The Bedford Short Story & Poetry Competition

Enter an International Short Story & Poetry Competition 1st Prize £2000 2nd Prize £400 3rd Prize £300 Share your words with us and the world

• Chance of winning up to £2000 in the short story and poetry main prizes.
• Separate short story and poetry prize winning categories for those aged 17-25 and for local Bedford residents.
• For 2026 we are running a Flash Fiction competition in memory of one of the founder members of The Bedford - Competition, Philip Carey who passed away earlier this year. - All profits will go to Dementia UK, Philip’s chosen charity.
• See all competition categories and prize money here.
• Open to writers worldwide.

Why enter The Bedford Competition?

• International recognition.
• Publication in anthology of shortlisted entries.
• Judged by acclaimed authors and literary agents.
• Awards event celebration.
• Established competition founded in 2012.

How it works

• Submit your Story or Poem
• Our judges review entries anonymously.
• Winners are announced on our website and celebrated at the presentation event.

Who can enter?

• New and emerging writers and poets.
• Experienced writers and poets.
• Anyone aged 17+ worldwide.

Ready to enter? The short story and poetry competition runs annually between May 1st and October 31st. The Flash Fiction competition will run from June 30th, 2026 – September 30th, 2026.