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Our current competition: New Writers Poetry Writing Competition 2026 – Deadline: 15th July 2026. Prizes: 1st: £1,000; 4x Runners-up: £100.
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The Dorothy Dunnett Society / HWA Short Story Award 2026
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The Dorothy Dunnett Society / HWA Short Story Award 2026 is open to short stories that are set at least 35 years in the past. The competition is run by the Historical Writers’ Association and the Dorothy Dunnett Society and the winner will receive £500, mentoring sessions from publishing experts and publication in Whispering Gallery and on www.historiamag.com. Two further highly commended writers will also be offered mentoring.
All six shortlisted writers will have their stories published as an ebook / print on demand edition by the HWA and Dorothy Dunnett Society via Amazon and each shortlisted author will receive two print copies. The longlist will be announced on 23 September. Shortlisted, highly commended and winning stories announced on 7 October and shortlisted authors will be invited the the Crown Awards Ceremony in November 2026 in central London.
From the organisers: ‘This competition is for unpublished short stories of up to 3,500 words and held to celebrate the works of Dorothy Dunnett and the enduring appeal of Historical Fiction. Choose your theme, your genre and your period and bring the past alive. The only condition is that your story is set at least 35 years in the past. The judges are looking for great storytelling, fresh voices, new perspectives and real ambition in these stories which is why we’ve set a generous word limit. The competition organisers encourage writers to explore any and every aspect of historical fiction from literary to adventure, to crime and romance and to be ambitious and imaginative in the themes they explore.’
Details