Most events are installed on their deadline date, unless there is a long submission window or unless it's a rolling submission.
P=Poetry, N=Nonfiction, F=Fiction
- This event has passed.
F – The Writers College Short Story Competition. Theme: “All the things we didn’t learn”
Competition Rules
Who Can Enter
This competition is designed to support beginner writers aged 16 and up from any country. We accept entries from writers who:
- Have never been published or
- Have been published fewer than four times in any genre (fiction or non-fiction), in any publication (paid or unpaid).
If you have had more than four pieces published, you are not eligible to enter.
Not eligible:
- Journalists, copywriters, web writers, or content writers.
- Writers who have ever earned a living from writing, even if it was decades ago.
Exceptions:
- Unpaid articles for community or workplace newsletters or blogs with a circulation of under 5,000 do not count as published work.
What to Submit
- Story length: Maximum 2,000 words.
- Word count limit: If your story exceeds the word count by more than 50 words, it will not be considered.
- Theme for 2025: All the things we didn’t learn.
- Writers are free to interpret the theme in any way they choose.
- The exact phrase “All the things we didn’t learn” must appear somewhere in the story.
- Writers must create their own title.
- Genres accepted: All genres are welcome (literary, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction). However, literary fiction tends to perform best with our judges.
Entry Requirements
- Only one story per entrant.
- Entries must be written in English.
- Stories must be original and unpublished (including online).
- Entrants must have written the story 100% themselves.
Competition Timeline
- Free entry deadline: 30 June 2025 (midnight, UTC).
- Paid entry period: After 30 June, an £ 8.00 entry fee applies.
- Final deadline: 30 September 2025.
- Longlist announcement: 31 October 2025.
- Winners announced: 15 November 2025 (published on our website).
Prizes and Publication
- Winners will be notified by email and announced on our website.
- Prize money will be paid via electronic transfer or PayPal.
- Writers retain copyright but grant permission for their story to be published on our website and in an anthology.
Important Notes
- The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
- If you do not receive an entry confirmation within three working days, please re-send it. Your submission may have been lost in transit.
- No generative AI (ChatGPT, etc.) may be used. If a story appears to be AI-generated, it will be disqualified, and the author will be banned from future competitions.
- Submission fees are non-refundable. Please ensure you wish to enter before submitting.
How to Submit Your Entry
We only accept email submissions. Follow these steps to ensure your entry is correctly formatted and considered for judging.
- Email Submission Guidelines
- Copy and paste your story into the body of the email AND attach it as a Word document (.doc or .docx).
- Use the subject line: The 2025 Writers’ College Short Story Competition.
- Once you have paid the entry fee, you will receive the submission email address.
- Entry Requirements
- Title your story uniquely – do not use the competition theme as your title.
- In your email, include:
- Your story’s title and your name (e.g. Once Upon a Time – by John Smith).
- The following declaration:
“I declare that this is my own work, 100% unassisted by generative AI (such as ChatGPT etc.), and I have been published in a mainstream print or online publication fewer than four times.”
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- Your word count.
- Formatting Guidelines
- Do not include your name anywhere in the story document – entries are judged blind.
- Use a readable font (Arial or Times New Roman, size 12 or larger).
- Line spacing should be 1.5 or double.
- Instead of indenting paragraphs, leave a clear line between them.
- If a formatting detail is not specified here, it means we’re flexible – story quality matters most.
- Winners will be required to provide valid proof of identity.
- Make sure your story has been edited and polished according to tips and guidelines provided on our college site under “Writing Resources”, or on our webzine. Read these:
You will be directed to the Submissions page once your tranaction has been completed. Remember to make a note of your transaction number or proof of payment, this is required when you make your submission.
Entry fee: £ 8.00