To Hull and Back A Humorous Writing Contest

A project of Christopher Fielden's Challenges and Competitions (see other related projects).

About

To Hull & Back is a short story competition with a humorous twist that celebrates the most imaginative and amazing short stories from writers all over the world.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions.
The fee range is GBP £10 to £24 (below average to above average for contests).

Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United Kingdom

Established in 2013

Publication Media & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Awarded biennially (every other year)
Print Publication Print Publication: Awarded biennially (every other year)

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

18 members set this contest as a Favorite.

Fiction Open Fee-based

This is an open competition, so any style or genre of story will be considered, including children’s, as long as it is humorous or funny in some way. You don’t have to try and be hilarious with every word (although it’s fine if you do), but there needs to be some element of humour within the story, even if it’s just one brief amusing moment. Black comedy and dark humour is fine, as is fluffy kitten mainstream amusement. I appreciate all types of funny.

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 30 June 2027* (approx. 288 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: All nationalities.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General Open to all/most Subgenres
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 2,500 words.

Styles:

Humorous.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: GBP £1,000 for First Place.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are 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.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for To Hull and Back

Go to contest webpage

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Facebook Facebook
Instagram @christopherfielden
LinkedIn LinkedIn
X (Twitter) @ChrisFielden

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

To Hull and Back 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.

We have not received any submission reports for this listing in the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

This section is available to subscribers only. Join today!

81 Words Anthology DNQ

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: 30 Jun 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.