RAWA Flash Fiction Prize 2026

The RAWA Flash Fiction Prize is open to all registrants and workshop attendees of RAWA 2026 and to all attendees of the RAWA Schools Programme 2025-2026.

 

The Open Prize is $700, with a second prize of $300. The Junior Prize (under 18 years) is $300, with a second prize of $100.

In addition to the cash prize, and at the discretion of The Hagley Writers' Institute, successful entries will be offered publication in Quick Brown Dog, the highly regarded journal of the Hagley Writers' Institute.

 

We are delighted to collaborate with the Hagley Writers' Institute in the administration of the prizes. Director Melanie Dixon will judge the competition. RAWA’s patron, Owen Marshall, will present the prizes to the winners at the festival’s closing session on Sunday 8th March.
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Conditions of Entry

• Entry is free to all fully paid registrants of RAWA 2026 and all workshop attendees (including school attendees of the RAWA School's Programme);

• Only one entry per person is permitted, and you may only enter one section;

• Entries must not have been published previously in any form, been broadcast or won a prize;

• The submission will be wholly the submitter's original work;

• Submissions will close at 5pm, Sunday 8th February 2026 and no entries will be considered after this date;

• Entries that do not meet the submission requirements will not be accepted;

• The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

 

Submission Details.

• The theme for the 2026 RAWA Flash Fiction Competition is ‘Journey’;

• The genre is flash fiction, also known as the ‘short short story’;

• Submissions must be no more than 250 words in total, excluding title.

• Simultaneous submission is permitted. However, if your flash fiction story wins a prize or is published elsewhere, please let us know so that we can remove your entry from the RAWA competition.

• Submit a word file to rawafestival@icloud.com before the due date: 5pm, Sunday 8th February 2026;

• All submissions will be given a unique entry number to anonymise the judging process;

• In your word document, include a title but do not include your name, to ensure your entry remains anonymous;

• In your email, please include your name and contact phone number, and include proof of purchase of a RAWA 2026 entry ticket or attendance at a RAWA workshop or RAWA Schools Project workshop. If you are in receipt of a RAWA Fellowship in 2026, you will automatically be eligible for entry in the competition and do not need to provide proof of ticket purchase;

• Please note that failure to include evidence of your fully paid RAWA registration will mean that your entry will not be considered for the prize;

• You will receive an email acknowledgement of your submission within 48 hours. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, you must contact us. Failure to do so may result in your entry not being included in the competition;

• Any submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.