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The Moth Short Story Prize

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A project of The Moth Magazine (see other related projects).

About

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The Moth Short Story Prize is an international prize, open to anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as their story is original and previously unpublished. The winners are chosen by a single judge each year, who reads the stories anonymously. Previous judges include Ottessa Moshfegh, Kevin Barry, Mark Haddon, Ali Smith and Sarah Hall. The winning story will be printed as part of the summer fiction series in the Irish Times.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions. The fee is EUR €15.
Want more insight into the affiliated editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s) of The Moth Magazine.

Country of Publication

Ireland

Publication Media & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationAwarded 1 x per year.
Print Publication Print PublicationAwarded 1 x per year.

Fiction Open Fee-based
Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 30 June 2025* (approx. 48 days from now). 8

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General.

Lengths:
Short Story1,000 - 3,000 words.
Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: EUR €3,000 first place prize.

Submissions:

Methods: Online form. 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.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

The Moth Short Story Prize Submission Statistics — Free Preview!

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.
AccuracyWe have received 13 reports from 13 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported36 min | 52.7 mean avg | 59.0 median | 121 max days (23.4 std dev)
Responses92.31 %
Acceptances0.00 % No publication has a 0% acceptance rate. This data is based on submission reports sent to Duotrope, and we have not received reports of any acceptances yet.
Rejections92.31 % (49.6 avg. days per rejection) | 0.0 % personal, 75.0 % form, 25.0 % unspecified
Non-Responses7.69 %
Lost/Returned-
Never Responded7.69 % (121.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)
Withdrawals-
Pending3 responses are pending (15 min | 143.7 mean avg | 69.0 median | 347 max days waiting | 177.5 std dev) from 3 different members This only includes pending reports from users who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The most common submission fee paid: EUR €15.00.
Most recent response reported was received on 02 Sep 2024.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 30 Jun 2024.

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Dates

Last Updated: 25 Mar 2025
Last Audited: 15 Dec 2024. (We audit each active listing twice a year. Learn more at link.)
Date Added: 25 Sep 2012

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.