WestWord is a literary magazine that launched in 2022 and publish micro fictions, flash fictions and short stories.
Get all the info on how to get published with us on our Submissions page.
Submissions are open on a rolling basis for flash fiction stories to appear in our twice-monthly Flash Focus feature. All writers selected will also have an interview about the story that will run alongside it.
There is no theme but our usual submission guidelines apply. Please read the kinds of stories we publish to get a feel for what we like.
Words: Up to 750 (excluding the title)
Submission fee: £7 submission only / £22 with feedback
Author payment: £20
ENTRY RULES
- Submit stories written in English through Submittable. Please use a clear font of at least size 12 so that we can read it easily!
- Please use the name of your story as your Submission title and the document you upload.
- Please include the word count at the start or end of the story document.
- Stories must be your own original work and not have been published online or in print, or have won any other competitions (longlisted and shortlisted in other competitions is fine if the story remains unpublished).
- Simultaneous submissions are allowed but if your story wins a prize or is published prior to the winner’s announcement your submission will become ineligible. No refunds of submission fees will be paid.
- By entering the competition you agree to your story being published in WestWord.
- Stories can be in any genre apart from children’s fiction.
- You can enter as many times as you like but all entries must be made separately and the entry fee paid each time.
- The judge’s decision is final.
- Cash prize payments will be made through PayPal or via BACS.
- There are no alternative prizes.
Please do not send us stories with racism, sexism, homophobia, religious hatred or any other kind of bigotry and hate. Any sex must be relevant to the story. Do not send us graphic stories of rape, incest, child abuse, bestiality, or gratuitous violence. We won’t publish it and we do not want to read it.
Authors will retain all rights and copyright to their works. WestWord requests one-time, non-exclusive rights to publish your work.
WestWord Past Times Prize
This annual competition is for historical fiction stories. Each year we will reveal which time the stories should be set in.
Deadline: 31st August 2025
Words: Up to 500 (excluding the title)
Entry fee: £6 submission only / £21 with feedback
PRIZES:
The winning and shortlisted stories will share 61% of the entry fees (after Submittable fees are deducted) .
- 1st: 20%
- 2nd: £15%
- 3rd: £10%
- Shortlisted stories (max 7): 3% each
All winning and shortlisted stories will be published in WestWord in November 2025.
Get more info here: https://westword.substack.com/p/past-times-prize
Short Story Spotlight publishes one short story a month along with an interview with the author about their craft.
- Word count: Up to 5,000
- Submission fee: £8
- Author payment: £35
There is no theme but please read the stories we have previously published to get a feel for what we like.
Submission Guidelines
- All submissions must be sent through Submittable and we cannot accept email submissions. Anything sent via email will not be read.
- Please submit no more than one story per category in each submission period. If you are submitting to more than one category then each submission must be made separately and the submission fee paid each time.
- Please use a legible, easy-to-read font of 12pt or 14pt.
- All submissions must be previously unpublished (never published in print or online, including a personal blog) and in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format ONLY.
- Simultaneous submissions are fine but please withdraw your submission via Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere.
- Our submissions are open to all adult writers worldwide. All work must be written in English.