- The Prize
a) The author of the winning entry will be awarded a prize of £1,000 and have their story published in Prospect magazine online and in the RSL Review.
b) The judges will be responsible for selecting the winning entry, which will be announced in March 2024.
c) The Prize is administered in all respects by the Royal Society of Literature. - Eligible Entries
a) Entrants must be resident in the UK, Republic of Ireland or Commonwealth (see list of countries here).
b) Stories entered for the competition must not have been published anywhere previously (including online) or broadcast in any other medium. If the story will be published elsewhere prior to the winner announcement in March 2024, you must withdraw your entry.
c) Multiple entries to this competition are permitted but must be paid for individually (the fee is £7.50 per entry to cover administration costs).
d) Entrants must be over 18 at the time of submission.
e) Stories MUST:
i. be written in English
ii. be between 2,000 and 4,000 words (if you are using a programme other than Word to compose your story, please check this using an online word counter to avoid any discrepancies between different programmes)
iii. be submitted as Microsoft Word or PDF files with the short story title as the file name. Please do not lock the file for editing
iv. use Arial, 12pt, black-coloured font and use double-line spacing in one column
v. have page numbers at the bottom right-hand side of each page
vi. have the title of the story at the top of the first page.
f) Stories MUST NOT:
i. include the name of the entrant, contact details or any identifying mark anywhere in the document or file name
ii. include a title page, blank pages, any borders, photos, or illustrations. - Entry
a) Entries must be submitted via the online form by 5pm on Friday 1 September 2023.
b) The Royal Society of Literature cannot undertake to make corrections or additions to entries.
c) Submission of an entry implies acceptance of these conditions. Any entries that do not meet the requirements outlined above will not be taken forward and the fee will not be refunded. No correspondence will be entered into regarding incorrect submissions.
d) Please fill out the form here to enter, ensuring that you read and comply with the instructions given for each field. We are unable to accept entries via post or email without prior agreement.
The RSL is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and experiences. To give us insights into who is applying, we would appreciate it if people could complete an equal opportunities form, for which a link will be provided in your confirmation email. The information provided here will be treated in the strictest confidence and not linked to entries.