Best Short Story Writing Contests in 2026

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Science Fiction

The Future First Line Contest invites participants to write a captivating first line for a novel set in 2052, inspired by the near future. Entries should encapsulate originality and creativity while hinting at technological or sociopolitical themes.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The contest invites entries for short fiction with a maximum word count of 2,500 words. All submissions must be original and unpublished. The contest promotes engagement by publishing winning stories in their anthology and on the website.

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

The Mini Moon Writing Contest challenges participants to write entries of 10 words or less, with no theme required. The contest is designed to encourage creativity and quick thinking.

Genres: Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The contest is open for submissions in short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Entrants can submit original, unpublished works. Prizes include cash awards and festival packages, with winners published in the anthology.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Travel

The competition invites writers to submit short stories of up to 1000 words, excluding children's and young adult fiction. The entry fee varies based on the number of submissions. Winners will be announced in February 2026.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Competition is a biennial contest focused on humorous writing. It celebrates imaginative short stories from writers globally. The current competition is open until June 30, 2025, with multiple cash prizes and publication opportunities in an anthology.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in book-length collections. The winning submission will receive a $2,500 advance and publication. The contest is open to all writers, and all submitted works must be previously unpublished collections.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Poetry, and Short Story

The Big Moose Prize awards an unpublished novel, open to all writers. The winner receives publication, a cash award of $1,000, and ten copies of the book.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers. $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.

Genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Original, unpublished works of memoir writing up to 2000 words. The winner will be interviewed and the winning story published on Alison Wearing’s website and featured in the Memoir Writing Ink program. This award was created in celebration of the life of Amy Macrae and in support of her living legacy to improve the outcomes of women with ovarian cancer.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Iowa Review Awards is an annual writing contest accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. It has been held every January since 2003, and winners are published in the December issue.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The Hope Prize is an international short story competition focused on original stories of hope, open to writers aged 18 and over, with entries accepted in English. The prize encourages bold self-expression and aims to spotlight charities making impactful changes.

Genres: Short Story

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest aims to inspire and encourage writers and poets to showcase their talents. The contest accepts entries in the forms of poems (up to 30 lines) and short stories (up to 5 pages) on any subject or theme.

Genres: Christian, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Travel

The New Deal Writing Competition invites writers to create a short story inspired by a specific painting. The current painting is 'Playtime' by Fred Ross. This is the ninth annual contest, intended to celebrate creativity and connect art and writing.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Flash Fiction Competition invites writers to submit stories of up to 500 words. It's a quarterly competition with prizes awarded for the top three entries each quarter. Winning entries are published on the website.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The contest invites writers aged 18 and up to submit short stories about personal finance and money-related experiences. It aims to facilitate discussions on financial matters through storytelling.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Fantasy

The Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH Fiction invites submissions of erotic stories up to 1,500 words based on the theme 'Making the unsexy irresistible'. The competition is open to adults worldwide, free to enter, and aims to explore creative interpretations of erotic fiction. Judging is blind, and winners will be announced publicly.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The contest encourages participants to submit one fictional story (max 350 words) for a chance to win a prize. The contest requires a minimum of 10 shortlisted submissions to award a prize, which is a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition is a prestigious award for writers born or living in Wales. Established in 1991, it recognizes the best unpublished short stories in English, up to 5,000 words. The competition encourages new talent and is managed by Swansea University's Cultural Institute in association with Parthian Books.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Horror, Mystery, and Science Fiction

The Fabula Press Short Story Contest encourages exceptional storytelling across genres, with no specific theme. Participants can submit entries for both free and paid categories. Winning stories may be published in an anthology.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The contest invites participants to write a story of exactly 100 words on topics like envy, eyeglasses, nightmares, or turtles. It is open to all ages, including international writers. Winning stories will be published in an e-zine.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Eleventh Annual Narrative High School Writing Contest invites students from grades 9-12 to submit original stories, essays, or poems focused on the prompt 'One True Thing.' Submissions are accepted from students globally, through their teachers. Winners receive cash prizes totaling over $3,000, along with publication in Narrative.

Genres: Flash Fiction and Short Story

An annual international writing competition aimed at fundraising for Tourette Canada. Participants submit flash fiction or short stories (up to 1000 words) without a specific prompt. The contest is open to everyone, not just those with Tourette Syndrome.

Genres: Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, and Thriller

The Claymore Award assists new and rebranding English-language fiction authors with potential publishing opportunities, including agent representation, book deals, and media adaptations. The contest emphasizes the importance of getting the first 50 pages of an unpublished work noticed by industry professionals.

Genres: Short Story and Fiction

The Hastings Book Festival Short Story Competition invites entries of original short stories. The competition is open to all writers aged 18 and over, with submissions accepted in English. The judging process is anonymous, and entries must follow specific formatting guidelines.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The contest welcomes submissions of previously unpublished short stories of 1000 words or fewer. It encourages simultaneous submissions and offers publication for finalists in their journal.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest invites unpublished stories that focus on themes relating to Judaism or Jewish culture. Established in 2000, it has featured renowned judges and offers cash prizes for outstanding works.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Novel

The Nimrod Literary Awards are hosted by the Nimrod International Journal to honor outstanding writing in fiction and poetry. Each year, the awards feature a first prize of $2,000 and a second prize of $1,000, along with publication opportunities for winners.

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The F(r)iction Short Story Contest is open for submissions. It celebrates unique and boundary-pushing literature. The winning story will be published in F(r)iction's print collection or online blog, and the contest encourages experimental writing.

Genres: Short Story

The contest invites short stories in any genre, with a word count of 2,500 to 4,000 words. First prize is $1,000 and publication in Pulp Literature, while Honourable Mentions receive $150 and potential publication.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Suspense, Thriller, Crime, and Short Story

The Emerging Author Dagger is an international competition for unpublished crime novelists. It seeks submissions of a crime novel opening (max. 3,000 words) and a synopsis (max. 1,500 words) from writers who have never had a publishing contract for a full-length novel. The prize includes a cash prize of £500 and opportunities for shortlisted entrants to showcase their work to agents and publishers.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller

The Winter Flash Fiction Battle is an engaging contest where writers compete by creating stories based on given prompts. Participants write a story of up to 1000 words within three days. The contest emphasizes community feedback and professional judging.

Genres: Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

This contest invites submissions that explore the theme 'Disability as a Strength', showcasing narratives around managing mental health, disabilities, and chronic illnesses. It is a chance for writers to express how these experiences have fortified their identities.

Genres: Short Story

The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition is dedicated to supporting new voices in short fiction. It has a history of over 43 years and emphasizes original, unpublished stories. Winners are highlighted on the competition's website.