HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition - The Dorothy Dunnett Society

Competition for Unpublished Short Stories of up to 3500 Words

“History is all very well but it is just the showcase. It is the arena in which your characters will perform, and which supplies the conflicts, stresses, dilemmas and the struggles they’ll get through” Dorothy Dunnett

Can you transport a reader into the past? Can you tell a story which will grip the reader while immersing them in another time? Do you want the voices and the stories of the past to find a new audience in the modern world? If your answer to any of the above is yes, then you could win £500, publication and the chance to learn from top industry professionals.

How to Enter

You can find out more about how to enter at The Historical Writers’ Association – The official website of the HWA

How to Enter

This competition is for unpublished short stories of up to 3500 words, and is held to celebrate the works of Dorothy Dunnett and the enduring appeal of Historical Fiction. Choose your theme, your genre and your period and bring the past alive. The only condition is that your story is set at least 35 years in the past.

If you missed the 2026 Award, watch this space for information about the 2027 award!

More about the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition

The short story competition is a joint enterprise between the Historical Writers Association and the Dorothy Dunnett Society to promote good short form historical fiction, to encourage new writers and to keep Dorothy Dunnett’s name at the forefront of current historical fiction. It is an unqualified success – each year we receive between 100 and 200 excellent short stories, ending up with a shortlist of outstanding stories, and of course a winner.

Entry Requirements

The competition is open to unpublished short stories of no more than 3,500 words. Stories must be set more than 35 years in the past, display a secure understanding of their period, feature three-dimensional characters and be complete short stories rather than extracts from longer works. Entries normally open in March with a closing date of 1 July. Writers from all over the world can submit their stories and we have had winners from England, Scotland and Canada.

Judging Process

The submitted stories (which are anonymous at this stage) are assessed independently by two different members of a panel of First Round Judges, after which a longlist is created for the Final Round Judges who will select the shortlist and eventual winner. The winning author wins a prize of £500 and the opportunity of mentoring. The winners are usually announced in October and all the short-listed authors are invited to the HWA Crown awards held in London in November to meet up in person and receive their certificates and copies of their stories in print.

Could you be a Judge?

The competition could not be the success it is without contributions from members of the DDS and HWA who read and assess the stories and enable the publication of the annual anthology. We always welcome new people to our team of First Round judges, especially from members of the Dorothy Dunnett Society. If you enjoy immersing yourself in short stories during July each year, then this is your chance to do it! Guidance and support are provided!

Since 2019 the six shortlisted stories have been published in an Anthology available on Amazon in both print and Kindle versions. The winning story is published both in Whispering Gallery and the HWA online magazine Historia.