Entries open for Bristol Short Story Prize 2023

Entries open for Bristol Short Story Prize 2023

Posted on: 29 Dec 2022

This year’s edition of the international writing competition, which opens to all published and unpublished authors from all over, was won by Pembrokeshire-based writer Diana Powell back in October.

 

The 2023 Bristol Short Story Prize is open for entries now and closes on Wednesday 26 April. 

 

Entries can be made online or by post.

 

 

The 2022 Bristol Short Story Prize has been won by Welsh author Diana Powell for her story, A Cure For All Our Ills. The second-place spot went to British-Pakistani writer Sufiyaan Salam for his story Wimmy Road Boyz and Johanna Spiers won third prize for OldFish – which also won the Sansom Prize for Bristol writers.

 

Speaking about winning the prestigious award, Diana Powell told Bristol Short Story Prize: 

 

“When Jessica announced the winner of the Bristol Short Story Prize and said my name, together with the title of my story… it was completely unexpected and I couldn’t believe it. I said this to the other writers and guests afterwards and I’ve said it ever since, though I’m not sure if anyone believes me…

 

“But it’s true. How could my story, set just up the road from my house, in rural West Wales, a ‘folk’ tale, told in simple language, be chosen as the top story out of over two thousand international entries?”

 

The top 3 stories plus the other 17 on the 2022 shortlist are available to read now in the brilliant new Volume 15 anthology, available to order now from Bristol publisher, Tangent Books. It is also available to order from other bookshops and online outlets.

Attention now turns to the 2023 prize. All entrants must be over the age of 16 and will be judged anonymously and stories and manuscripts should be free of all personal information. 

 

The maximum length of submissions is 4,000 words and there are no minimum lengths. Stories can also cover any theme or subject and be any style including, graphic, verse or genre-based.

 

The closing date for entries is Wednesday 26 April 2023 at midnight; there are no geographical restrictions on entry and entries can be made online here or by post.

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Article by:

Stanley Gray

Stan is a born and bred Bristolian, recently graduated from studying English Literature in Sheffield. His passions are music and literature and he spends the majority of his time in venues all over the city, immersing himself in Bristol’s alternative music scene. A lifelong Bristol City fan, Stan’s Saturdays are spent watching his team both home and away.