Deadline
15 March 2021
Who may enter
The Award is open to British nationals and UK residents, aged 18 years or over.
Language
English
Details
The BBC National Short Story Award is one of the most prestigious for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000, and four further shortlisted authors £600 each. The stories are broadcast on Radio 4 and published in an anthology by Comma Press.
The 2020 winner of the BBC National Short Story Award was Sarah Hall for ‘The Grotesques’, a timeless and unsettling story set against a backdrop of privilege and inequality in a university town. This was the second win for Hall who also won the prize in 2013. Previous alumni of the award include Lionel Shriver, Zadie Smith, Hilary Mantel, Jon McGregor, Ingrid Persaud, Cynan Jones and Jo Lloyd.
Applicants are encouraged to make their submission using the online Entry Form as early as possible before the deadline. If applicants are unable to access the online Entry Form, entries can be submitted by post.
Entry fees
There is no entry fee
Prizes
Award of £15,000 for the winner, £600 for four (4) further shortlisted stories
How to enroll
Rules and submission links