Welcome to the New Writers Historical Flash Fiction Competition 2025. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, we’re offering a top prize of £500. The top three entries will win cash prizes and be published on our website and in the next issue of the New Writers Anthology.
This is a historical flash fiction competition for stories of up to 300 words on any theme or subject, but it must be set before 1960. Whether you choose to set your story a hundred years ago or two thousand, be sure to immerse the reader in the time and place.
The deadline is 23.59 (UK time) on Wednesday, 5th November 2025, and 10% of the competition proceeds will be split between two UK-registered charities, First Story and The Funzi & Bodo Trust.
Additional Prize for Stories Set in a Historic House
If you set your story in one of these Historic Houses historic properties, you will also be in contention for the additional prize of a year’s membership for one or two adults (living at the same address).
This prize is offered courtesy of Historic Houses – who are also offering £5 off new memberships (use the Historic Houses discount code TREX05). The winning entry of this additional prize will also be published in the Historic Houses Magazine.
So whether you write a ghost story set in Blenheim Palace or Balmoral Castle, or perhaps a poem or story set in Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, or even The Foundling Museum, there are hundreds of fantastic settings to choose from.
Note that setting your entry in one of the Historic Houses properties is optional. If you do, it is possible to win one of the main competition prizes and the additional Historic Houses prize.
New Writers Historical Flash Fiction Competition 2025 – At A Glance:
- Deadline: 23:59 (UK time) on Wednesday 5th November 2025
- Entry Fee: £8 per entry (£15 for two entries or £21 for three entries, when submitted together)
- Main Prizes: 1st: £500; 2nd: £300; 3rd: £200
- Additional Prize: The best story set in one of these historic properties will win a year’s Historic Houses membership for one or two adults (living at the same address)
- Publication: The three winning entries will be published on the NewWriters.org.uk website and in the next New Writers Anthology; the winning Historic Houses entry will be published in the Historic Houses Magazine
- Theme: Entries must be set before 1960 (Historic Houses setting optional)
- Judges: New Writers Editorial Team
- Word Limit: 300 words (excluding title)
- Charity: 10% of all proceeds will be donated to charity (split between First Story & the Funzi & Bodo Trust)
- Please read the full Historical Flash Fiction Competition Terms & Conditions before entering.
- Winners and those who have made the shortlist will be notified by email no later than Wednesday 17th December 2025. The announcement of winners and shortlisted entries will also be made no later than this date.
Low Income Entries: We want to make the competition accessible to as many writers as possible. We therefore have a limited number of free entries (one per person) for low-income writers, available on a first-come, first-served basis (though no later than 23rd October 2025). Please see the terms and conditions for details.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
- Go to the ENTRY FORM page.
- Click on the PayPal button and follow the instructions to pay the relevant entry fee: £8.00 (one entry), £15.00 (two entries), or £21.00 (three entries).
- You can pay through your PayPal account or by a Debit Credit card (both options are administered by PayPal).
- Once you have submitted your payment, you will receive a confirmation email from PayPal confirming your payment. Make a note of the transaction ID.
- Fill in the entry form including the PayPal transaction ID, your name, your email address, pen name/alias (optional) and the title(s) of your entry/entries.
- If your entry is set (wholly or partially) in one or more of the Historic Houses properties, click the relevant box (to be considered for the additional prize)
- Upload your entry/entries by clicking ‘Choose File’, ensuring it is in one of the supported file types (Microsoft Word Document, PDF, .docx, .odt). When your entry is uploaded, it will show a little red cross (this is not an error).
- Read the Competition Rules, Terms & Conditions and tick the box to confirm you have done so and that you agree to them.
- Click to sign up to the monthly newsletter (optional but gives access to free-to-enter writing competitions with cash prizes, writing tips and more).
- Submit your entry or entries.
- If you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours (and it’s not in your spam folder), please email: david@newwriters.org.uk.
About Historic Houses
Historic Houses have kindly offered to provide an additional prize for our first-ever Historical Flash Fiction Competition: a year’s membership for two adults (worth £128), which gives access to hundreds of their most fascinating houses and gardens. (Note that if you’d like to join Historic Houses, you can get £5 off new memberships using the Historic Houses Discount Code: TREX05.)
The organisation is an independent, not-for-profit cooperative that brings together more than a thousand historic houses, castles, and gardens across the country. Each place is independently owned and managed, many as private family homes, while others operate as charities, museums, businesses, or institutions.
Its role is to champion and advise these properties, offering practical support to help them thrive and remain part of the nation’s living heritage for future generations.
Some of the most iconic properties that fall within the cooperative (that could be great settings for historical flash fiction) include:
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
In the heart of Manchester, this restored Regency villa was once home to the acclaimed Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell. Today, it offers visitors an intimate glimpse into her family life, literary circle, and the world that inspired classics such as Cranford and North and South.
Blenheim Palace
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oxfordshire, Blenheim Palace is one of Britain’s grandest stately homes. Built in the early 18th century, it was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and remains a landmark of Baroque design.
Eastnor Castle
Set in the Malvern Hills of Herefordshire, Eastnor is a dramatic 19th-century revival of a medieval fortress. With its grand towers, lakeside setting, and richly decorated interiors, it remains both a family home and a striking example of the Gothic revival style.
Burghley House
This Elizabethan masterpiece in Lincolnshire was created for William Cecil, chief minister to Elizabeth I. Its dramatic architecture and richly decorated interiors make it one of the finest houses of its era.
Balmoral Castle
Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, Balmoral has been the private residence of the Royal Family since the 19th century. Its turrets, gardens, and vast estate reflect both royal heritage and the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
The Foundling Museum
In London’s Bloomsbury, the Foundling Museum tells the story of the UK’s first children’s charity and public art gallery. Its collections link art, music, and social history to the lives of the children once cared for at the Foundling Hospital.
Hever Castle
Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, this moated castle in Kent tells a story that spans from medieval fortifications to Tudor romance. Its award-winning gardens add to the historic charm.
Raby Castle
A medieval fortress in County Durham, Raby has been lived in for generations by the Vane family. Its scale, striking parkland, and ongoing restoration projects keep it vibrant and relevant today.
Penshurst Place
In the heart of Kent, Penshurst has been the Sidney family’s home since the 16th century. Famous for its baronial hall and extensive walled gardens, it offers a rare glimpse of continuity across centuries.
Kelmarsh Hall
This Palladian house in Northamptonshire is celebrated for both its elegant architecture and its romantic gardens. Designed and cared for over the years by leading landscape designers, the grounds remain a highlight.