2026 Prescot Festival Short Story Competition

Do you love to tell a good story? Are you imaginative? Do you have the urge to put pen to paper?

This year we have two exciting categories:

Adult Competition

Write a short story of up to 1,000 words on the theme: ‘By Order of the King’

Will it be historical, modern, mysterious or magical? Let your imagination reign!

Adult Prize: £100 cash

Junior Competition (Aged 16 and under)

Write a short story of up to 1,000 words on the theme: ‘The King’s Choice’

What will the King choose? A hero? A treasure?

A daring adventure? The story is yours to tell!

Junior Prize: £50 book voucher

Entry is FREE and open to non-professional writers of all ages living in Merseyside and Halton. Deadline: 31 May 2026

So, sharpen your pencils, open your notebooks, and start writing!

Competition Rules

1. Eligibility: To enter, you must live in one of the following six boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Halton, Wirral or Liverpool. You must not have had a piece of fictional writing professionally published (i.e. in return for payment).
2. Categories: There are two categories: adult (17 years and over) and junior (16 and under). Entrants must submit to the appropriate category based on their age on the closing date. Only one entry per person is allowed.
3. The Story: The theme for the adult competition is ‘By Order of the King’ while the theme for the junior competition is ‘The King’s Choice’. Your story must be inspired in some way by the relevant theme. It is your choice how you interpret it. The story must be your own original work of fiction (no biography, poetry or non-fiction), unpublished, written in English, and no more than 1,000 words. There is no minimum word count.
4. Format: Type your story in size 12 font. You may include page numbers and the title of the story in the headers and/or footers of each page, but you must NOT include your name or any identifying details (such as address or email address) in the document itself, as entries will be judged anonymously.
5. How to Submit: Submit your entry via email to prescotfestivalstory@outlook.com. Include your name, age (if entering the Junior category), and contact details in the body of the email. Attach your short story as a Word (.doc/.docx), ODT, RTF or PDF file only.
6. Parental/Guardian Consent (Junior Category Only): Entries from writers aged 16 and under must include the name and contact details of a parent or legal guardian in the submission email. By submitting the entry, the parent or guardian confirms that they give permission for the child to enter the competition and, if successful, for their name and story to be published by Prescot Festival.
7. Closing Date: The closing date for the competition is Sunday 31 May 2026 (midnight). All entries must be received by this date.
8. Judging: A panel of judges will read the anonymised stories and decide the winners. The judges’ decision is final.
9. Prizes: Adult winner: £100; Junior winner: £50 book voucher. Winners will be announced at the Prescot Festival Finale with South Liverpool Orchestra on Sunday 28th June, 6pm in Prescot Parish Church, Church Street, Prescot, L34 3LA
10. Copyright: You retain full copyright of your story. However, by submitting it, you grant Prescot Festival permission to republish it online and/or in print, with you credited as the author.