Kemptown Bookshop Writing Competition Terms and Conditions

Eligibility

The competition is open to writers of any nationality writing in English aged 16 and over at the time of the closing date. We welcome everyone, no matter how you identify or others perceive you.

Entries must be entirely your own work and not use AI. Any evidence to the contrary will result in immediate disqualification.

Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast, have won or been placed (2nd, 3rd, runner up etc) in any other competition.

If your entry has been long-listed or shortlisted in other competitions, and provided it has not won a prize or been published, it is eligible.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed but will become ineligible should they win a prize elsewhere, be published or scheduled for future publication prior to the date of prize giving. Entry fees will not be refunded.

You must inform us immediately should your entry be published or win a prize elsewhere.

Entries submitted posthumously are not eligible.

One entry per person.

Entries received without the entry fee will be disregarded.

Judging

The judges’ decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into. Judges are unable to comment on individual entries. Judging is fair and unbiased. Kemptown Bookshop reserves the right to change the panel of judges without notice.

Copyright

Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author but Kemptown Bookshop has unrestricted rights to publish the winning and highly commended poems, short stories and flash fiction stories in the 2026 anthology and any relevant promotional material.

If you have any queries, email competition@kemptownbookshop.co.uk