If you love writing short, sharp, powerful fiction, the Bath Flash Fiction Award is an exciting international competition to enter – challenging writers to tell a complete story in just 300 words. With a top prize of £1,000, publication opportunities, and global recognition, it’s a brilliant platform for both emerging and established writers to showcase their storytelling at its most distilled and impactful. If you want to learn the craft of writing short-form fiction first, take a look at our Short Story Essentials course.
Here’s the details from the competition website:
Our goal is to promote flash fiction for both writers and readers and to bring the genre to a wider audience. Running a three-times-a-year rolling flash fiction award with substantial prizes and chance of publication gives writers a big incentive to create great flash.
In summary:
- 300 word limit.
- £1000 prize for the winner, £300 second and £100 third. Two commendations £30 each.
- 50 longlisted entrants offered publication in our end of year print and digital anthology. Those accepting receive a free print copy.
- Flash Award judge, Alison Woodhouse, shortlists to 20 and chooses the winning, second, third, and two commended fictions.
- The current Flash Fiction Award round closes Midnight 7 June 2026 GMT.
- Winners will be announced by 1 July 2026 on our Winners pages.
Eligibility
- Entrants must be 16 years or over.
- Entry is open to everyone; locally, nationally and internationally.
- An entry can only be made by the work’s individual author.
- Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. Non-winning Ad Hoc Fiction eBook entries are exempt, hence are eligible for entry.
- Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years is not eligible.
- The standard fee is £9.00 GBP for one submission. Reductions are available for multiple entries and early submission.
- Simultaneous submission is permitted. Should your fiction win a prize or be published elsewhere, please let us know so that we may remove your entry from the current Award. We will also refund your entry fee subject to our Refunds rule below.
- Authors retain full worldwide copyright throughout.
Prize
The prize for each competition is £1000 First, £300 Second, £100 Third. The judge will choose a further two for commendation, £30 prize for each. The results of the competition will be announced on the Bath Flash Fiction Award website.
Entrants retain copyright. First, second, third and two commended fictions are published on our site. Shortlisted and longlisted entries only have their titles and author names published for announcement purposes.
All entrants will be considered for print publication in our forthcoming Bath Flash Fiction Award Anthology, due out at the end of this year. Entry constitutes acceptance of all Bath Flash Fiction Award Rules, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policies. Entries that fail to comply with rules, terms and conditions, privacy policies and requirements will be disqualified. No correspondence can be entered into, Judges’ decisions are final.
For more information and to submit your entry, go to the Bath Flash Fiction Award website.
