- The closing date for receipt of entries is 31 January 2025 at midnight BST.
2. The 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to all published and unpublished writers. There is no geographical restriction on entry–the 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to everyone, whether they are based in the UK or outside the UK. Entries can be made online or by post. All entries must be in English. Online entries should be submitted and paid for via the online entry facility, usually in Word document or equivalent, in a clear 12-14 point font and double spaced.
3. Postal entries will only be accepted as printed typescripts. Generally we ask that work be in a 12-14 point font with double-spacing. Please send postal entry/entries to: Dr Carrie Etter, Bristol Short Story Prize, 3-5 Woodland Road, University of Bristol, 3-5 Woodland Road, Bristol BS9 2BN with a £12 cheque for the entry fee made out to the University of Bristol; low-income free entries are only available online. Please list your name, address, story title, word count, and a statement that you have read and accept the rules of the Bristol Short Story Prize 2025 on a separate sheet of paper; there should be no identifying information on the story itself.
4. Entrants must be over 16 years old on the closing date, 31 January 2025. Employees and students of the University of Bristol are ineligible to submit.
5. Entries will be read and judged anonymously; entrants’ names and contact details should only appear on the entry form and not anywhere on their stories/manuscripts. The stories/manuscripts must be free of all personal information about the author.
6. The maximum length of submissions is 4,000 words (not including the title); there is no minimum length. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-based (e.g. Crime, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Romance, Children’s, etc.).
7. Entrants may enter as many stories as they like.
8. There are 250 free online entries available to those for whom the entry fee is a barrier to submission – for instance, those on low income or without paid employment. Those wishing to enter using the free entry option may do so via our online entry facility. There is one free entry available per person. No email request or any other method of application is necessary to use the free entry option. No distinction between free entries and those submitted paying the entry fee will be made during the reading and judging processes.
9. Entries will not be returned. Please keep a copy. No corrections or alterations can be made after receipt of an entry.
10. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, in print or online (including self-published, ebook, magazines, journals, websites, blogs, social network sites), or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition on or before 7 June 2025. Any entry found to have been plagiarised will be disqualified. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please let us know as soon as possible if a story is to be published elsewhere.
11. If entrants require acknowledgement of receipt of a postal entry they must enclose a stamped addressed postcard marked ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Online entries will be acknowledged by email. If an entrant does not receive an email acknowledgement for an online entry they are very welcome to contact Bristol Short Story Prize to confirm their entry has been received at bristol-short-story-prize@bristol.ac.uk.
12. Entries will be read by our readers who will select a longlist of 30 stories for the judging panel. The judging panel will select the 15 stories to be published in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 17 and the top 3 prize winning stories for the 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize. The judges’ decision is final, and no individual correspondence will be entered into. Judges and readers will not comment on individual stories or give feedback on individual stories.
13. All entrants agree to have their work published in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 17, in both print and ebook formats, should they be the author of one of the 15 shortlisted stories. Authors will retain worldwide copyright on their work (including film, broadcast and dramatic rights), while the Bristol Short Story Prize has first publication rights to publish the 15 shortlisted stories in the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology. Each of the shortlisted stories must never have been previously published, in print or online (including self-published, ebook, magazines, journals, websites, blogs, social network sites), or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition on or before 7 June 2025.
14. Once notified that they have been selected for the Bristol Short Story Prize shortlist and will be published in Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 17, all shortlisted writers must confirm that their shortlisted story has not been published in print or online (including self-published, ebook, magazines, journals, websites, blogs, social network sites), or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition on or before 7 June 2025. All shortlisted writers must also confirm and verify that their shortlisted story will not be published or is not due to be published in print or online (including self-published, ebook, magazines, journals, websites, blogs, social network sites), or due to be broadcast or due to win a prize in another writing competition on or before 7 June 2025.
15. Each of the shortlisted authors will receive one free copy of the paperback version of Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology.
16. Prizes for 2025 are: 1st prize £1000, 2nd prize £500, 3rd prize £250. Each of the 12 remaining shortlisted writers will receive £50. All prizes will be awarded at the University of Bristol’s annual Writers’ Day on Saturday, 7 June 2025, and will be sent to any of the writers who are unable to attend the awards ceremony. Prizes, including free copy of the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology as well as cash prizes, are not dependent on winners attending the Writers’ Day.
17. Entrants will not be contacted individually about the competition results unless they are selected for the shortlist. The 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize longlist and shortlist will be announced on the Bristol Short Story Prize website as well as at the Univresity of Bristol Writers’ Day. The Bristol Short Story Prize longlist of 30 stories will be posted on the Bristol Short Story Prize website by 15 March 2025, and the 2023 Bristol Short Story Prize shortlist of 15 stories will be posted on the Bristol Short Story Prize website by 15 May 2025. The top 3 prize winners of the Bristol Short Story Prize will be displayed on the website within one week after the awards ceremony at Writers’ Day at the University of Bristol on 7 June 2025.
18. Entry implies an acceptance of all the Bristol Short Story Prize 2025 rules. Entries that fail to comply with the entry rules and requirements may be disqualified.