Themed Flash Fiction Competition

l entries are judged by Amanda Saint, novelist, short story writer and founder of Retreat West. The winner and two runners-up receive cash prizes and have their stories published on the website.

You can read winning stories from previous competitions here.


Winner Prize: £200

Runner-Up Prize x 2: £100

Word count: Max 500

2018 Deadlines and Themes:
Date: March 25th / Theme: Forgetting
Date: June 24th / Theme: Reunions
Date: September 30th / Theme: Protest
Date: December 30th / Theme: Running Away

Entry Fee:

£8 for 1 entry

Competition Rules
Submit stories written in English through Submittable using the button below by 23.59 GMT on the deadline date (sorry late entries will not be included).
Please include a word count on the story document
Maximum word count is 500 (excluding title) but there is no minimum. Please do not submit stories above this word count as they will be automatically disqualified. Sorry!
Do not include your name on the story or the submission title but provide a short bio in the body of the email – sorry but stories where we can see the writer’s name will automatically be disqualified as all entries are judged anonymously.
Stories must be your own original work and not have been published online or in print.
By entering the competition you agree to your story being published on the Retreat West website.
If you enter the story elsewhere and it is accepted for publication before judging takes place then you will have to withdraw it and no entry fees will be refundable.
Stories can be in any genre apart from children’s fiction.
You can enter multiple stories but the £8 entry fee is payable each time and each story must be submitted separately.
The judge’s decision is final.
Cash prize payments will be made through PayPal only so you must have an account to receive your prize.
There is no alternative prize.