Bristol Short Story Prize 2027
Opportunity type: Prize
For: Writers
Deadline: 08/01/27
Rewards: Up to £1,500 + publication
Location Eligibility: Worldwide
About this opportunity
The Bristol Short Story Prize is seeking original, unpublished short stories of up to 4,000 words, in English and in any genre, from published and unpublished writers anywhere in the world. Run by the University of Bristol, the 2027 prize is open from 1 October 2026 to 8 January 2027. A longlist of 30 is chosen by readers, and the judges pick 15 stories for publication in the prize anthology, including the top three prize winners. Entries are read and judged anonymously, and winners are announced at the University’s Writers’ Day in summer 2027.
There is a fee for most entries, but a free low-income option is available online, limited to one per person and 250 places in total. Stories must be entirely the writer’s own work, and anything generated or co-created with AI tools is disqualified.
Rewards
- 1st prize: £1,500
- 2nd prize: £500
- 3rd prize: £250
- £50 for each of the 12 other shortlisted writers
- Publication of all 15 shortlisted stories in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology (print and eBook), with a free paperback copy for each shortlisted author
- Authors keep worldwide copyright; prizes are paid whether or not winners attend Writers’ Day
Eligibility
- Open to all published and unpublished writers, anywhere in the world
- Must be over 16 on 8 January 2027
- Employees and students of the University of Bristol cannot enter
- Story must be 4,000 words or fewer (title not counted; headings, subheadings and character names used to show perspective shifts are counted)
- Must be in English; translations are accepted only if the entrant translated their own original work without AI or anyone else’s help
- Must never have been published anywhere (print or online, including self-published, blogs and social media)
- Must not have been broadcast or won a prize in another competition on or before 1 July 2027
- Must be entirely the entrant’s own work; AI-generated or co-created entries are prohibited
- No personal information in the story itself; double spaced, 12–14 point font, uploaded as .doc or .docx
- Entrants may submit as many stories as they like, each needing its own entry
Entry Fee
£14 per story (£18 with a PDF of the anthology Volume 18). Free for entrants for whom the fee is a barrier, one free entry per person, online only.
How to Apply
Apply using the link: Bristol Short Story Prize 2027
All questions regarding this opportunity should be sent to bristol-short-story-prize@bristol.ac.uk
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