The Bristol Short Story Prize

This project is on indefinite hiatus. Check their site to find out whether this is a submission and/or publication hiatus. (February 2024)

About

The Bristol Short Story Prize aims to publish great short stories and promote the stories and writers as much as possible. Discovering previously unpublished writers is central to our aims and we are absolutely committed to celebrating the short story genre and making it accessible and available to as wide an audience as we can.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions, except for a limited number of free entries.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United Kingdom

Established in 2007

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: Awarded 1 x per year

Fiction On Hiatus

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Historical
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres
Mystery/Crime Open to all/most Subgenres
Romance Open to all/most Subgenres
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 4,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than prize specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

Method: Postal.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for The Bristol Short Story Prize

Go to contest webpage

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The Bristol Short Story Prize Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

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Accuracy

We have received 3 reports from 3 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Days Reported

41 min | 61.0 mean avg | 61.0 median | 81 max days (20.0 std dev)

Other Information

The most common submission fee paid: GBP £15.00.
Most recent response reported was received on 12 Mar 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 30 Jan 2026.
Date compiled: 20 Sep 2026 04:54 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026