Short Story Competition
Got a potential page-turner inside you? Then polish up your prose and send your entry to this year’s Short Story Competition. First prize is £750, while second and third-place winners will receive £300 and £200 respectively. There is also a special prize of £100 in the category for best local author.
Competitions opened on 1 April and closed on 30 June.
Short Story Judge 2025
Judith Heneghan
Judith is a writer and lecturer. In her early twenties she lived and worked in a community alongside people with learning disabilities near Dover. Later she worked as a commissioning editor before spending several years in Ukraine and Russia.
Judith currently leads the MA Creative Writing at the University of Winchester. Her first novel for adults, Snegurochka is set in Kyiv and was shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards. Her second novel, Birdeye is set in upstate New York. She has also written extensively for young readers.
Competitions open 1 April 2025
Competitions opened 1 April and closed at 5pm on 30 June 2025.
The Prize Giving and Poetry Reading will take place on Monday 20 October starting at 2pm as part of the Festival.