Short Fiction Competitions to Enter in 2025
Last year, when I’d created my usual list of possible competitions to enter, I decided to share it on my blog in case it would be useful to other writers. Well, having received thousands of views on that spontaneous post, it seems it was!
So, I’ve done the same for 2025. This is not an exhaustive list, and I won’t enter them all, but I hope it provides a good starting point.
I always note the deadline, the competition name, a link to the website, followed by the entry fee, word count limit, and theme (if applicable). I’ve put question marks by any that don’t have the deadline dates confirmed, and I’ll undoubtedly add a few more once they open for entries. Bear in mind that I write a lot of flash fiction, so many of them tend towards shorter word counts, but some of the competitions have different categories that you might like to check out – e.g. I’ve put Bridport Flash Fiction, but there are also prizes for short stories, poetry, novels etc.
Please read the guidelines for yourselves and follow the rules to the letter. I always check them nearer the time, too; something might have changed, or I might have made a mistake when I initially noted the competition.
If you’re not a writer, or don’t enter competitions, I hope it’s interesting to see part of my process. If you are a writer and you achieve success in any of these competitions, please let me know. I’d love to hear about it.
Are there any other competitions you think I should add for 2025?
Jan 31st 2025 New Writers Flash Fiction Competition: https://newwriters.org.uk/flash-fiction-competition/ (£10 for one, £19 for two, £27 for three, 300)
Feb 2nd 2025 Bath Flash Fiction: https://www.bathflashfictionaward.com/ (£9 for one, £15 for two, £18 for three, 300)
Feb 14th 2025 Rhys Davies: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/cultural-institute/rhys-davies-short-story-competition/ (£8, 5000, Wales only)
Feb 15th 2025 National Flash Fiction Day: https://www.nationalflashfictionday.co.uk/index.php/competition/competition-submission-guidelines/ (£2 for one, £3.75 for two, £5.25 for three, exactly 100, no simultaneous submissions)
Feb 21st 2025 The Elmbridge Literary Competition: https://www.rcsherrifftrust.org.uk/elmbridge-literary-competition (£8, 1500, Theme: The River)
Feb 23rd 2025 Free Flash Fiction: https://freeflashfiction.com/current-competition/ (£3.95, 100-300)
Feb 28th 2025 Fish Flash Fiction: https://www.fishpublishing.com/competition/flash-fiction-contest/ (€11, €6 for subsequent entries, 300)
Feb 28th 2025 Bridge House Publishing: https://www.bridgehousepublishing.co.uk/index.php/call-for-new-submissions(£0, 1000-5000, Theme: Magi)
Feb 28th 2025 Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/shortstory/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £10 for three, 500)
Feb 28th 2025 Wow Flash Fiction: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#FlashFictionContest ($10, 250-750)
Feb 28th 2025 Anansi Archive Flash Fiction: https://www.anansiarchive.co.uk/competitions/ (£1, 500)
Feb 28th 2025 Flash500 Short Stories: https://flash500.com/short-stories/ (£7 for one, £12 for two, £16 for three, £20 for four, 1000-3000)
Feb 28th 2025 Exeter Writers: https://www.exeterwriters.org.uk/p/competition-rules.html (£7, 3000)
Mar 1st 2025 The Mustang Award for Western Flash Fiction: https://www.facebook.com/saddlebagdispatches ($0, 1000, Theme: The American West 1860-1910)
Mar 17th 2025 BBC National Short Story Award: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/Tf3PpXMRWPFtyFRz21QLKl/the-2025-bbc-national-short-story-award-is-open-for-submissions-in-its-20th-year (£0, 8000)
Mar 17th 2025 Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize: https://bricklanebookshop.org/the-brick-lane-bookshop-short-story-prize-2025/ (£10, 1000-5000)
Mar 28th 2025 South Warwickshire Literary Festival Flash Fiction: https://www.southwarwickshireliteraryfestival.com/competition-2025 (£3.90, 200)
Mar 28th 2025 South Warwickshire Literary Festival Fiction: https://www.southwarwickshireliteraryfestival.com/competition-2025 (£3.90, 800)
Mar 31st 2025 The Plaza Flash Fiction Prize: https://theplazaprizes.com/competition/the-plaza-flash-fiction-prize/ (£10, subsequent entries £8, 1000)
Mar 31st 2025 Flash500: https://flash500.com/flash-fiction/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £11 for three, £14 for four, 500)
Mar 31st 2025 Henshaw: https://www.henshawpress.co.uk (£6, 2000)
Mar 31st 2025 Bath Short Story: https://www.bathshortstoryaward.org/rules-2/ (£9, 2200)
April 1st 2025 Alpine Fellowship: https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize (£0, 1250, Theme: TBA)
? April 23rd 2025 Free Flash Fiction: https://freeflashfiction.com/current-competition/ (£3.95, 100-300)
May 10th 2025 SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction: https://www.smokelong.com/the-smokelong-quarterly-award-for-flash-fiction-2025/ ($16 for one, $24 for two, $39 for three or four, 1000)
May 31st 2025 Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/shortstory/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £10 for three, 500)
May 31st 2025 Wow Flash Fiction: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#FlashFictionContest ($10, 250-750)
May 31st 2025 Anansi Archive Flash Fiction: https://www.anansiarchive.co.uk/competitions/ (£1, 500)
May 31st 2025 Frome Festival Short Story: https://fromeshortstorycompetition.co.uk/rules/ (£8, 1000-2200)
May 31st 2025 Bridport Flash Fiction: https://bridportprize.org.uk/the-competition/flash-fiction/ (£11, 250)
June 1st 2025 Midway Journal Flash Prose: https://midwayjournal.com/contest/ ($10, 1000)
? June 2025 Bath Flash Fiction: https://www.bathflashfictionaward.com/ (£9 for one, £15 for two, £18 for three, 300)
? June 23rd 2025 Free Flash Fiction: https://freeflashfiction.com/current-competition/ (£3.95, 100-300)
? June 2025 The Cambridge Flash Fiction Prize: https://theshortstory.co.uk/competitions/short-story-competition/ (£9, 400)
June 30th 2025 Flash500: https://flash500.com/flash-fiction/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £11 for three, £14 for four, 500)
June 30th 2025 Henshaw: https://www.henshawpress.co.uk (£6, 2000)
July 12th 2025 Doris Gooderson: https://wrekinwriters.wordpress.com/doris-gooderson-short-story-competition/ (£5, 1200)
? July 2025 Leicester Writes Short Story Prize: https://leicesterwrites.co.uk (£7, 3500)
Aug 1st 2025 The Longhorn Award for Western Short Fiction: https://www.facebook.com/saddlebagdispatches ($0, 5000, Theme: The American West 1860-1910)
? Aug 23rd 2025 Free Flash Fiction: https://freeflashfiction.com/current-competition/ (£3.95, 100-300)
Aug 31st 2025 Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/shortstory/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £10 for three, 500)
Aug 31st 2025 Wow Flash Fiction: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#FlashFictionContest ($10, 250-750)
Aug 31st 2025 Anansi Archive Flash Fiction: https://www.anansiarchive.co.uk/competitions/ (£1, 500)
Aug 31st 2025 Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction: https://www.scottishartstrust.org/flash (£7, 250)
Aug 31st 2025 Gemini Flash Fiction: https://gemini-magazine.com/contest-schedule/($8, 1000)
? Aug 2025 Oxford Flash Fiction: https://oxfordflashfictionprize.com (£7 for one, £11 for two, £15 for three, 1000)
Sep 14th 2025 (or when they reach their Submittable limit) The Forge Literary Magazine Flash Fiction/Non-Fiction: https://forgelitmag.com/competition/ ($5, 1000)
? Sep 2025 Mslexia Flash Fiction: https://mslexia.co.uk/competitions/flash-fiction/womens-fiction-competition-flash-fiction/ (£6, 300)
Sep 30th 2025 Flash500: https://flash500.com/flash-fiction/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £11 for three, £14 for four, 500)
Sep 30th 2025 Henshaw: https://www.henshawpress.co.uk (£6, 2000)
? Oct 2025 Bath Flash Fiction: https://www.bathflashfictionaward.com/ (£9 for one, £15 for two, £18 for three, 300)
? Oct 23rd 2025 Free Flash Fiction: https://freeflashfiction.com/current-competition/ (£3.95, 100-300)
? Oct 2025 Craft Flash Prose Prize: https://www.craftliterary.com/craft-flash-prose-prize-2024/ ($20, up to two 1000-word stories)
? Oct 2025 Southport Writers’ Circle: http://www.swconline.co.uk/category/competitions/ (£3, £10 for four, 2000)
Nov 1st 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize: https://commonwealthfoundation.com/short-story-prize/? (£0, citizens of Commonwealth countries, 2000-5000)
? Nov 2025 SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest: https://www.smokelong.com/the-smokelong-grand-micro-contest-2024/ ($14 for up to two, $22 for up to four, 250)
? Nov 2025 Mani Lit Fest Short Story: https://www.manilitfest.com/story-competition (£0, 1000-2000, Theme: TBA)
Nov 30th 2025 Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction: https://crankedanvil.co.uk/shortstory/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £10 for three, 500)
Nov 30th 2025 Wow Flash Fiction: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php#FlashFictionContest ($10, 250-750)
Nov 30th 2025 Anansi Archive Flash Fiction: https://www.anansiarchive.co.uk/competitions/ (£1, 500)
? Dec 23rd 2025 Free Flash Fiction: https://freeflashfiction.com/current-competition/ (£3.95, 100-300)
Dec 31st 2025 Flash500: https://flash500.com/flash-fiction/ (£5 for one, £8 for two, £11 for three, £14 for four, 500)
Dec 31st 2025 Henshaw: https://www.henshawpress.co.uk (£6, 2000)
Short Story Collection, Something Very Human: https://www.thebridgetowncafebooksshop.co.uk/2024/10/something-very-human-by-hannah-retallick.html
Website: https://www.hannahretallick.co.uk/about
Facebook Author’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063092716530