*SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED*
Winners: Fiona Ritchie Walker, Craig Smith, & Shabnam Ahsan (Click here to see the full list of finalists!)
Anthology details can be found here
FREE ENTRY (Limited to one short story submission per entrant)


Prizes
– 1st Prize £250, 2nd Prize £125, 3rd Prize £75
– Submissions deemed Highly Recommended will be printed alongside the top prize winners in a new anthology and receive a cash prize of £15
– All those printed in the anthology are entitled to a year’s free membership at the Nottingham Writers’ Studio, regardless of locality.


Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Nottingham Writers’ Studio launched the ‘George Floyd Short Story Competition’ in remembrance and in protest against his senseless death. We had over 150 excellent entries with the very best 27 being chosen for our anthology ‘Black Lives.’


“The murder of George Floyd by a man who was meant to protect him is a tragedy. This competition is intended to commemorate his life and shine a spotlight on the BAME community and their stories.” – Alan Walker, NWS Chair


In that same spirit of protest, we were proud to launch the next chapter. From November 26th 2021 to March 31st 2022 the second year of the competition accepted stories of up to 5,000 words on the theme of ‘EARTH 2.0’


Global warming is the big issue of the day, disproportionately affecting developing nations. As the world heats up, the changing climate will likely be the greatest challenge future generations face; whether this be environmental, or socio-political (though the two seem to walk hand in hand…)  We couldn’t think of a worthier topic for writers to explore.


Entrants were free to write in any genre, even take contrarian views, but it had to be original work.


This competition is open to all as we welcome the experiences of advocates and allies as well as voices from the black community. Above all, we want to ensure in publishing the anthology we amplify, centre, and celebrate the voices and writings of BAME authors.


The winning and highly recommended stories will be published in a new anthology printed by Nottingham Writers’ Studio entitled ‘Earth 2.0.’


The competition is fully funded by the Nottingham Writers’ Studio board. This year, all profits made on the sale of the anthology will be donated to the World Food Programme. One of the most devastating effects of climate change is the destruction of arable farming land leading to famine and displacement of vulnerable people. This anthology will make a modest, but hopeful step in trying to help this very worthwhile cause.


“BAME individuals make up 13% of the British population, but only 6% of published authors… At the studio we think this is not only a disservice to the BAME community, but also to ourselves. It is our hope that by running this event, we can do our own small part to help rectify this imbalance.”
– NWS Board. Read the full post and learn more about the competition’s background here.

Guidelines for Submission

  • Please read the full list of Terms & Conditions prior to submission.
  • This is a competition for short stories only (5000 words max. No minimum)
  • All genres/styles – both fiction and non-fiction – are accepted.
  • One short story per entrant.
  • The submission must not have been submitted to another competition (decision pending) or already in print/published online.
  • The submission must be the author’s original work.
  • Submissions must be typed in a standardised font, 12 point and double spaced on the document.
  • Submissions must be final drafts in PDF format. No edits or revisions can be made after submission.
  • The name of the author must not appear on the PDF document.
  • Submissions to be sent by email to admin@nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk along with a short bio (no more than 100 words) with a photograph of the author attached. This bio and image may be used for promotional purposes and if awarded a place in print will be used in the ‘Earth 2.0’ anthology.