Writers Magazine 2009

The 2009 BBC National Short Story Award

Run by the BBC in association with Booktrust

Closing date 5pm on 15 June 2009

The largest award for a single short story in the world. £15,000 for the winning story, £3,000 for the runner-up and £500 for the three other shortlisted stories.

UK writers only are eligible*(see below)

This year's panel of judges are: singer-songwriter Will Young, broadcaster and journalist Tom Sutcliffe (chair), author Dame Margaret Drabble, Orange Prize winner Helen Dunmore and BBC Radio 4’s Editor Di Speirs. 

The submitted stories must be no more than 8,000 words in length.

The shortlist will be announced on Friday 27 November with the five stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 each weekday before the winner is announced. The five stories will also be published in a special collection.

For further details and detailed eligibility guidelines

* The author must have a prior record of publication in creative writing. This means the author must previously have had works of prose fiction, drama or poetry published by a UK publisher (excluding self-publishing) or established printed magazine in the UK or broadcast by a UK national radio station. “Established” here means a periodical that is published regularly (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly), that has been in circulation for at least the past 12 months, has an ISBN or ISSN number and is not self published. For avoidance of doubt online publishing is also excluded.

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