Entries for this year’s Commonwealth Short Story Prize have opened. It is a contest that seeks talented writers who go on to inspire their communities. It promotes the best new writing from across the Commonwealth, developing literary connections worldwide.

Further more, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2000 – 5000 words). It is open to translated fiction. Entries previously submitted to the Commonwealth Short Story Prize are not eligible for 2024.

Only citizens of a Commonwealth country – or stateless persons currently residing in a Commonwealth country can apply. The Commonwealth Foundation will request verification of citizenship status before winners are selected.

For regional purposes, entries will be judged by country of citizenship. Where the writer has dual citizenship (of two Commonwealth countries), the entry will be judged in the region where the writer is permanently resident.

More so, anyone who applied must be aged 18 years or over on November I, 2023.

Entries from current members of staff at the Commonwealth Foundation are not eligible. It must be unpublished and remain unpublished in any language until May I, 2024. The form opened by September 1 and the deadline is November 1, 2023 (11.59pm in any timezone).Only one entry per writer each year may be submitted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Entries should be uploaded in a PDF document. Save your document as a PDF and use the title of the story as the file name. Please note that the story must not be saved as ‘Commonwealth Story’, ‘Short Story’ or any other generic title.

The overall winner receives £5,000 and regional winners receive £2,500. Translators will receive additional prize money.