Fish Short Story Prize

Prizes – Rules – Entry Fees – How to Enter – ENTER NOW

The Fish Short Story Prize was started in 1994, and has become an established event on the literary calendar. Previous judges, Roddy Doyle and Colum McCann are honorary patrons. (Past honorary patrons were Frank McCourt and Dermot Healy).

This year’s judge, acclaimed short story writer Billy O’Callaghan, will be selecting 10 short stories to be published in the 2018 Fish Anthology.

Billy O’Callaghan’s two books of short stories, The Things we Lose, The Things We Leave Behindand In Too Deep announced a rare new talent on the Irish and world stage, winning a host of awards between them. His first novel – The Dead House was published this year and was short-listed for the Costa Awards.

The Fish Anthology 2018 will be launched during the West Cork Literary Festival (July 2018).

Publication in the annual Fish Anthology (Fish Books) has, for many authors, been a stepping-stone to a successful writing career. See Alumni.

Critique Service is for writers who require an appraisal of their work prior to entering a writing contest, or at any time.


Enter Short Story Contest

Prizes: Short Story Prize

Ten stories will be published in the 2018 Fish Anthology. (First, second, third and seven honourable mentions)

First – €3,000 – (€1,000 of which is for travel expenses to the launch of the Anthology) plus a week long fiction writing workshop during the West Cork Literary Festival.

Second – a week at Anam Cara Writers’ and Artists’ Retreat in West Cork’s Beara Peninsula, and €300 travel expenses. For information about past winners of second prize and their residencies, see here.

Third – €300

The ten published authors will each receive five copies of the Anthology and will be invited to read at the launch during the West Cork Literary Festival in July.

Rules: Short Story Prize


No entry form is needed. Entry is online, or by post if required.
You may enter as many times as you wish.
This short story competition is open to writers of any nationality writing in English.
There is no restriction on theme or style.
Maximum number of words is 5,000.
The winning stories must be available for the anthology, and therefore must not have been published previously.
Fish holds publishing rights for one year after publication, after which publishing rights revert to the author.
Notification of receipt of entry will normally be by email.
The judges’ verdict is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
Stories cannot be altered or substituted once they have been entered.
Judging is anonymous. Name and contact details must not appear on the stories, (in the box provided if entering online, on separate sheet if entering by post).
In order to give opportunities to emerging writers: (a) Writers who have had two short stories published in Fish Anthologies may not enter for three years after their second publication. They may enter other Fish competitions. (b) Previous first prize winners may enter again, but will not be eligible for the first prize.
Entry is taken as acceptance of these rules.

Entry Fees: Short Story Prize

First Entry
€ Subsequent
€
Online 20.00 10.00
Critique (Optional) 45.00 45.00

Entry & Critique 65.00
By Post 22.00 12.00
Critique (Optional) 47.00 47.00


How to Enter: Short Story Prize

You can enter online or by post. The cheaper option is to enter online.

How to Enter Online:
To enter online, click:


Enter Short Story Contest


and follow the instructions.
MAKE SURE YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS ARE NOT ON THE STORY. (Judging is done anonymously.) Your story and name are linked automatically when you enter.

How to Enter by Post:
Post to: Fish Short Story Prize, Durrus, Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Print on one side of the page only in reasonable sized type.
The Short Story Prize is judged anonymously, so please do not put your name or contact details on any of the story pages.
Include all contact details on a separate sheet.
Receipt of entry will be by email.
Stories will not be returned.
N.B. Do not sent postal orders (outside Ireland). Make cheques out in your own currency to Fish Publishing.