Welcome to the Bristol Short Story Prize – an annual international writing competition open to all published and unpublished, UK and non-UK based writers. To find out what our past winners and shortlisted writers have gone on to achieve, please visit the Success Stories section of the website.

The 2021 Bristol Short Story Prize is now open. The closing date for entries is midnight (BST) May 5th 2021. The competition is open to all writers worldwide. Stories must be previously unpublished and can be on any theme or subject. 20 stories will be shortlisted and published in Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 14 by Tangent Books. 1st prize is £1,000, 2nd prize is £500, 3rd prize is £250. 17 further prizes of £100 will be presented to the remaining shortlisted writers. The Sansom Award will be presented to the highest placed story by a Bristol writer. The Sansom Award winner will receive £100 and their story will be published in Bristol 24/7 magazine.

For full details and rules, please click here.

The 2020 Bristol Short Story Prize was won by Stephen Narain (below) who is based in Orlando, Florida. To find out more about Stephen’s winning story, his writing and influences, please read our fascinating interview with him here.

Tehila Lieberman won second prize and Faiza Hasan has been awarded third prize.

Joe Wedgbury won the Sansom Award for Bristol writers.

Stephen’s winning story and the other 19 on the shortlist are available now in our brilliant new anthology which can be ordered from our publisher, Tangent Books. It is also available to order from bookshops and the usual online outlets.

You can follow us on Twitter for very regular updates on the writing competition and links to the exciting and dynamic world of short stories, writing, reading and publishing.