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The Plaza Flash Fiction Prize

The Plaza Flash Fiction Prize (1000 words)

Judged by David Gaffney

1st prize: £1000. 2nd prize: £300. 3rd prize: £100

1000 words max.

“One hundred and fifty words by Gaffney are more worthwhile than novels by a good many others” The Guardian

“David Gaffney is, I think, one of very few contemporary British Writers who have mastered the very short form” Nicholas Royle, Best British Short Stories

Our judge, David Gaffney, has published four flash fiction and short story collections Sawn-Off Tales (2006), Aromabingo (2007), The Half-Life of Songs (2010) and More Sawn-Off Tales (2013), and his latest short story collection with Salt Publishing, Concrete Fields, is out now.

David has published two novellas-in-flash, and three novels, Never Never (2008), All The Places I’ve Ever Lived (2017) and Out Of The Dark (2021).

David has published two graphic novels with Dan Berry – The Three Rooms In Valerie’s Head (2018) and Rivers (2021) – and is working on a third. His chapbook, The Country Pub, was published on Nightjar Press in 2022, and a pamphlet,Whale, with Osmosis Press is due in 2024.

So, send David your Flashes. To be long-listed (final 20) will be a credit on your CV. To be shortlisted in the Top 10, will get you published in The Plaza Prizes Anthology 2. To win a Top 3 slot will be worth much more than the cash prizes.

“With flash fiction, there is a feeling that what is most important in the story is present yet unsaid.”

David Gaffney

The Prizes

First Prize: £1000

Second Prize: £300

Third Place: £100

Top 10

The 10 shortlisted entries will be published in The Plaza Prizes Anthology 2, which will be launched at our awards ceremony in 2024.

Terms and Conditions

Rules

Rules

  • Deadline: 31st March 2024
  • Writers can enter any number of times. (£11.00 Subsequent entry: £5.50)
  • Flash Fictions can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults.
  • Entries must be submitted online. No email submissions. In exceptional circumstances, postal entry may be accepted, as long as a cheque made out for the correct entry fee is sent to The Plaza Prizes Ltd. (Full postal address is on Contact Form.)
  • Enter the correct version of your work. If you make a mistake, entry fees will not be refunded. (You will have to enter again.)

Eligibility

Read the rules carefully before entering the competition. Entry implies acceptance of all the rules and failure to comply will result in disqualification.

All entries are judged anonymously. Please do not include your name, address, phone number, email, website, twitter handle etc on the document or in the file name or it will be disqualified.

Entries will be disqualified if they are over the word limit, sorry, there will be no refund.

Entries must be entirely your own work.

Entries must NOT have been traditionally published in book or magazine form. Work that has been published on a website, blog or online forum or journal, IS eligible for entry.

Entries must NOT have won in any other competition. If your entry was long-listed or shortlisted in other competitions it IS eligible.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed but if an entry wins a prize elsewhere, is published or scheduled for future publication, prior to the date of prize giving, you must inform us to withdraw immediately. Entry fees will not be refunded.

Length

Maximum 1000 words.


Fees

£11.00 per Flash Fiction. (Subsequent entry: £5.50)

Entries must be submitted online via Submittable. No email submissions.

Format

  • Entries must be typed, 12 pt font, 1.5 or double-spaced. Number the pages, and put the title on every page.
  • Save as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) or PDF file with the title as the file name. Do not include your name in the file name as this will lead to disqualification.
  • Max 2MB file. Include the word count for the Flash Fiction, top right, first page.
  • Do not add cover pages
  • No illustrated work

Judging

The judges’ decision is final. No individual correspondence can be entered into. Judges are unable to comment on individual entries. The Plaza Prizes reserves the right to change the judge without notice.

Copyright

Copyright remains with the author, but The Plaza Prizes reserves the right to publish extracts from any of the 10 shortlisted Flash Fictions for publicity purposes.

Results & Awards

The Flash Fiction 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize-winners will be announced on the website and social media in June 2024. The 10 short-listed entries will be published in The Plaza Prizes Anthology 2, which will be launched at our awards ceremony in October 2024.

Bursary Scheme

In 2022-2024, we will be offering offering 100 FREE ENTRY BURSARIES across all our competitions to writers on low incomes, and from underrepresented groups. You can apply for a bursary if low income, class, race, age, gender, sexuality, caring responsibilities, location, disability, or mental and physical health affects your writing. We want to encourage equality to discover quality new writing from diverse voices. Click here to apply for our Bursary Scheme.

Finally

The Plaza Prizes reserves the right to amend the rules, deadlines, and judges, where it deems necessary. Any changes to the rules will be posted on our website.

If you have a query about eligibility, please contact: hello@theplazaprizes.com

Enter by pressing the big orange button below.

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