Too many options when it comes to submitting your work? Here’s our top five comps and subs for June 2025.
Name: Scotland’s Stories – Scottish Book Trust
Deadline: Friday 6th June, 11.59pm BST
Wordcount: up to 1,000 words
Genre: Entries can be in any form: story, poem, comic strip, play, video file, or letter
Description: The Scottish Book Trust’s annual writing opportunity, Scotland’s Stories, is looking for people to submit their true-life stories inspired by this year’s theme: friendship. All entries will appear on the Scottish Book Trust website and their favourite pieces will be included in a free book distributed during Book Week Scotland. Only entries from residents in Scotland will be considered for publication in the book, but anyone can submit a story which will be published on the Scottish Book Trust website.
Entry fee: Free
Website: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/scotlands-stories/friendship-2025
Name: New Writers Hopeful Haiku Competition
Deadline: Tuesday 17 June
Wordcount: three lines with a total of 17 syllables (excluding title)
Genre: Poetry
Description: The theme for the New Writers Haiku competition is Hope. As well as adhering to the theme entries must also follow the rules of haiku poetry. The winner will receive £50 and one free entry to the New Writers Poetry Competition 2025. The winning entry will also be published on the New Writers website and in the New Writers Anthology.
Entry fee: Free, but entrants must sign up to NewWriters.org.uk newsletter
Website: newwriters.org.uk
Name: The Dark – Online Magazine
Deadline: Open submission window
Wordcount: 2,000 – 6,000 words
Genre: Horror and dark fantasy
Description: The Dark is a monthly online magazine that publishes horror and dark fiction. On their website they state: “Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary; be different – try us with fiction that may fall out of “regular” categories. However, it is also important to understand that despite the name, The Dark is not a market for graphic, violet horror.” They pay 5 cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for first world rights; and 1 cent/word for reprint fiction up to 6,000 words on acceptance for non-exclusive reprint rights.
Entry fee: free
Website: thedarkmagazine.com
Name: Hastings Book Festival Writing Competition
Deadline: Monday 30 June
Wordcount: Short stories up to 2,500 words; poems up to 40 lines; creative non-fiction up to 1,000 words
Genre: Short stories; poetry; creative non-fiction
Description: The annual Hasting Book Festival Writing competition is open to anyone from anywhere in the world and entries can be on any theme. The winner will receive £250, second prize £100, and third prize £50. Winning entries will also be published on the Hastings Book Festival website.
Entry fee: Single entry £8.25; two entries £15; Three entries £21 (maximum one entry for creative non-fiction)
Website: hastingsbookfest.org/competitions
Name: To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Competition
Deadline: Monday 30 June
Wordcount: 2,500 words
Genre: Short story
Description: There is no set theme, but stories must contain some element of humour – more specific details on this can be found in the entry rules. The winner will receive £1,000 and their story will be published in the To Hull and Back Short Story Anthology, but that’s not all. The winner’s face will appear on the cover of the anthology and before the winner receives their copy of the anthology, it will be strapped to the handlebars of a Harley Davidson and filmed being ridden to Hull and back. Second prize £200, third price £100, three highly commended £70, and fourteen shortlisted £35. All winning and shortlisted entries will be published in the anthology.
Entry fee: £12 for one story, £20 for two, and three for £24
Website: https://www.christopherfielden.com/to-hull-and-back-humorous-short-story-competition/
