Stringybark Short Story Award

If short and sharp and twisted is your thing, here's the contest for you! The Stringybark Short Story Award, now in its third year, is looking for short stories, up to a maximum of 1500 words, in any genre for its annual contest. There are only two requirements: there has to be a 'nifty twist' at the end which will leave the judges gasping (well, ok, entertain them at least!), and it must in some way, shape or form, have a link to Australia. 

Entry fee: AUD$9.75 for one entry, $18 for two stories, $25 for a maximum of three stories

Prize: First prize: AUD$300 cash; Second AUD$125; 3rd AUD$50.  All prize winners also receive a certificate, paper and electronic publication in The Stringybark Award Anthology and a free copy of the anthology. Highly commended stories may also be published in the Anthology.

Open to: Anyone, anywhere, any age, writing in English

Deadline: 4 March 2012

Website:    2012 Stringybark Short Story Award

Bridport Prize for Poetry, Short Stories & Flash Fiction

Founded by the Bridport Arts Centre in Dorset UK, this writing prize has been going since 1973.  This was a time when writers belted out novels on manual typewriters, there were fewer than 60 computers connected to the internet and long-distance phone calls were so expensive, we spent the first minute of the call talking about how expensive the call would be.  

Now that we live in a much faster world, a new "Flash Fiction" category has been introduced. If you're a Twitter fan you shouldn't have any trouble creating a complete micro-story using no more than 250 words.

Short story writers have 5,000 words to play with and poets can write up to 42 lines.

Entry fee: £6 per flash fiction, £7 per poem and £8 per story

Prize for poetry and short stories: 

1st £5000

2nd £1000

3rd £500

plus 10 supplementary prizes of £50 each

Prize for flash fiction: 

1st £1000

2nd £500

3rd £250

plus 3 supplementary prizes of £25 each

Open to: Writers worldwide (over 16 years old), writing in English

Deadline: 31 May 2012

Website:   The Bridport Prize

Closed - Small Wonder Prose Poem/Microfiction Anthology

The Small Wonder Prose Poetry/Microfiction competition is an initiative of Spineless Wonders, a leading edge Australian publishing company focussed on short, quality fiction writing by Australians, wherever they may be. Electronic submissions only, via the website link below. They are happy for you to blur your genres, so if you haven't yet figured out if you are writing prose, poetry, prose poetry, poetic fiction or something new entirely, this is probably the competition for you!

Entry fee: AUD$7 per entry.

Prize:  First Prize AUD$300, Commended entries AUD$100.  All prize winners will be published in the small wonder anthology. 

Word limit: 800 words

Open to: Australian citizens (everywhere) and Australian permanent residents, over 18 years of age.

Deadline:  16 December 2011

Website:   Small Wonders - Spineless Wonders

Closed - Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards

The Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards have something for everyone!  There are 20 different awards, including full length fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short stories, anthologies, short stories, scripts, anthologies and group writing. This is definitely an opportunity to flex your writer's muscles.

Entry fee: Free to AUD$15, depending on category.

Prize:  First Prizes in 20 different categories range from AUD$100 to AUD$1000. Major awards also have plaques and medallions.

Open to: Residents of Australia and its Territories, including specific categories for school-age students

Deadline:  30 November 2011

Website: FAW 2011 National Literary Awards

Closed - Inktears Short Story Competition

UK-based Inktears aims to bring readers and writers together and has a very active membership of both. Writers worldwide are asked to submit short stories on any theme, between 1000 and 3000 words - either unpublished or published prior to April 2011.

Apart from the pretty fabulous GBP1000 first prize, all winners will be published to the Inktears readership (online and in hard copy), have their bio published on the Inktears website and, if they have enough quality stories, may even be offered a publishing contract by Inktears! What are you waiting for?!

Entry fee: GBP4.50 

Prize:  GBP1000 first prize, GBP100 runner up, GBP25 highly commended

Open to: Anyone, anywhere, as long as you are 18 years and over

Deadline:  30 November 2011

Website:   Inktears Short Story Competition 2011

Closed - The Hal Porter Short Story Competition

The 18th Annual Hal Porter Short Story Competition, run by the East Gippsland Art Gallery, invites Australian writers to submit short stories, in English, up to 2500 words. The style and format is up to you, though it must not have been published before - not even on your blog, so here is the chance to try something fresh and shiny!

First prize is an inspiring AUD$1000 and short listed authors will receive publications from the University of Qld Press.

Entry fee: AUD$6 admin fee

Prize:  AUD$1000 first prize, books for shortlisted entries

Open to: Australian writers

Deadline:  16 December 2011

Website:  Hal Porter Short Story Competition