2018 Bristol Short Story Prize Shortlist Announced

We’re delighted to reveal the 20 stories and writers who have been selected for the 2018 Bristol Short Story Prize shortlist. The writers are all in the running for the £1,000 1^st prize and will have their stories published in our 11^th anthology. The anthology will be published, and the winning writer and story announced at our awards ceremony on October 13^th this year.

Chair of this year’s judging panel, literary agent Kate Johnson, says “It was such a joy to read and discuss these stories alongside my fellow judges Lucy, Polly, and Roshi. Selected from a high-calibre longlist, the twenty that will appear in the anthology are ambitious, smart, and wide-ranging in voice and experience, and the best of them made all four of us light up in awe and say, ‘This! This is why we tell stories. This is what a story can do.’ It will be a thrill to see them in print this October, and they are sure to linger in readers’ minds long after.”

A big thank you to our brilliant judging panel for the commitment, enthusiasm and great wisdom they brought to the judging process. And, again, to our wonderful readers who take such care and consideration with what is a very big task!

And, finally, a massive thank you to all the writers who entered this year’s competition, we feel very fortunate to receive so many great stories.

We wish all the writers on this year’s shortlist the best of luck with the rest of the competition and congratulations to them on being selected for our 11th anthology.

2018 Bristol Short Story Prize Shortlist (listed A-Z by author’s name)

Chicken Heart – Aniqah Choudhri

Havoc Shore – Maureen Cullen

Shapeshifting – L.O. Evans

Dogging – Jess Farr-Cox

The Making of Nancy – Stacey Gowland

What Remains – Pamela Hensley

Waste – Bethan James

Chestnut Avenue – Sarah Burton Kennedy

The Significance of Swans – Rhiannon Lewis

You are Here – Dana Miltins

There’s a Place – Martin Pevsner