Sunday Post short story writing competition returns for 2024

The Sunday Post Short Story Contest is back for another year.

Last year’s inaugural Sunday Post Short Story Competition was such an outstanding success that it is returning this year by overwhelming demand.

And the word is that the 2024 competition will be even bigger and better than its predecessor.

So popular was the first contest that the crème de la crème of Scotland’s writers – Sir Alexander McCall Smith, and Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival founders Alex Gray and Lin Anderson – are again in the hot seat to judge entries, with The Sunday Post and P.S magazine books editor and competition coordinator Sally McDonald.

So, if you missed last year’s event, or entered and didn’t win, now is your chance. Whether you’re unemployed or a student, a retired granny, grandpa or working mum, with disabilities or without, or just downright frustrated at not fulfilling your literary dream, start writing.

The competition

The overall winner will receive a 12-month Gold Star membership with the Writers’ HQ that gives access to all its online courses and workshops, along with three one-day writing retreats in either Edinburgh, Birmingham or Brighton.

Runners-up will receive book tokens and all 10 finalists will have an opportunity to be published in the P.S magazine that comes free with the award-winning Sunday Post.

Winner of The Sunday Post Short Story Competition 2023 Peter Bray at our offices in Spiers Wharf, Glasgow.

Editor Dave Lord said: “We were staggered by the response to last year’s contest. The flood of entries was beyond our wildest dreams and our judges were thrilled by the diversity and quality of work submitted.

“Along with our judging literati, we’re excited to be launching the 2024 competition and to have the opportunity to once again put the country’s amateur writing talent firmly in the spotlight. So, start writing. The deadline for entries is 4pm on Friday, September 13.

“We can’t wait to see what you produce and good luck to one and all.”

Sir Alexander said: “The Sunday Post Short Story Competition has become a conspicuous success. Short stories are still much appreciated by readers.

“The short story creates a whole world in the space of a few pages – it can make us laugh, think, and even cry. Inviting readers to enter short stories for a competition like this brings forth a fascinating harvest of human experience and emotion.

“I can’t wait to see how readers respond to The Sunday Post’s invitation. We all have hours of pleasure ahead.”

Welcoming the second Sunday Post Short Story Competition, Alex Gray said: “I am glad to be taking part again. Last year’s entries were full of surprises and grand writing, and we were all happy that our choice of winner was unanimous.

“It is always good to read short stories from UK writers whose work has not yet been published. The Sunday Post is so good at reaching out a helping hand to aspiring authors whom we hope may find success. I am looking forward to reading this year’s batch of entries with anticipation of finding more excellent storytellers.”

And Lin Anderson agreed: “I loved the inaugural Sunday Post Short Story Competition and am delighted, after its overwhelming success, to be invited to be involved again. I love reading stories and the variety of voices and the quality of the stories we were asked to judge was both an inspiration and a delight. I would encourage anyone who is already writing short stories, or has always wanted to try, to send them in. ”

Peter Bray with best-selling author and judge Alex Gray, left, and Post editor Dave Lord.

Entries for last year’s competition flooded in from across the UK and beyond, with more than 80 making it through to the judging, and resulting in a shortlist of 10 talented writers from which a final three were chosen. First Prize went to Peter Bray, 69, a retired psychiatric nurse from Glasgow for his poignant family tale, My Changing Face.

Peter was welcomed to the Sunday Post HQ where he was met by the editor and presented his prize by Alex Gray.

In second place was Juline Brodie, 58, from Wakefield in Yorkshire, for Beautiful Dreamer, a nostalgic tale of love and loss, while third place went to Edinburgh man David Pendreigh whose sci-fi story ’39 captivated our judges. All of the finalists saw their stories published in P.S. magazine.

Peter said: “The Sunday Post Short Story competition was a wonderful experience. I never dreamt that I’d win. Seeing my story in print in a national newspaper magazine was a thrill and the prize gave me an opportunity to share ideas with fellow writers on a forum which was a real boost to creativity.

“To anyone thinking of entering this year’s competition, I’d say go ahead – it might change your life!”

Prize sponsor Sarah Lewis of the Writers’ HQ said: “At WHQ our entire reason for existing is to encourage people to write more and tell more stories, because we believe stories are what makes humanity truly great.

“We’re over the moon to have been invited back to sponsor the Sunday Post Short Story Prize for a second year running.

“Submitting your work to a competition can feel daunting, especially as a new writer, but it’s a hugely valuable way to support your creative practice and to feel part of the writing community. Plus placing in a competition can do wonders for your career!”

So, what are you waiting for? If you can weave a captivating tale and marvel at where your imagination takes you, we want to hear from you, because this is your moment.

How to enter

Entries are invited from across the UK for those aged 18 and over. Entrants must be amateur writers, and not selling their work on any platform. They should submit never-before-published stories that can be printed across DC Thomson titles without restriction. DC Thomson retains the right to edit. Submissions must be the entrant’s own work and not, in part or in entirety, AI generated or taken from any other source. Only one entry per person is accepted.

Entries must be submitted online in a Word document or in PDF format with a computer-generated word count.

The submission must not be less than 1,500 words and no more than 2,000 words. Stories below or above the stated word count will not be accepted.

Accepted categories are: Romance/RomCom, Thriller/Crime/Mystery, Comedy, Historical, Family/Drama/Tragedy, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Children’s, YA stories and Erotica are not accepted. Entries should be emailed to shortstory@sundaypost.com to arrive no later than 4pm on Friday, September 13, 2024.

Winners will be announced on Sunday, November 24, 2024. The judges’ decision is final. The prizes are as stated: First prize winner will receive a Writers’ HQ 12-month Gold Star membership with access to all its online courses and workshops, along with three one-day writing retreats in either Edinburgh, Birmingham or Brighton. Runners-up will receive book tokens.

All winners will have an opportunity to be published in The Sunday Post’s P.S. Magazine. Winners’ published stories will include their names and winners will participate fully in the process and its publicity.

Employees of DC Thomson Ltd and immediate families may not enter. Your personal information will not be retained beyond the competition period as per our Privacy Policy.

Full competition terms and conditions including privacy Information here.

Meet the judges

Alexander McCall Smith

A former professor of medical law, Edinburgh-based Sir Alexander is one of the country’s most prolific and best-loved authors, with more than 20 million books sold in over 40 languages. His No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series was a springboard for others like the 44 Scotland Street and Isabel Dalhousie novels.

The author, whose accolades include the coveted Saltire Life Achievement Award, the 2021 Edinburgh Award, and the 2017 National Arts Club of America Medal Of Honor for Achievement In Literature, was this year knighted by His Majesty King Charles for services to literature, academia and charity.

Sir “Sandy”, as he is also known, whose latest novel The Winds From Further West is out now, said at the competition’s launch: “The Sunday Post is inviting us not only to meet new writers but to celebrate the brevity and importance of the short story form. The short story can be thoroughly entertaining, disturbing, satisfying. But they are a form unto themselves, and that form is as challenging to write as it is rewarding.”

Lin Anderson

Bloody Scotland co-founder Anderson, a former chairwoman of The Society Of Authors In Scotland, divides her time between Edinburgh and Cannes in the south of France. The daughter of a Detective Inspector in the police service, it’s little surprise she turned from teaching to crime-writing.

Lin, author of the Dr Rhona MacLeod forensic scientist crime series, has seen four of her novels long-listed for the Scottish Crime Book Of The Year, and in 2022 she was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association Dagger In The Library Award. The 18th in the hit series – Whispers Of The Dead – hits bookshops on August 1. Her second mystery thriller series featuring Patrick de Courvoisier is set in Cannes and pitched as “The Rockford Files meets James Bond”.

Alex Gray

Born and raised in Glasgow, where she still lives, Bloody Scotland co-founder Alex Gray worked as a visiting officer of the then DHSS and as an English teacher before beginning to write professionally in 1993.

Her best-selling DSI William Lorimer series, set around Glasgow, has been a hit with fans of crime fiction.

Winner of the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies, her breathtaking 21st in the series, Out Of Darkness, is out now.