NO LONGER EXISTS, removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| The Writers in Oxford Young Oxfordshire Writers Competition | UK | 31st August 2017 | November 2017 | 500 | FREE | £350 | Any style / genre but stories must be inspired by Oxford - winners published on website and in The Oxford Writer Newsletter - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Theatre Cloud's Tell a Tale: Gothic Fiction | UK | 21st April 2018 | 16th May 2018 | 500 | FREE | £300 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for prompt - winner's published on the Theatre Cloud website - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Third Word Great Eighty Flash Fiction Competition | UK | Biweekly | Biweekly | 80 | FREE | £20 | Any style / genre but stories must be exactly 80 words long - winners published in anthology that supports the homeless, but writers also receive a royalty from sales - LOOKS LIKE IT'S INACTIVE (last social media post was in 2018), so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Those That Breathe Environmental Writing Competition | UK | Monthly during 2021 | Monthly during 2021 | Varies | £4 | See notes | Any style or genre, but themed so check website for details - the competition is open from the 1st until the 25th of each month during 2021 - proceeds from entry fees are donated to charities that are trying to make a difference to climate change - winners published on website and in anthology in 2022 - open to flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry and short stories - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| UNESCO and Idries Shah Foundation 'World Tales' Short Story Competition | UK | 15th October 2020 | 44166 | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed around 'Once upon a time in my future' - for writers aged 12 to 18 years old - 7 winners receive an iPad - winners and runners-up published in a hardcover book - CLOSED, was a one off |
| Urban Tree Festival Writing Competition | UK / Belgium | March | May | 250 words | €6 | €200 | Any style or genre but themed, so check website for details - winner becomes writer in residence for the next Urban Tree festival - winners published in anthology and each author included receives complementary copies - also accept poetry and non-fiction - CLOSED 2024 |
| Verbolatry Laugh-a-Riot Short Story Contest | UK | August | October | 500 | See notes | See notes | Humorous style, check website for current theme - FREE entry means a top prize of £50; £5 paid entry means a top prize of £100 - winning stories published in Verbolatry newsletter and on website - NOT RUN SINCE 2016, so removed from lists Jan 2018 |
| Victory Online Pick of the Pops Short Story Competition | UK | 31st May 2024 | June 2024 | 600 | £5 | See notes | For stories based around any song title from the 1950s to the 2000 - prizes are 1st: 10 book bundle from Portsmouth Authors Collective + Voucher + Victory T-shirt; 2nd: 5 book bundle + Victory mug; 3rd: 2 book bundle - winners broadcast on Victory Radio - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Walk Listen Create Poetry and Prose Writing Competition "Write About Walking Home" | UK | 31st January 2022 | April / September 2022 | 250 words | £6 | See notes | Any style or subject, but theme is "walking home" - shortlisted writers will be included in an illustrated limited edition chapbook - top prize: Writer in Residence for Walk Listen Create 2022/3, silver membership worth €50, bespoke artwork by Alban Low - they also accept poetry - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Walk Listen Create's 'Write About Walking and Listening' Competition | Belgium | 8th August 2021 | September | 250 | €6 | See notes | Any style or genre but themed about walking and listening - open to poetry and prose - winner becomes Writer in Residence for Walk Listen Create's Sound Walk in September 2022 - winning stories are published in a limited edition illustrated anthology by Sampson Low Publishers, and made available as an audio book - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Wandering Fun with Stevenson's Fable Competition | UK | 2nd April 2022 | 16th June 2022 | 350 | FREE | £500 | For fables 'in the style of Stevenson' so check website for details - a selection of entries may be published by the Robert Louis Stevenson Club - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Wax Poetry and Art Magazine's Flash Fiction Contest | Canada | Monthly | Monthly | 300 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre - there is no monetary prize, but winners are published online and in print and will receive royalties from sales - NO FICTION published since 2016, so removed listing 2019 - see poetry comps lists for details of poetry competition |
| Wellness Retreats For Women 'Write A Book, Rewrite Your Life' Contest | USA | 4th April 2017 | 5th April 2017 | 250 | FREE | $100 | Any style, but themed so check website for details - all entries published on blog - CLOSED 2017, was a one-off |
| Wenlock Olympians Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 31st October 2020 | March 2021 | 1,000 | £5 | £150 | Any style / genre but themed; there are 3 themes to choose from, so check website for full details - winner's story read at a Wenlock Olympian Celebration evening in March 2021 and it is planned for the winners entries to be read out on local radio - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Wimbledon Bookfest Short Story Competition | UK | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Themed, so check website for current theme (look in NEWS section of the site) - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Women in Comedy Festival Comedy Writing Competition | UK | October | October | 1,000 | £3 | £50 | Comedy - short stories, sketches and monologues - winners stories performed at the festival and published on the website - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2020 |
| WordHound's Weekly Writing Challenge | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 300 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but they have a monthly topic, so check website for details - entrants must aged 12 or under - prizes vary but have been goodie-bags of sweets and stationery in the past - winners published on blog - to find competition details, look in the 'blog' section of their website - CLOSED |
| Write From The Heart Microfiction Competition | Australia | Quarterly | Quarterly | 100 | Varies | See notes | Any style / genre - %50 of entry fees go to charity, %40 into the prize pool and %10 for admin costs - winner recieves 70% of the prize pool, 2nd place 20%, 3rd 10% - entry fee varies but has been around the $2/$3 mark in the past |
| Write Story Books For Children Winter Writing Competition | UK | December | February | 500 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed so check website for full details - winner receives an Amazon Kindle e-Reader and a collection of Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairytales - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2020 |
| Writers' HQ Flash Quarterly Contest | UK | Quarterly | Quarterly | 500 | FREE | £100 and see notes | Any style / genre - winner receives membership to Writers' HQ, access to online writing courses and writing retreats - winners published on the WHQ site and in an annual anthology - NOT RUN SINCE 2019, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Writers' HQ 'From LGBTQ With Love The Fight Back' Flash Fiction Contest | UK | 30th November 2018 | ? | 500 | FREE | £100 | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for full details - in addition to cash prizes, Writers' HQ subscriptions are given away - winners published on website and maybe in a book too - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| Writing Maps A3 Review Short Fiction Contest | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 150 | $5 | £250 | Any style / genre - competition cycle lasts six months - each month, two entries win publication in the A3 Review - three overall winning entries receive cash prizes - yes, entry fee is in dollars, that's not a typo - NO LONGER MENTIONED ON WEBSITE, so removed listing 2020 |
| Writers' Retreat UK Short, Short Story Competition | UK | Bi-Annually | Bi-Annually | 1,000 | £15 | £200 and see notes | Any style / genre - winner receives cash plus a free place on a writing retreat - multiple cash prizes - winners published in anthology - WRITING COMPETITION NO LONGER MENTIONED ON THE WEBSITE, just wordsearch contest, so removed listing during 2022 update |
| Writing Writers Drabble Competition | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 100 | FREE | £35 | Any style / genre - winners published on the website - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2019 |
| Yale and Yeoman 'The Yeoman’s Word' | Australia | 19th November 2021 | 4th January 2022 | 1,000 | $7 | $500 | Historical fiction based mostly between (or linked to) 500 CE to 1500 CE - stories must conclude with some type of moral or witty remark from the narrator - CLOSED, was a one-off |
| YSCI-FI Flash Fiction Competition | UK | 28th February 2018 | 13st March 2018 | 1,000 | FREE | $250 | Any style / genre - CLOSED 2018, was a one-off |
| Zen Garden / Voiceclub Flash Fiction Competitions | USA | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Any style / genre - Zen Garden teamed up with Voice Club in 2020, so best to check website for current competitions - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
| Zeroflash | UK | Monthly | Monthly | 300 | FREE | See notes | Any style / genre but themed, so check website for current details - winners might be published in anthology - there used to be a £10 prize, but can't find any mention of it on the site anymore - WENT ON HAITUS FOR OVER A YEAR and main website disappeared in 2020 - wordpress one still exists but nothing running, so removed listing during 2021 update |
| Zizzle Literary Flash Fiction Contest | Hong Kong SAR | March | May | 1,000 | $5 | $1,000 | Any style / genre but check website for prompts - for fiction that will appeal to readers from age 11 to adult - generous cash prizes for runners-up - WEBSITE DISAPPEARED 2022 |
More Writing Advice
I hope you found this "Flash Fiction Competitions" page helpful. You can find lots of other publication opportunities and writing tips in the Advice section of this website.
This website was established in 2011. In 2024, it was redesigned. Between 2011 and 2024, thousands of people left comments. I’d like to thank every person for their engagement – it’s greatly appreciated.
When the website was rebuilt, transferring comments comprising hundreds of thousands of words was not feasible. I may re-publish the old Flash Fiction Competition page comments here at some point. In the meantime, new comments can be left below.
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