Too many options when it comes to submitting your work? Here’s our top five comps and subs for May 2026.
Name: Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize Deadline: 23.59 (UK time) on 1st May Wordcount: 1,250 words Genre: Non-fiction Description: The Alpine Fellowship are a charitable foundation that supports, commissions and showcases artists, writers, academics and playwrights. For this year’s writing prize they are looking for pieces of writing (all genres are permitted including fiction, non-fiction, and non-academic essays) on the theme of ‘Joy’. First place will receive a cash prize of £3,000; 2nd place £1,000, and third place £1,000. If poetry is more your thing, there’s also a Poetry Prize, please see website for further details. Entry fee: £10 per entry Website: https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize
Name: The Mo Siewcharran Prize Deadline: 2nd May (11.59pm UK time) Wordcount: Up to the first 10,000 words plus a synopsis of up to 700 words Genre: Romance and psychological thriller Description: unpublished fiction writers from Black, Asian, mixed heritage and/or multiple ethnic backgrounds. This year’s prize is hosted by Bookouture and they are looking for page-turning commercial fiction within the genres of psychological thriller and romance fiction. First prize: £2,500 plus editorial feedback and meeting with a literary agent; second prize: £1,500, feedback and mentoring; third prize: £700, feedback and a hamper. Entry fee: free Name: The Emma Press Deadline: Submission window open from 11th May – 17th May (11.59pm UK time) Wordcount: See submission guidelines on their website Genre: Essays; Short Fiction Description: The Emma Press is an independent publishing house specialising in poetry, short fiction, essays, and children’s books. For their spring submissions window, they are accepting proposals for essays and short fiction (novellas, no short story collections in this round) that could fit well with their existing catalogue. They are keen to see translations in both genres. Entry fee: ‘give-what-you-can’ submission ticket. Free submissions tickets are available to those unable to donate. Website: https://theemmapress.com/about/submissions/ Name: Inkspot Publishing £500 for 500 Flash Fiction Writing Competition Deadline: 17th May (11.59pm UK time) Wordcount:500 words (excluding title) Genre: Flash fiction; Short scripts (either plays or screenplays) Description: Inkspot Publishing is running their first flash fiction competition and are looking for flash fiction stories or short scripts. The winner will receive a cash prize of £500. They are also planning to compile their favourite entries into an e-book, which will also be available in print. The competition is judged by literary agent Peter Buckman from The Ampersand Agency. Entry fee: £10 (or £20 to receive a paragraph of feedback) Website: https://inkspotpublishing.com/competition/500-for-500-flash-fiction-2026/ Name: Wildness Deadline: Rolling basis Wordcount: Poetry: no more than five poems; Fiction & non-fiction: up to 1,000 words. Genre: Poetry; Fiction; Non-fiction Description: Wildness is an online literary journal that publishes poetry, fiction and non-fiction. They publish two issues a year and are currently reading submissions for their Autumn 2026 issue. They are unable to offer payment to contributors but as stated on their website they do nominate for most major prizes (Pushcart, Best of the Net, Best American, etc). Entry fee: Free Website: https://readwildness.com/submit
Name: Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize Deadline: 23.59 (UK time) on 1st May Wordcount: 1,250 words Genre: Non-fiction Description: The Alpine Fellowship are a charitable foundation that supports, commissions and showcases artists, writers, academics and playwrights. For this year’s writing prize they are looking for pieces of writing (all genres are permitted including fiction, non-fiction, and non-academic essays) on the theme of ‘Joy’. First place will receive a cash prize of £3,000; 2nd place £1,000, and third place £1,000. If poetry is more your thing, there’s also a Poetry Prize, please see website for further details. Entry fee: £10 per entry Website: https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize
Name: The Mo Siewcharran Prize Deadline: 2nd May (11.59pm UK time) Wordcount: Up to the first 10,000 words plus a synopsis of up to 700 words Genre: Romance and psychological thriller Description: unpublished fiction writers from Black, Asian, mixed heritage and/or multiple ethnic backgrounds. This year’s prize is hosted by Bookouture and they are looking for page-turning commercial fiction within the genres of psychological thriller and romance fiction. First prize: £2,500 plus editorial feedback and meeting with a literary agent; second prize: £1,500, feedback and mentoring; third prize: £700, feedback and a hamper. Entry fee: free Name: The Emma Press Deadline: Submission window open from 11th May – 17th May (11.59pm UK time) Wordcount: See submission guidelines on their website Genre: Essays; Short Fiction Description: The Emma Press is an independent publishing house specialising in poetry, short fiction, essays, and children’s books. For their spring submissions window, they are accepting proposals for essays and short fiction (novellas, no short story collections in this round) that could fit well with their existing catalogue. They are keen to see translations in both genres. Entry fee: ‘give-what-you-can’ submission ticket. Free submissions tickets are available to those unable to donate. Website: https://theemmapress.com/about/submissions/ Name: Inkspot Publishing £500 for 500 Flash Fiction Writing Competition Deadline: 17th May (11.59pm UK time) Wordcount:500 words (excluding title) Genre: Flash fiction; Short scripts (either plays or screenplays) Description: Inkspot Publishing is running their first flash fiction competition and are looking for flash fiction stories or short scripts. The winner will receive a cash prize of £500. They are also planning to compile their favourite entries into an e-book, which will also be available in print. The competition is judged by literary agent Peter Buckman from The Ampersand Agency. Entry fee: £10 (or £20 to receive a paragraph of feedback) Website: https://inkspotpublishing.com/competition/500-for-500-flash-fiction-2026/ Name: Wildness Deadline: Rolling basis Wordcount: Poetry: no more than five poems; Fiction & non-fiction: up to 1,000 words. Genre: Poetry; Fiction; Non-fiction Description: Wildness is an online literary journal that publishes poetry, fiction and non-fiction. They publish two issues a year and are currently reading submissions for their Autumn 2026 issue. They are unable to offer payment to contributors but as stated on their website they do nominate for most major prizes (Pushcart, Best of the Net, Best American, etc). Entry fee: Free Website: https://readwildness.com/submit