The Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize
8 November 2026
The story must be written in English and must be no longer than 6 000 words. They love fiction in all of its forms – experimental, ‘literary’, crime, fantasy, Sci-Fi – and the only thing that matters is quality. The competition is open to both unpublished and published writers, and from anywhere in the world. There are no age restrictions.
Prizes
- The winner of the 2026/27 Short Story Prize will receive a cash prize of £3000.
- Shortlisterd authors will each be awarded a cash prize of £200. In addition, their story will be printed in pocket-book format and distributed to libraries, charities and other literary organisations in the UK.
- Each longlisted author will receive £50 of bookshop vouchers, plus a 4-book subscription to Galley Beggar Press.
Entry fee:
- £11 per story
- Free entries. Each year, they aim to offer a significant number of free entries, in order to make sure that writers who would like to enter (but cannot afford to) are not excluded. This year, they are able to offer 200 free entries. These are offered on a first come, first serve basis, and by emailing your request to info@galleybeggar.co.uk (these places are offered for as long as they are available and on trust; they do not need you to supply evidence or to feel that you need to offer an explanation).
Submission Deadline: 8 November 2026 (UK time).