The HG Wells Short Story Competition https://hgwellscompetition.com/ The annual HG Wells Fiction Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize and free publication of all shortlisted entries in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology. Fri, 20 Sep 2024 09:40:58 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 /wp-content/uploads/2019/01/H.G._Wells_by_Beresford_blue-crop-100x100.jpg The HG Wells Short Story Competition https://hgwellscompetition.com/ 32 32 HG Wells Competition Shortlists 2024 https://hgwellscompetition.com/2024/09/21/hg-wells-competition-shortlists-2024/ Sat, 21 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=16279 We are delighted to announce our two shortlists for the prestigious H G Wells Short Story Competition 2024 on the theme “The Fool”. The judges have selected the following stories for the 2024 shortlists (listed below in alphabetical story order only). Shortlist for Junior Competition, The Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize of £1,000 Eshaan Agarwal […]

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]]> We are delighted to announce our two shortlists for the prestigious H G Wells Short Story Competition 2024 on the theme “The Fool”.

The judges have selected the following stories for the 2024 shortlists (listed below in alphabetical story order only).

Shortlist for Junior Competition, The Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize of £1,000

Eshaan AgarwalUSThe Cradle of Humanity
Scarlett BaileyGBThe Perfect Fool
Celia FournierCAVulture’s Field
Jahdai GreyGBThe Natural Enemy
Maisie HarrisGBA Trap Laid
Annabelle McGraneGBSmoke and Mirrors
Ellie MeadGBSummer Strawberries
Hector ReynosoUSOut of Silence
Molly VenusUSIn the Weeds
Anna WangAUBao

Shortlist for the Senior Competition, The Grand Prize of £500

Lior BlumGBThe Sign
Matthew DickensGBWhere the Sun Don’t Shine
Colin EvansGBA Certain Chemistry
Jo HolmwoodIECon McGinty’s Shoes
Robert MaslenGBSally Grass
Peter PooleGBFeeling Flat
Keith PorterGBThe Widow
Lalitha RamanathanSGA Concert, a Clown, and a Confession
Clare ShawGBLadybird or Fool
James SkivingtonGBThe Dolls’ House
Ian SlatterGBThe Deal
Rebecca SpillettGBThing-lings
Saria SteylGBThe Marilyn Program
Emily WaughDEGenius

Many congratulations to the shortlisted writers. We look forward to meeting many of you at the online Awards Ceremony on Sunday 17th November 2024. Further details will be emailed to shortlisted authors soon.

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]]> HG Wells Short Story Competition 2024: The Fool https://hgwellscompetition.com/2024/02/11/hg-wells-short-story-competition-2024-the-fool/ Sun, 11 Feb 2024 12:45:00 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=15495 Founded by the world-renowned BBC Aeronautics Correspondent Reg Turnill and his wife, Margaret, to celebrate the life and works of HG Wells and encourage creative writing, especially among the young. The annual HG Wells Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize (* see footnote) and free publication of all shortlisted entries […]

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]]> Founded by the world-renowned BBC Aeronautics Correspondent Reg Turnill and his wife, Margaret, to celebrate the life and works of HG Wells and encourage creative writing, especially among the young.

The annual HG Wells Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize (* see footnote) and free publication of all shortlisted entries in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology (and Kindle version).

Entry to the Junior competition is FREE and entry to the Senior competition is £10 (£5 for those with student ID).

Previous years’ publications can be seen at http://www.trencavel.co.uk/St%20Ursin.html

The theme for this year’s competition is THE FOOL in its broadest interpretation.

There are two categories:

  • Authors 21 years of age and under (on 8th July 2024) with a prize of £1,000. (Entry is free).
  • Authors aged 22 years and above on 8th July 2024 with a prize of £500 (entry £10 or £5 with student id). Yes, the Junior Prize is higher than the “22 and over” Prize – see footnote for explanation!

Entry will be via online form only.

Dates for your diary:

  • Monday 8th July 2024 (11pm BST) :  final date for entries
  • Saturday 21st September 2024 : shortlists announced
  • Sunday 19th November 2024 : Awards Ceremony

For further information contact hgwellscompetition@gmail.com.

You can ONLY enter online via our website.

* The £1,000 HG Wells Short Story Competition Junior Prize is funded by a legacy from our founder Reg Turnill at his specific instruction. The £500 “22 and over” prize was not part of that legacy, hence the different amounts. You can learn more in our FAQs.

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]]> 2023 HG Wells Short Story Competition Winners and Awards https://hgwellscompetition.com/2023/11/19/2023-hg-wells-short-story-competition-winners-and-awards/ Sun, 19 Nov 2023 13:37:15 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=15008 At the 2023 HG Wells Short Story Competition Award Ceremony on Zoom on Sunday 19th November, the winners were announced as: The 2023 Anthology of “Motion” is available now on Amazon at: We’re also delighted to announce the theme of the 2024 competition: The Fool. Make of it what you will! The Award Ceremony was […]

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]]> At the 2023 HG Wells Short Story Competition Award Ceremony on Zoom on Sunday 19th November, the winners were announced as:

  • 2023 Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize Winner: Gloria Mesa for Rain Dance
  • 2023 Senior Prize Winner: Keltie Zubko for The Last Teardown of Eleanor

The 2023 Anthology of “Motion” is available now on Amazon at:

We’re also delighted to announce the theme of the 2024 competition: The Fool. Make of it what you will!

The Award Ceremony was broadcast on our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/HGWellsShortStoryCompetition “live” and will be available to watch back until the end of 2023. The ceremony started with a presentation by Dr Paul March-Russell on Men Like Gods.

2022 Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize

2023 Senior Prize

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]]> The HG Wells Short Story Competition Awards 2023 https://hgwellscompetition.com/2023/11/19/the-hg-wells-short-story-competition-awards-2023/ Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:29:25 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=15017 In recent years, the HG Wells Short Story Competition has welcomed stories from authors all over the world. This year is no exception, with shortlisted authors hailing from around the world, from Folkestone to Malaysia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong. We hope Wells himself would have been impressed by bringing […]

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]]> In recent years, the HG Wells Short Story Competition has welcomed stories from authors all over the world. This year is no exception, with shortlisted authors hailing from around the world, from Folkestone to Malaysia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong. We hope Wells himself would have been impressed by bringing the world together in this way, and enjoy that we can meet together on Zoom from around the world and share our stories, as outlandish as that would seem during his lifetime.

The 2023 Anthology of “Motion” is available now on Amazon at:

The Award Ceremony is broadcast on our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/HGWellsShortStoryCompetition “live” and will be available to watch back until the end of 2023. The ceremony starts with a presentation by Dr Paul March-Russell on Men Like Gods.

2023 Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize

2023 Senior Prize

The post The HG Wells Short Story Competition Awards 2023 appeared first on The HG Wells Short Story Competition.

]]> HG Wells Competition Shortlists 2023 https://hgwellscompetition.com/2023/09/21/hg-wells-competition-shortlists-2023/ Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=15000 We are delighted to announce our two shortlists for the prestigious H G Wells Short Story Competition 2023 on the theme “Motion”. The judges have selected the following stories for the 2023 shortlists (listed below in alphabetical story order only). Shortlist for Junior Competition, The Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize of £1,000 Radiyah Nouman PK […]

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]]> We are delighted to announce our two shortlists for the prestigious H G Wells Short Story Competition 2023 on the theme “Motion”.

The judges have selected the following stories for the 2023 shortlists (listed below in alphabetical story order only).

Shortlist for Junior Competition, The Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize of £1,000

Radiyah NoumanPKAway the Water Drains
Yuen Tong LawHKCast Out of Heaven
Kantaphat PinareeTHElegy for A Machine
Catherine SaundersGBFigurehead
Pritha HalderINLadies’ Compartment
Thalia PetersonNZPareidolia
Gloria MesaUSRain Dance
Charlotte MoranGBThe Death of the Ticket Collector
Sarah-Kate SimonsNZThe Matchmaker
Allison VanHuysenUSThe Resonance of the Zucchini
Tessa ShutterGBWhen a car dies on a deserted road does it make a sound

Shortlist for the Senior Competition, The Grand Prize of £500

Kerry RyanGBA Parcel of Rogues
Steven JacksonGBA Static Hero
Arthur NeongMYA Walk in the Park
Jarick WeldonGBCurrents from Cabo Verde
Katie RizzoUSEndless Horizon
Mary OnionsGBGrounded
Mary OnionsGBPilgrimage
Keltie ZubkoCAThe Last Teardown of Eleanor
Anna LinstrumGBUntethered
Ashia MirzaGBYahya’s Garden

Many congratulations to the shortlisted writers. We look forward to meeting many of you at the online Awards Ceremony on Sunday 19th November 2023. Further details will be emailed to shortlisted authors soon.

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]]> HG Wells 2023 Creative Writing Workshops: Characterisation https://hgwellscompetition.com/2023/03/30/hg-wells-2023-creative-writing-workshops-characterisation/ Thu, 30 Mar 2023 09:27:16 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=14420 We are pleased to offer creative writing workshops on the subject of characterisation, focusing on narrative voice and dialogue. The workshops are led by Sarah Anthony, an experienced literature lecturer and teacher, and one of our judges for the 2023 HG Wells Short Story Competition. Attendees are required to attend two sessions. In the first […]

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]]> We are pleased to offer creative writing workshops on the subject of characterisation, focusing on narrative voice and dialogue.

The workshops are led by Sarah Anthony, an experienced literature lecturer and teacher, and one of our judges for the 2023 HG Wells Short Story Competition.

Attendees are required to attend two sessions. In the first we will discuss methods of characterisation. You will then be given a short writing task to return within a week.

They will then be circulated to all the attendees and in the second session you will receive feedback from the tutor and through peer review. Participants will be limited to 10 per workshop.

The two workshops offer aspiring writers the opportunity to learn, write and share ideas online.

The workshops will be held via Zoom (booked attendees will be sent joining links a few days before the sessions). Each workshop comprises of two dates, and you should attend BOTH. There are workshops for two different age categories:

21 and under: Saturday 20th May 2-3pm AND Saturday 3rd June 2-3pm 

Over 21’s: Wednesday 17th May 7-8pm AND Wednesday 31st May 7-8pm

There will be a £10 FULLY REFUNDABLE booking fee for these courses. Over the last 2 years we have run these courses many people have booked, and then not attended, denying others the chance to take part. For this year, to book you have to pay a £10 booking fee. We will refund via PayPal the full £10 booking fee to all those that attend both sessions.

Book online via Eventbrite:

Workshop Tickets for 21 and under: Saturday 20th May 2-3pm AND Saturday 3rd June 2-3pm 

Workshop Tickets for Over 21’s: Wednesday 17th May 7-8pm AND Wednesday 31st May 7-8pm

About Sarah Anthony

Sarah Anthony graduated from Bristol University with a degree in English and French literature. Her MA with the Open University followed, specialising in postcolonial literature. She has worked for the School of English at the University of Kent, co-ordinating their part-time programmes in English and American literature and Creative Writing and acting as academic advisor to international students.

Sarah has 15 years’ experience lecturing and teaching university undergraduates and adult learners at the University of Kent, for the Workers’ Educational Association and for the U3A. She has taught on subjects as disparate as the plays of Christopher Marlowe and the writers of the Windrush Generation, and has taken part in a TV documentary on E M Forster for international arts and culture channel ARTE.  Current projects include the novels of John Steinbeck, the Bloomsbury Group, and 20th century Russian literature.

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]]> HG Wells Short Story Competition 2023: Motion https://hgwellscompetition.com/2023/02/28/2023-hg-wells-short-story-competition-motion/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:10:56 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=14388 Founded by the world-renowned BBC Aeronautics Correspondent Reg Turnill and his wife, Margaret, to celebrate the life and works of HG Wells and encourage creative writing, especially among the young. The annual HG Wells Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize (* see footnote) and free publication of all shortlisted entries […]

The post HG Wells Short Story Competition 2023: Motion appeared first on The HG Wells Short Story Competition.

]]> Founded by the world-renowned BBC Aeronautics Correspondent Reg Turnill and his wife, Margaret, to celebrate the life and works of HG Wells and encourage creative writing, especially among the young.

The annual HG Wells Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize (* see footnote) and free publication of all shortlisted entries in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology (and Kindle version).

Entry to the Junior competition is FREE and entry to the Senior competition is £10 (£5 for those with student ID).

Previous years’ publications can be seen at http://www.trencavel.co.uk/St%20Ursin.html

The theme for this year’s competition is MOTION in its broadest interpretation.

There are two categories:

  • Authors 21 years of age and under (on 10th July 2023) with a prize of £1,000. (Entry is free).
  • Authors aged 22 years and above on 10th July 2023 with a prize of £500 (entry £10 or £5 with student id). Yes, the Junior Prize is higher than the “22 and over” Prize – see footnote for explanation!

Entry will be via online form only.

Dates for your diary:

  • Monday 10th July 2023 (11pm BST) :  final date for entries
  • Thursday 21st September 2023 : shortlists announced
  • Sunday 19th November 2023 : Awards Ceremony

For further information contact hgwellscompetition@gmail.com.

You can ONLY enter online via our website.

* The £1,000 HG Wells Short Story Competition Junior Prize is funded by a legacy from our founder Reg Turnill at his specific instruction. The £500 “22 and over” prize was not part of that legacy, hence the different amounts. You can learn more in our FAQs.

The post HG Wells Short Story Competition 2023: Motion appeared first on The HG Wells Short Story Competition.

]]> 2022 HG Wells Short Story Competition Winners and Awards https://hgwellscompetition.com/2022/11/21/2022-hg-wells-short-story-competition-winners-and-awards/ Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:30:45 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=14368 At the 2022 HG Wells Short Story Competition Award Ceremony on Zoom on Sunday 20th November, the winners were announced as: The 2022 Anthology of Switch is available now on Amazon at: We’re also delighted to announce the theme of the 2022 competition: Switch. Make of it what you will! The Award Ceremony was broadcast […]

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]]> At the 2022 HG Wells Short Story Competition Award Ceremony on Zoom on Sunday 20th November, the winners were announced as:

  • 2022 Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize Winner: Amelie Roscoe for Salting the Earth
  • 2022 Senior Prize Winner: Stephen O’Reilly for Hibernicus Rising

The 2022 Anthology of Switch is available now on Amazon at:

  • Elsewhere search on Amazon for “Switch Joyce”

We’re also delighted to announce the theme of the 2022 competition: Switch. Make of it what you will!

The Award Ceremony was broadcast on our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/HGWellsShortStoryCompetition “live” and will be available to watch back until the end of 2022. The ceremony started with presentations by two speakers:

  • Tony Quarrington on Sandgate as home to HG Wells [Video]
  • Lord Boeteng on the Importance of Books [Video]

2022 Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize

  • Ginny Martin reading from Binding Switch
  • Katie Farrell reading from Discernment
  • Winner: Amelie Roscoe reading from Salting the Earth
  • Adriana Tihan reading from Switch
  • Ryan Lee reading from The Animal Boy

2022 Senior Prize

  • Jamie Littlewood reading from (The Tale Of) Mr Motivator [Video]
  • Sasha Gill reading from And Then Come the Pixies [Unable to attend]
  • David McVey reading from Ben Kingsley Time-warped My Tennis Ball [Reading Live]
  • Winner: Stephen O’Reilly reading from Hibernicus Rising [Reading Live]
  • Kim A. Bigelow reading from My Refrigerator Won’t Let Me [Reading Live]
  • Susannah Rickards reading from Olive Branches [Video]
  • Amanda D’Errico reading from The Rehzinin [Video]
  • Adrian Paul reading from What Would the Jackmans Do [Reading Live]

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]]> HG Wells Competition Shortlists 2022 https://hgwellscompetition.com/2022/09/21/hg-wells-competition-shortlists-2022/ Wed, 21 Sep 2022 12:56:50 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=14362 We are delighted to announce our two shortlists for the prestigious H G Wells Short Story Competition 2022 on the theme “Switch”. The judges have selected the following stories for the 2022 shortlists (listed below in alphabetical story order only). Shortlist for Junior Competition, The Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize of £1,000 Ginny Martin GB […]

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]]> We are delighted to announce our two shortlists for the prestigious H G Wells Short Story Competition 2022 on the theme “Switch”.

The judges have selected the following stories for the 2022 shortlists (listed below in alphabetical story order only).

Shortlist for Junior Competition, The Margaret and Reg Turnill Prize of £1,000

Ginny MartinGBBinding Switch
Katie FarrellIEDiscernment
Amelie RoscoeGBSalting the Earth
Adriana TihanGBSwitch
Ryan LeeKRThe Animal Boy

Shortlist for the Senior Competition, The Grand Prize of £500

Ricardo VosseGB(The Tale Of) Mr Motivator
Sasha GillGBAnd Then Come the Pixies
David McVeyGBBen Kingsley Time-warped My Tennis Ball
Stephen O’ReillyIEHibernicus Rising
Peter AdamsonGBI Need You To Be Harold
Kim A. BigelowUSMy Refrigerator Won’t Let Me
Susannah RickardsGBOlive Branches
Shagufta TGBPeeling
Amanda D’ErricoUSThe Rehzinin
Adrian PaulGBWhat Would the Jackmans Do

Many congratulations to the shortlisted writers. We look forward to meeting many of you at the online Awards Ceremony on Sunday 20th November 2022. Further details will be emailed to shortlisted authors soon.

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]]> 2021 Senior Prize Shortlisted Story: Stephen Webb – Area 37 https://hgwellscompetition.com/2022/09/01/2021-senior-prize-shortlisted-story-stephen-webb-area-37/ Thu, 01 Sep 2022 15:12:00 +0000 https://hgwellscompetition.com/?p=13629 The post 2021 Senior Prize Shortlisted Story: Stephen Webb – Area 37 appeared first on The HG Wells Short Story Competition.

]]> Area-37

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