Aspiring and established writers across the Commonwealth are invited to share their unique voices and narratives with the world as the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize officially opens for submissions.
The literary award, a cultural initiative of the Commonwealth Foundation, offers a platform for storytellers to reach a global audience and be recognised for their creative talent.
The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is a celebrated annual competition that champions the power of creative expression to provoke debate and inspire change. It is open to all citizens of Commonwealth nations aged 18 and above, with no entry fee required. This inclusivity is a cornerstone of the prize’s mission, ensuring that storytellers who may not consider themselves “professional writers” have an equal opportunity to have their work seen and heard on an international stage.
Stories submitted for consideration can be of any theme or genre, providing writers with complete creative freedom. The submissions must be original works, written in English or translated into English from one of the 13 accepted languages. Entries are required to be between 2,000 and 5,000 words. The deadline for all submissions is November 1, 2025.
Beyond the opportunity for global exposure, the prize offers substantial rewards for its winners. The overall winner will receive a prize of £5,000, while regional winners will each be awarded £2,500. Additionally, all winning stories will be published by Granta, a leading literary magazine known for showcasing exceptional new writing.
The Commonwealth Foundation, based in London, uses platforms like the Short Story Prize to elevate the voices of the people of the Commonwealth, empowering them to shape the world around them. For writers new to the prize or those who have not entered in a while, the foundation is offering new resources developed with judges and former winners. These free guides, available by signing up on their website, provide practical tips on structuring plots, developing characters, and understanding what judges look for in a winning story.
Interested writers are encouraged to visit the Commonwealth Foundation’s website https://commonwealthfoundation.com/short-story-prize for more information.
This is a chance for storytellers to connect with a global community and have their work contribute to a world of shared ideas and understanding.
