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See below for the latest writing competitions for poetry, flash fiction, short stories, novels and non-fiction.
Our current competition: New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2026
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Competition Details
The Bridport Memoir Award is for those who have a powerful, interesting or entertaining story to tell about their own life.
While the £1,500 top prize is significantly less (and the £24 entry fee significantly more) than for the Short Story Prize, the doors opened by a win or even a shortlist in the Peggy Chapman-Andrews makes it well worth entering.
To enter you need to submit an extract of between 5,000 and 8,000 words from the opening chapters of your memoir, plus a 300-word overview. If you make it to the longlist, you’ll then need to submit 15,000 words (including your initial submission); then if you make the shortlist you’ll need to send in a total of 30,000 words. So, only enter if you have made significant progress with your memoir.
The judge for the memoir competition is Kit de Waal, who has not only won the Bridport Prize for Flash Fiction twice in the past, but has written a brilliant novel (My Name is Leon) and an outstanding memoir (Without Warning & Only Sometimes).
As well as the prizes mentioned above, the top five entries will receive appraisal from The Literary Consultancy and the winner will also gain a consultation with literary agent A.M. Health and publisher Hachette, which could prove invaluable (though there are no promises you’ll get a publishing deal out of it!).
Details