Free entry competitions
Parsec are running a sci-fi short story competition on the theme of metamorphosis. I thought I'd already mentioned it, but didn't recognise the image, so maybe that was a previous competeion from them? Or I could just be getting even more forgetful. Anyway, the prize is $200.
Thanks to Alyson Hilbourne for both of these -
Toasted Cheese are running three free entry competitions this year. They all offer publication and Amazon gift vouchers as prizes. General rules are here, then click the links at the bottom for details of each individual competition.
The Tom Grass Spirit of Adventure literary prize is for fiction or non-fiction of 1,500 to 3,000 on the spirit of adventure. Entrants must not have agent representation or have a book under contract with a mainstream publisher. First prize is £1,000.
And thanks to Aly Rhodes for this one -
Deeping Literary have a short story competition with the theme of Hidden Treasures. The prize is a £30 book token and the opportunity to be published. There's also a children's category.
Other publication opportunities
I recently found this site, which lists lots of places you might like to send your work. Scroll down a bit and you'll find tables with links the the appropriate websites, pay rates (ifthey do pay) and notes on what each publication is looking for. There is a small overlap with my own database, but also lots of markets I was unaware of.
13 comments:
Hurrah, I've found my way back here again.
Happy New Year, a little late.
After a far too chaotic 2025, I've decided to make the time to write more in 2026.
I have so many half written pieces on my laptop... it's about time I finished some of them off.
I've just submitted a story to Best for their Valentine's Day competition... good luck to all who've entered!
Thank you Patsy, Alyson and Aly for all the info and links.
Looking at the Toasted Cheese competition with the Amazon vouchers made me wonder if anyone has ever won them in a US competition like this before.
Could we use an Amazon.com $ voucher with an Amazon UK £ account? If anyone knows, I’d love to hear.
Sorry, I didn't get round to finishing off this post properly! I've had one of those weeks where time just seems to disappear.
Thank you, Alyson, Aly and Patsy. I have one all ready for Parsec and the Deeping one too so will be editing and sending soon. Thank you.
Fiona, I was lucky enough to be placed in Toasted Cheese Winter a couple of years ago. The voucher was simply linked to my UK a/c via my email. No problems. I did try (pushing my luck!) to claim ALCS on the ISSN but it doesn't work for US sites. (I've just re-read that: FAR too many acronyms for a Saturday!)
I had a 24 hour rejection from TPF so keeping up the regular routine :) In my defence, I hadn't started my immersion therapy ;) I have now...
Thanks, Patsy and Aly for the comps. I have something that I can submit to Parsec and I like the look of the Deepings Literary Festival. I'll try and have a go at that.
Good luck to everyone else entering any of these!
Alyson
Thanks for letting me know Marguerite and belated congrats on that Toasted Cheese win plus commiserations for TPF rejection. All the best with your Parsec and Deeping entries!
Thanks Patsy & all for all the updates and new information. Always good to know of new opportunities even if I don't always avail of them. Marguerite 2026 is the year you'll get TPF monkey off your back, I'm sure of it. Keep reading and keep going.
Ally27
Happy New Year! Wow, what a fab post to begin the new year. Definitely some interesting opportunities to explore. Many thanks to Patsy, Alyson and Aly for the info and links. Will check out that website too, so thank you Patsy.
I have very little to report. I submitted two stories to Andrew Shaw this week and I received a rejection from the TPF. I'm determined that 2026 will be the year that I finally get published in TPF, so I hope they're ready for me:) I'm channelling the Finnish grit (Sisu) of my forefathers:) I am also working on a story for the Best Valentine's Themed competition. Best of luck to anyone else who's entering/has entered.
I don't know if anyone here follows Chinese Astrology. I don't set that much store by it but despite being a Snake, 2025 was a stinker of a year for me, so I'm hoping that as we move into the year of the Horse in February, my luck - and that of anyone else who had a rough ride last year - will be reversed. Here's hoping that everyone thrives in 2026, in every way. Happy writing!
Thank you Patsy, Alyson and Aly for all the comp information, what an interesting mix.
Nothing submitted this week, but I do need to spend some time getting more organised and keeping better records of what I have sent, where I sent it and when…!
Dee
Like you, Ally, I had a stinker of a year last year so am hoping this year is a vast improvement. I love horses. Best Valentine's entry submitted this afternoon! Good luck.
Ally27
@Helen - thank you and the same to you. Good luck.
Well done to all with positive news.
I too, received a reject from TPF. I've been published by them with poems, letters and reader's snippets, taken from FB, but I've never had a story accepted. I'll give myself a good long break now from it, as I'm getting fed up.
I haven't got anything for the best valentine comp.
I've finished a new story - my first for this year. I'm entering some stories for the scribble themed competition, which has free entry for subscribers.
I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I wannuunununt to die I want to die I want to dimimimimie I want to die I want to die I want to die I want tohuuhyhhy die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want tujujujujo die I want to die I want to die I wimimimimimant to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want tmjimimimo die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die I want to die
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