Writing Competitions with October 2023 Deadlines

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Sat 01 Jul 2023 - Tue 31 Oct 2023

Turn Your Stories Into Success

You love to pen a story and maybe you’ve already written up a storm, but what a shame it would be if you left your masterpieces languishing on a disk drive or in a drawer. A storywriter is first and foremost a storyteller and storytellers need an audience. Writing competitions are a good way to find that audience and perhaps make a little money for your efforts along the way. The following is a small selection of competitions with October 2023 deadlines. This is by no means an exhaustive list and if you’re really keen, a Google search will reveal many more. Enter something you’ve already written or pen something new. Remember, though, not winning might not mean your work isn’t good; some of these competitions attract more than a thousand entries, but if you would want to analyse what you might do better, look at the article ‘Why Didn’t My Story Win?’


Before you send off your story, I recommend you go through this checklist. I cannot understate the importance of these key considerations and so I will always include them as a precursor to the competition list.
a) The following listings are summaries only and it is imperative that you always check the rules and terms and conditions on the competition website to ensure both you and your story are eligible to enter. For example, most competitions exclude previously published or awarded stories and some have regional or age limits.
b) Make sure you follow all the entry instructions, including those for formatting.
c) Proofread and edit your story before entering it. Make sure you check spelling and grammar.
d) Reading your work aloud is a helpful editing tool. Perhaps even have a friend or family member read it through; a second pair of eyes often sees what the first misses. Modern versions of Microsoft Word have a read aloud function.


e) Some competitions publish non-winning entries on their websites or in anthologies without remuneration. You may be quite happy to just have your story out there; there is nothing wrong with that, but be aware that story is then ‘published’ which prevents entry into most other competitions.
f) Read previous winning entries if they are available. They will give some insight into what they seek, although many competitions have different judges with each passing year and each will have their own likes and dislikes.
g) Prices are correct at the time of writing but may change throughout the year. Ensure you check the websites.
h) If you want to brush up on your writing skills, you find there are a plethora of free courses on almost any writing topic. You can check these out in the article 73 Free Writing Courses You Can Do at Home.
All that remains to be said is have a go and good luck.


1. Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing 2024 - Alan Marshall Short Story Award
Full Details: https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Explore/Arts-and-culture/Opportunities-for-artists/Nillumbik-Prize-for-Contemporary-Writing
Country of Origin: Australia
Open to: All Australian residents for the open award and for the local award to Australian residents who work, live or study in Nillumbik.
Theme: Resistance
Word Count: to 2,500 words
Open for submissions: 1st July 2023
Submission Deadline: 2nd October 2023
Expected Results Date: May 2024
Prizes: Open AUD $5,000 Local AUD $2,500
Publication: Unknown
Entry Fees: Open AUD $25 Local AUD $10 Entry is free for Concession Card Holders and for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
Critique Offered: No

2. Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing 2024 - Memoir
Full Details: https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Explore/Arts-and-culture/Opportunities-for-artists/Nillumbik-Prize-for-Contemporary-Writing
Country of Origin: Australia
Open to: All Australian residents for the open award and for the local award to Australian residents who work, live or study in Nillumbik.
Theme: Memoir
Word Count: to 2,500 words
Open for submissions: 1st July 2023
Submission Deadline: 2nd October 2023
Expected Results Date: May 2024
Prizes: Open AUD $5,000 Local $2,500
Publication: Unknown
Entry Fees: Open AUD $25 Local AUD $10 Entry is free for Concession Card Holders and for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
Critique Offered: No

3. 2023 Ernestine Hill Memorial Award
Full Details: https://fawnsw.org.au/conditions-2023-ernestine-hill-memorial-award/
Country of Origin: Australia
Open to: permanent residents of Australia
Theme: Open but must be in a rural setting
Word Count: to 4,000 words
Open for submissions: Currently open
Submission Deadline: 21st October 2023
Expected Results Date: Unknown
Prizes: AUD $1,000
Publication: Fellowship’s bulletin Writers Voice and on the FAW NSW website.
Entry Fees: AUD $20
Critique Offered: No


4. Flash Fiction Short Story Competition
Full Details: https://fiction-factory.biz/short-story-competition/
Country of Origin: UK
Open to: People writing in English
Theme: Open
Word Count: to 3,000 words
Open for submissions: Currently open
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2023
Expected Results Date: January 2024
Prizes: £500
Publication: On their website
Entry Fees: Entry Fee: £7.00 (£13 for 2 stories, £18 for 3 stories)
Critique Offered: Optional critique: £30.00

5. Positive Words Short Story Competition 2023
Full Details: https://positivewordsmagazine.wordpress.com/competitions/
Country of Origin: Australia
Open to: Anybody writing in English
Theme: Open
Word Count: to 500 words
Open for submissions:
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2023
Expected Results Date:
Prizes: AUD $100 / 1 year subscription to Positive Words magazine
Publication: Inn Positive Words Magazine
Entry Fees: AUD $4.40 or $15 for 4
Critique Offered: No

6. Shooter Flash Monthly Rolling Flash Fiction Competition
Full Details: https://shooterlitmag.com/shooter-flash/
Country of Origin: UK
Open to: People writing in English
Theme: Open
Word Count: to 1,000 words
Open for entries: 1st October 2023
Submission Deadline: 30th October 2023
Expected Results Date: 31st November 2023
Prizes: £50 and publication
Publication: Website
Entry Fees: £3.50
Critique Offered: No


7. Short Story Substack - Palisatrium
Full Details: https://shortstory.substack.com/
Country of Origin: USA
Open to: Anybody writing in English
Theme: Open
Word Count: 6 words to 10,000 words
Open for entries: Ongoing
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2023
Expected Results Date: Mid November 2023
Prizes: USD $100 plus 50% subscriptions
Publication: On the website
Entry Fees: No entry fee
Critique Offered: No

8. The Bedford 2023 Short Story Competition
Full Details: https://bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk/BWC/php/rules.php
Country of Origin: UK
Open to: People writing in English
Theme: Open
Word Count: to 3,000 words
Open for submissions: 1st May 2023
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2023
Expected Results Date: Timetable to be advised after closing date
Prizes: 1st prize £1,000, 2nd prize £200, 3rd prize £100
Publication: Unknown
Entry Fees: £7.50 for 1 entry or £15 for 3
Critique Offered: No

9. The Best of Times Short Story Competition
Full Details: http://wildthoughts.com.au/bot.html
Country of Origin: Australia
Open to: Anyone writing in English
Theme: Humorous
Word Count: to 2,500 words
Open for submissions: Currently open
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2023
Expected Results Date:
Prizes: AUD 70%, 10% and 5% of total entry fees
Publication: On the website
Entry Fees: AUD $10
Critique Offered: No


10. The Larry Brown Short Story Award
Full Details: https://pitheadchapel.com/larrybrown/
Country of Origin: USA
Open to: Internationals
Theme: Open
Word Count: to 4,000 words
Open for submissions: 1st August 2023
Submission Deadline: 31st October 2023
Expected Results Date: 15th December 2023
Prizes: USD 1st prize $500, 2nd prize $50, 3rd prize $50 and 2 x books
Publication: Pithead Chapel Magazine
Entry Fees: USD $10
Critique Offered: No

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