Liverpool Literary Festival short story competition now open

Liverpool Literary Festival 2024 logo

The Liverpool Literary Festival short story competition returns for 2024 and is now open for entries.

Get ready to unleash your creativity with this year’s theme ‘turning’, which explores the concept of change and transformation in our lives through storytelling.

What to write

This year’s theme is ‘turning’ and is the perfect opportunity to explore the multiple meanings this can have in our lives through writing. What happens when we turn from one thing or another? What happens when one thing turns into something else altogether? What about good turns and bad turns? Or how about turning over a new leaf or even what happens when we speak out of turn?

Write a short story no longer than 1,500 words in length in any genre on the theme of ‘turning’ and it could win you a spot at 2024’s annual Liverpool Literary Festival this 4-6 October. Both the winning story and runners-up will also be published in the festival anthology, as well as being displayed around campus.

How to enter

To enter, send your submissions to staffandstudentcomp@liverpool.ac.uk by Friday 26 July 2024 at 11:59pm.

Please read all the terms and conditions before entering.

When submitting your entry, please include the following information:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Phone number

Who can enter

The competition is open to all staff and students, with three categories:

  • Staff
  • Undergraduate students
  • Postgraduate students

Prizes for student categories

Winner: £100 Liverpool One voucher
Runner-up: £50 Liverpool One voucher

Judges

Dr Danny O’Connor, Colm Tóibín Lecturer in Creative Writing, Department of English
Professor Greg Lynall, King Alfred Chair in English Literature, Department of English
Marta Zanucco, University of Liverpool PhD candidate and 2022 ‘Postgraduate’ category winner

Submission deadline

Entries close on Friday 26 July 2024, at 11:59pm.