Go for gold
September Unpublished Fiction Authors Print Ready Competition
Closing date: 30th September 2011
Entry fee: None.
Theme – Crime.
Website. creativeprintpublishing.com/publishing/
Capri-sun Perfect Day Competition
Closing date: 30th September 2011
Prizes: “Your Perfect Day” up to £5,000; 17 x £80 gig tickets; 1,000 x £15 iTunes vouchers.
Entry fee: None. Type in your entry online. capri-sun.co.uk/perfectday
The Aeon Award 2011 Short Fiction Contest
Closing date: September 30th
Prizes: €1000 and publication in Albedo One.
Entry fee: €7 per entry.
albedo1.com/
The Ashram Award
Prizes: £1,000
Closing date: 30 September 2010
2011 Spilling Ink Fiction Prize
Closing date: 1st October, 2011.
Prizes: £500, £250, £125,
Entry fee: £5. There is no theme. All styles (including experimental) and genre-based fiction (mystery, crime, fantasy, science fiction, historical) are welcome. Stories up to 3,000 words. spillinginkreview.com/competitions/
Write A Story For Bedtime Competition
Closing date: 28th October 2011.
Prizes: 1st: £500, 2nd: £300, 2 x 3rd: £100 each.
Entry fee: Free and is open to UK residents only, over the age of 18.
Entries should be in English with a minimum length of 1500 words; maximum 3000 words. avogel.co.uk/story/
Atlantis Annual Short Story Contest
Closing date: October 31, 2011
Prizes: $300, $100 $50
Entry fee: $10.
Maximum 1,500 words. Contact e-mail: inquiry@atlantis-shortstorycontest.com
atlantis-shortstorycontest.com/
Southport Writers’ Circle Annual Open Short Story Competition 2011
Closing date: 31st October 2011
Prizes: £200, £100, £50
Entry fee: £3.00 for each story, or £10 for 4.
Unpublished, original story on any theme of up to 2000 words.
Send a cover sheet for each entry with the story’s title, word count, your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address for results. Send entries to: Short Story Competition, Southport Writers’ Circle, Flat 3, 35 Saunders Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 0JH
Earlyworks Press Short Story Competition
Closing date: 31st October 2011
Prizes: £100.
Entry fee: £5 up to 4000 words. 4000 to 8000 words, £10. Max 8000 words.
earlyworkspress.co.uk/Competitions
NAWG Open Short Story Competition
Closing date: 31st October 2011
Prize: £250
Inktears Short Story Competition 2011
Closing date: 30 November 2011.
Prizes: £1,000, £100, £25
Entry fee: £4.50.
Length:1000-3000 words, any theme.
inktears.com for full details.
The New Writer Prose and Poetry Competition – Fiction
Closing Date: 30th November 2011
Prizes: £300, £200, £100.
Entry fees: £5 per short story;
The Fish Short Story Competition
Closing date: 30th November 2011
Prize: €3,000
http://www.fishpublishing.com/short-story-competition-contest.php
HE Bates Short Story Competition
Closing date: December 1st, 2011
Prizes: £150
Entry fee: £4
http://www.hebatescompetition.org.uk/
Here’s an interesting one for those of you of the heaving bosoms and chiseled chins bent…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/sep/15/my-romance-mills-and-boon
And on the other side of the moon… for those of you with an ISBN:
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/article703128.ece
GOOD LUCK!
suehealy 
September 20th, 2011 at 10:11
Thank you so much for this super post – if only I could drum up the courage I may well have a go at one
September 20th, 2011 at 17:23
And what have you got to lose? Go for it!
September 21st, 2011 at 07:52
Thank you so much for collecting all these in one post, there are so many I am getting a little too excited. I will be putting some ships at sea as you might say, and then hopefully I can start getting my first rejection slips soon.
September 26th, 2011 at 16:09
these are all fantastic posts for someone with 2200 words of a novel that actually has a plot i can finish, 20 characters i’ve conjured up over the years who have no home, and a decision i made to make my living with my beloved words, in whatever way i have to. and not by moving, let’s say, to my apartment with a table, a lamp, a laptop and a window in new orleans like i’ve always dreamed…but right here in my life, in my living room. inspiring. thank you!!!
September 26th, 2011 at 17:48
Time to give these characters life! Welcome aboard!
October 23rd, 2011 at 10:15
Hi Sue. I’m taking your advice, and entering a comp. It is an annual short story competition (no more than 800 words) run by the Friends Of Harrogate Library. I thought it would count as my first rejection. Would love some advice on it, when the competition closes. Regards, Tony.
October 23rd, 2011 at 10:28
I’d be happy to advise, Tony. Would you like to PM me about it to: bpapartment at gmail dot com ?
October 24th, 2011 at 11:11
Thanks. The comp closes on 5/11, so I’ll email it too you after that. this is the link to the details:
http://www.wetherbynews.co.uk/lifestyle/local/do_you_have_a_passion_for_writing_and_a_ghoulish_mind_1_3822571