Anthology Short Story Competition

Writers from around the world are invited to share their creativity and compete for publication and cash prizes in the prestigious Anthology Short Story Competition .

Organized by Anthology Magazine , this international competition celebrates original fiction and provides emerging and established writers with a valuable platform for recognition and publication.

If you have a compelling story waiting to be told, this could be your moment.

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About the Competition

The Anthology Short Story Competition was established to encourage creative writing and support writers by offering publication opportunities and international exposure.

The contest is open to:

• Writers of any nationality
• Participants of all ages
• Both emerging and experienced authors

There are no restrictions on theme or style , allowing writers complete creative freedom.

Story Requirements

• Stories must be:
  • Original
  • Unpublished
  • Written in English
• Maximum length: 1,500 words
• Multiple submissions are allowed
• Each entry requires:
  • A separate submission form
  • A separate entry fee

⚠️ Important: The use of Generative AI is not permitted for entries to this competition.

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Prizes 🏆

First Prize

• €1,000 cash prize
• Publication in a future issue of Anthology Magazine
• One-year membership to Reedsy Learning including masterclasses and conferences

Second Prize

• €250

Third Prize

• €150

Additional Rewards

• Shortlisted writers receive one live craft masterclass from Reedsy Learning
• All entrants receive an exclusive 10% membership discount

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Submission Deadline & Entry Fee 📅

⏰ Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026

💳 Standard Entry Fee: €18

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Formatting Guidelines

To avoid disqualification, participants must carefully follow the formatting rules:

• File format:
  • PDF
  • .doc
  • .docx
• Font:
  • Arial or Times New Roman
  • 12 pt
  • 1.5 or double spacing
• Do NOT include:
  • Cover pages
  • Title pages
  • Your name anywhere in the document or file name
• The first page must include:
  • Story title at the top
  • Word count in the top-right corner

Maintaining anonymity is essential during judging.

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Why You Should Enter

Short story competitions offer more than prize money — they provide motivation, visibility, and publishing opportunities that can elevate a writer’s career.

This contest is especially appealing because it offers:

• International recognition
• Publication in a respected literary magazine
• Exposure to literary professionals
• Valuable feedback opportunities through Reedsy Learning
• Complete freedom of theme and style

Whether you write literary fiction, speculative fiction, drama, romance, mystery, or experimental prose, your story has a place here.

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Tips for a Strong Submission ✨

• Start with a compelling opening line
• Focus on one central emotional or narrative idea
• Keep the story concise and impactful
• Revise carefully for clarity and pacing
• Proofread formatting requirements before submitting

Since the word limit is only 1,500 words, every sentence matters.

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EduJunior Short Story Writing Competition 2026

Every great author starts with a single story. The EduJunior Short Story Writing Competition 2026 invites young writers aged 7 to 18 years from India and around the world to unleash their imagination and craft compelling stories that captivate readers. 

This competition is a celebration of creativity, originality, and the power of storytelling.

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Little Feet, Big Strides! An Annual Writing Competition for Young Creators

Join Little Feet, Big Strides! An Annual Writing Competition for Young Creators

Are you a budding writer or storyteller under the age of 20? Here’s your chance to let your imagination soar and get published! Keekli Charitable Trust proudly presents Little Feet, Big Strides, a Pan-India Short Story Writing Competition 2025. This initiative aims to empower young voices by offering a platform to showcase their talent and creativity.

Highlights of the Competition

• Anthology Publication: Top 31 or 51 entries will be published in a professionally edited anthology.
• Creative Writing Workshops & Webinars: Learn from expert jury members and hone your writing skills.
• Boost Your Skills: Enhance your storytelling and creative writing capabilities.

Eligibility

• Open to youth under 20 years old.
• Exclusively for school and college students across India.

Submission Details

• Period: 1st February to 31st March 2025
• Word Limit: 1,000 to 2,000 words
• Languages: English and Hindi
• Themes:
  • Open theme
  • Folklore
  • Monuments
  • Historic elements of your state or city

Submission Guidelines

1. Format:
   • Neatly typed stories should be emailed to secy.keeklitrust@gmail.com.
2. Include the Following Details:
   • Your class, school/college, city, and phone number.
3. Original Work Only:
   • Strict no AI usage policy for creative writing.
   • Stories will be screened for originality; violations will lead to rejection and future disqualification.
   • Plagiarized content will be disqualified without explanation.
4. Inspired Works:
   • If your story is inspired by another story or poem, clearly mention it in your cover letter.
5. Genres Accepted:
   • Fiction
   • Non-Fiction (Memoirs, Travelogues, Creative Non-Fiction) in story format.

Competition Timeline

• Results Announcement: 30th May 2025
• Workshops and Editorial Process: June to October 2025
• Book Release Date: 14th November 2025

Why Participate?

• Get Published: Have your work featured in an anthology, giving you the recognition you deserve.
• Expert Guidance: Benefit from workshops and webinars led by acclaimed jury members.
• Enhance Your Writing: Gain valuable insights to refine your storytelling skills.

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Unleash Your Creativity with The Hindu Lit for Life 2025 Short Story Contest!

The stage is set for storytellers across the nation! The Hindu invites submissions for its prestigious Lit for Life 2025 Short Story Contest, providing aspiring writers a chance to showcase their talent. With a rich history of connecting literature to the masses, The Hindu’s literary festival has always celebrated the power of stories. Join us in this exciting journey and make your mark in the literary world.

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Unlocking Creativity: The October Short Story Competition for Young Writers

Calling all aspiring young authors! This October, budding storytellers in elementary and middle school have a fantastic opportunity to showcase their creativity in a thrilling monthly competition. The October Short Story Competition by Future Scholar Foundation invites students to craft a tale based on this month’s exciting prompt: the mysterious "25th Hour." And the best part? Participation is completely free!

The Challenge: The 25th Hour

What if there was an extra hour hidden in each day, accessible only during the month of October? Time slows for everyone else, but your character—along with a select few—gets to experience this secret "25th hour." How will they use it? Is it a gift that allows them to fix mistakes, or is it a curse that reveals something dark and dangerous? The prompt opens the door to countless possibilities, and it’s up to these young writers to take the reader on an unforgettable adventure!

Whether the 25th hour is a time for hidden discoveries, strange occurrences, or secretive societies, the stories are sure to be full of twists and excitement. Students are encouraged to explore the many prompts provided, which include ideas like using the extra hour to fix a mistake or uncovering hidden secrets in their town. Creativity and originality will take center stage in this thrilling competition.

Prizes and Recognition

The competition offers great rewards for the most imaginative stories:

• 1st Place: A $25 Amazon gift card and publication in the Hall of Fame.
• 2nd Place: A $15 Amazon gift card and publication in the Hall of Fame.
• 3rd Place: A $5 Amazon gift card and publication in the Hall of Fame.
• Runner Up: Publication in the Hall of Fame.

Even more exciting, students who submit their stories before the 15th will receive personalized feedback on their writing, offering them the chance to revise and resubmit before the competition deadline.

Why Join?

Participating in this competition is not just about winning prizes. It’s an excellent way for young writers to hone their skills, develop their imagination, and gain confidence in their creative abilities. Regular writing practice helps students strengthen their grammar, structure, and style—skills that will serve them well in future academic endeavors, from SATs to college application essays.

The competition is also open to international submissions, offering students from all over the world the chance to share their stories and be a part of a vibrant writing community.

How to Enter

The competition is open until October 28th (11:59 PM in your region), giving students plenty of time to craft and submit their stories. Multiple submissions are welcome, so writers can submit more than one story for extra practice and increased chances of winning.

The results will be announced on the 1st of November at 8:00 AM PST, with the top stories featured in the prestigious Hall of Fame.

For those interested in taking their writing to the next level, this competition is an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and gain recognition for their talents. Sign up now, and start exploring the mysterious and exciting possibilities of the 25th hour!

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Enter the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize – Win Up to £5,000!

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is now accepting submissions for its 2024 edition, with the deadline set for 1 November 2024. This prestigious prize is awarded annually to the best piece of unpublished short fiction, and it is free to enter. Writers aged 18 and over from any Commonwealth country are invited to submit their stories.

About the Prize

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is open to unpublished short stories between 2,000 and 5,000 words. The prize covers all fiction genres, including science fiction, speculative fiction, historical fiction, crime, romance, and literary fiction. Writers have the freedom to explore any subject matter.

Submissions are accepted in the following languages:

• Bengali
• Chinese
• Creole
• English
• French
• Greek
• Malay
• Maltese
• Portuguese
• Samoan
• Swahili
• Tamil
• Turkish

Translated stories are also eligible, and if a winning story is a translation, the translator will receive an additional prize of £750.

Prizes

• Overall Winner: £5,000
• Regional Winners: £2,500 (for winners from Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific)
• Translator Prize: £750 (if applicable)

The five regional winning stories will be published in Granta, an acclaimed literary magazine, and featured in a special print collection by Paper + Ink. Additionally, the shortlisted stories will be published in adda, the online literary magazine of the Commonwealth Foundation.

Key Dates

• Submissions Open: 1 September 2024
• Submission Deadline: 1 November 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: April 2025
• Regional Winners Announcement: May 2025
• Award Ceremony and Overall Winner Announcement: June 2025

Judging Process

An international judging panel will review all submissions. The panel will create a shortlist of approximately twenty stories, from which five regional winners will be chosen. One of these regional winners will be named the overall winner.

Eligibility and Entry Guidelines

• Writers must be citizens of a Commonwealth country or stateless persons currently residing in a Commonwealth country.
• Stories must be original, unpublished, and must not have been previously submitted to the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
• Entries must be submitted via the online entry form by 1 November 2024 (11:59 PM in any time zone).

For more details on eligibility, entry guidelines, and how to submit your story, visit the official Commonwealth Short Story Prize page. This is a unique opportunity to share your work on a global stage and gain recognition for your writing.

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Short Story Competition: Literary Launchpad

Are you an aspiring writer with a story to tell? Here's your chance to showcase your storytelling prowess in The Battle of the Novels: Pitch, Perfect, and Publish! The Book Club of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) invites you to participate in this exciting Short Story Pitching Competition as part of BookVerse 2024, their annual fest, in collaboration with The Great Indian Book Tour. This competition offers you a platform to present your original short story idea and potentially get published in a paperback anthology!

Competition Format:

The competition unfolds in two exciting rounds, ensuring that participants get a chance to prove their creativity and pitch their novel idea to a jury of experts.

Round 1: Online Submission

• Format: This round is conducted online via Unstop.
• Task: Submit a brief summary of your unpublished short story.
• Word Limit: 1000-3000 words.
• Accepted Format: PDF.
• Entry Limit: Each participant can submit only one entry.
• Requirements: Be sure to clearly mention your Genre and Book Title. Authenticity is essential, and any form of plagiarism or writing irregularities will result in disqualification.
• Submission: If your file size exceeds 50 MB, email it to srcc.thebookclub@gmail.com with the competition name as the subject line.
• Deadline: September 20, 2024, 11:59 PM IST.

Round 2: Offline Pitching at SRCC

• Eligibility: Top participants from Round 1 will advance to this round, hosted on the prestigious SRCC campus.
• Task: Develop your book title, plot, and overall storyline in detail. Participants must create a 3-5 slide presentation (excluding introduction and thank you slides) and pitch their book to a jury.
• Judging Criteria: Creativity, uniqueness, aesthetic appeal of the book cover, and clarity of communication during the pitch will be key factors in evaluation.
• Judges' Decision: The judges’ decision will be final and binding.

Key Dates:

• Online Round:
  Start: August 25, 2024
  End: September 20, 2024, 11:59 PM IST

• Offline Round at SRCC:
  Date: October 1, 2024
  Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM IST

Exciting Rewards Await!

Top 10 stories will be published in an anthology paperback, a dream come true for any budding writer! Additionally:

• Winner: Cash and Kind Prizes worth Rs 5,000, along with a certificate.
• 2nd to 10th Place: Prizes in kind and certificates.

Every participant has the opportunity to turn their idea into a published reality while being recognized for their creativity.

Ready to Enter the Battle?

This competition is a golden opportunity for storytellers to pitch their ideas, receive feedback, and compete for a spot in a published anthology. If you're passionate about storytelling, The Battle of the Novels is the perfect platform to bring your imagination to life. Whether you're an experienced writer or a first-time participant, the competition welcomes everyone with an original story to share.

Pitch, Perfect, and Publish your way to success at BookVerse 2024—a stage for dreamers and doers, where stories are born and recognized.

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Creators of Justice Literary Awards

The Creators of Justice Literary Award is an annual, international contest with a submission window open from June 1-September 30, and winners announced by November 15.

Celebrating the values that bring us together:

NO ENTRY FEE FOR PARTICIPATION.

Writers may submit one poem, one essay (up to 2500 words) and/or one short story (up to 2500 words).  

There will be a separate youth category for writers 18 and under.

Submit all work to hello@ihraf.org with the subject line: “Creators of Justice Literary Award” and the submission type (i.e. “Poetry,” “Short Story” or “Essay.”

This Creators of Justice Literary Award features works which highlight the struggle for human rights and social justice the world over.  These may be imagined in any manner in which the writer sees fit, however, it must be based in our signature values.  We do not publish work which is based in anger, or stems from an “us v. them” mentality.  

There are three monetary prizes in each category: Poetry, Short Story and Essay.  Each writer may make one submission in each category (total of 3 submission per writer).  Awards are as follows:

First Prize: $150

Second Prize: $100

Third Prize: $50

Honorable Mention: Up to five writers in each category will have their work published.

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THE WRITERS COLLEGE International Short Story Competition

The annual Writers College Short Story Competition is held to acknowledge excellence in creative writing in the short story form.

The competition is open to any writer who is unpublished, or has been published fewer than four times.

THEME FOR 2023

WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES

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Young Writers Contest - International Contest for School Students

The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society invites you to enter its 2023 Young Writers’ Contest. 

Guidelines

• The contest is open to all students in grades 5-12, not just in Philadelphia.
• There will be separate winners for Middle School (grades 5-8) and High School (grades 9-12).
• Each contest will have a prize of $100 for first place and a prize of $50 for second place.
• The winners will also each receive two full memberships for this year’s Philadelphia Conference of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror (Philcon; November 17-19, 2023).  If the winner is already a member of the 2023 Philcon, these memberships may be used for the 2024 Philcon. 
• Both science fiction and fantasy stories are eligible.
• Stories should be 1,000 words or less for grades 5-8 and 3,000 words or less for grades 9-12.
• Each contestant may submit only one story.  This story must be accompanied by a copy of the submission form. Link provided.
•  contestant’s contact information (name and address) must NOT appear in the story.  All contact information should be on the submission form.  The title should be on every page of the story.
• Prizes will be awarded at the 2023 Philcon, November 17-19, 2023.   Winners are welcome to bring guests to the award ceremony. 

Link to registration form

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READISCOVERY (c) '22 SHORT STORY WRITING CONTEST

​EKANSH TRUST, India ANNOUNCES 

READISCOVERY (c)  '22

 SHORT STORY WRITING CONTEST [ENGLISH]  For writers who are Blind/Visually Impaired 

The challenge is open to sighted writers too this time!

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The Perito Prize - Short Fiction Contest

The Perito Prize is an international, annual, short fiction competition run by CIEDA C.I.C now - thanks to our friends at Perito for handing over the reins of this great competition and to every who has entered and been a part of the journey so far!

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RobinAge Bright Sparks Awards - Creative Writing Contest for School Kids

The 8th edition of the RobinAge Bright Sparks Awards—a national initiative to encourage and support creativity in children is accepting entries now.

The competition invites students from class 1 to 10 to send in their writing, poetry and artwork. Like last year, the top three entries of each category and age group as well as three outstanding schools - as selected by a judging panel of premiere children's authors and artists - will win accolades, recognition and prizes.

About the RobinAge Bright Sparks Awards 2021-22

Contest Categories:

·         Artwork

·         Poetry

·         Prose (news reports or stories of up to 500 words)

Age Groups:

·         Group A: Class 1 and 2

·         Group B: Class 3 to 5

·         Group C: Class 6 to 8

·         Group D: Class 9 and 10

To ensure children use their imagination, the competition is not restricted to themes or topics. Instead, children can choose any subject and express themselves freely.  A jury comprising of the best children’s writers and artists will choose the winners.

Last Date for Entries: February 28, 2023

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EVESHAM FESTIVAL OF WORDS SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2021 – (Adults and Juniors)

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition - an annual writing competition open to all published and unpublished, UK and non-UK based writers.

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“TALEFACTORY” – NATIONAL SHORT STORY WRITING COMPETITION

University Institute of Legal Studies, Punjab University presents Talefactory - Short Story Competition commemorating International Day of Tolerance

ELIGIBILITY

• The competition is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students from any recognized university across India. 

• Only Individual Participation is allowed.

• One author can only submit one entry for the competition, all subsequent entries will be disqualified by default. 

• Incomplete and plagiarized submissions would also result in immediate disqualification. 

• No restriction on number of entries from any college or university. 

• Entries from students of UILS is not accepted. 

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“World Tales” Short Story Competition

UNESCO and Idries Shah Foundation launch “World Tales” Short Story Competition.

   

Climate change, human rights violations, conflicts, racism and discrimination are among many threats to our present and future. In the face of adversity and the manifold consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, creative young minds need to be encouraged to find innovative solutions.

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International Short Story Contest- Kidsworldfun

Kidsworldfun.com invites entries to their International Short Story Contest 2020.

Eligibility
Contest is open to students of 7 to 16 years all over the world

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Short Story Writing Competition - Spin-A-Tale

The Pune Chapter of IDIA is conducting a pan-India Short Story Writing Competition called Spin-a-tale wherein the participants will have to weave a short story starting with the prompts provided and using the keywords mentioned within 800 words. The competition is open to everyone.

Theme
Participants can choose among the two prompts provided:

Prompt 1
In our family, there is no clear line between dangerous experiments and exploding into a million pieces. On this particular afternoon, my father took it upon himself to shock a brain just enough to observe a change in behaviour and cognitive ability. The obvious downsides not considered, his next trial participant was me….

PSYCHEDELIC
EPIPHANY
A BLUE NOTEBOOK
RESCUE

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Scholastic Writing Awards 2020

Scholastic India is pleased to announce the Scholastic Writing Awards 2020 for outstanding original works by students, in the category of fiction/short story in English.

Scholastic Writing Awards help to encourage creativity for outstanding original works by students of classes 4 to 9. The winners are not only given attractive awards, but their award-winning stories are also published every year in an anthology titled, For Kids By Kids. By giving them a platform to publish their works, we encourage and motivate young talent.

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Write India Season 3 - Short Story Contest March 2020

Write India is a collaborative writing initiative by Times Internet, which will have a set of 10 celebrity authors writing the passage of short stories. These passages will be later opened to public for completion. Every month we will select one winner from the entries received with the help of the 'Celebrity Author of the Month'.

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