Discover the best UK and international writing competitions to showcase your talent. From poetry to short stories and novels, my curated list highlights opportunities with upcoming deadlines, generous prizes, and prestige for both aspiring and established authors.
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Microfiction
Deadline:
Open 1 December 2025–2 January 2026
Prize:
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1st place (£75)
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2nd place (£40)
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3rd place (£25)
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Highly commended (£10)
Description:
Submit work of up to 100 words: flash fiction, haibun, vignette, etc.
Essay format
Deadline:
31 December 2025
Prize:
Published by Visible and membership of its Founding Patron programme.
Description:
Seeking unexpected insights on art and culture today.
Waltham Forest Poetry Competition 2025: Weather
Poetry
Deadline:
20 October 2025
Prize:
£1,000+ total prizes; publication
Description:
Theme: Weather; free for under-18s, £3+ for adults; up to 3 poems per entry; judged by Lorraine Mariner.
National Poetry Competition 2025
Single poem (up to 40 lines)
Deadline:
31 October 2025
Prize:
£5,000 (1st); £3,000 (2nd); £2,000 (3rd); £500 (commended)
Description:
Prestigious UK prize; open to all 18+ worldwide; £8 entry fee (first poem), £5 each additional.
Bridport Prize 2025: Short Story
Short story (up to 2,500 words)
Deadline:
Already open; closes 31 May, 2026 (but enter soon for 2025 cycle)
Prize:
£5,000 (1st); publication in anthology
Description:
UK-based; open internationally; £12 entry fee; winners auto-entered into BBC Short Story Award.
Poetry (up to 42 lines)
Deadline:
Already open; closes 31 May, 2026 (but enter soon for 2025 cycle)
Prize:
£5,000 (1st); publication in anthology
Description:
UK-based; open internationally; £10 entry fee.
Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition 2025
Short story (up to 2,000 words)
Deadline:
14 February, 2026
Prize:
Arvon Residential Writing Week (£850 value); publication
Description:
Free entry; open to all; judged by UK literary experts.
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