Competition Rules

Rules for Exeter Writers Short Story Competition 2025

Please make sure you read our rules carefully, so you understand what you need to do. 

  • The competition is open to all writers of any ability, published or otherwise, from anywhere in the world. However, members of Exeter Writers may not enter.
  • We accept stories of any genre (except children's stories). 
  • There is no lower age limit for entrants, but this is a competition for adult-level writing and all entries will be judged on this basis.
  • You can submit as many stories as you wish. Up to four entries at a time can be submitted via the entry form. All entries must be accompanied by an entrance fee, which is paid via PayPal.
  • Label your entry with the title of your story e.g. This Is My Story.doc. Do not include your name or any other information in your filename.
  • Simultaneous submissions are allowed. However, should your story win a prize in another competition, it must be withdrawn from this competition. Notify the organisers via email. Please note that entrance fees will not be refunded under these circumstances.
  • Stories must have neither been previously published nor won a prize in any other competition. 
  • Stories must be complete and standalone. Excerpts from a novel or a longer piece of work are unlikely to do well.
  • You may re-enter a short story from a previous year.
  • Entrants with Devon addresses will automatically be entered for the Devon Prize as well as the overall prizes but cannot win both. However, the Devon Prize will only be awarded if the story has been placed on the shortlist.
  • No story may win more than one prize. 
  • All stories must be submitted in Word. (Doc or Docx format).  If you submit your story in .pages or .pdf format it will be disqualified, and your entry fee will not be refunded.
  • Entries should be easy for the judges to read. Our preference is for double spaced lines and indented paragraphs, using a standard font such as 12pt Times New Roman or Arial font. These are style preferences though, not hard and fast rules.
  • Maximum word count is 3000. There is no minimum word count. Counts must be exact, not estimates. Do not include the title, header or footer in the word count. If your entry contains more than the maximum number of words, it will be disqualified, and your entry fee will not be refunded. 
  • Show your story title and page number at the top of every page. 
  • IMPORTANT: Do not write your name anywhere on the story. Stories will be judged anonymously. If you put your name anywhere on the document, it will result in your story being disqualified and your entry fee will not be refunded. 
  • Entry fee is £7 per story via PayPal.
  • Opening date for receiving entries is 1st December 2024, and closing date for entries is 23:59 GMT on 28th February 2025. Late entries will not be accepted. 
  • If you are subscribed to our mailing list, you will receive notification when the longlist, shortlist and winners are announced. If you do not subscribe, we cannot contact you directly but announcements will be posted on our website according to the published timetable. We will also make announcements on our social media channels. Stories placed first, second, third and the winner of the Devon Prize will all be published on the Exeter Writers website. By entering the competition you accept your work may be published online. Copyright remains with the author. 
  • Exeter Writers supports and promotes creative writing. We ask that you do not submit any work generated using AI.