The Parracombe Prize 2027 will be open for entry on November 1st.
Entry fee is £6.50 per story, you can enter as many stories as you like.
First prize is £150.00. The second prize has risen to £75 and two third prize winners will receive £50 a piece. The local award – the Bruce Aiken Prize – remains at £50. Each story will be read by at least four judges. Those that go forward into the second round will be read by eight judges, drawn from different walks of life. Entries are marked for language, structure, characterisation and enjoyment as we endeavour to reach a 360 degree scrutiny. A further 30 stories will be published in the 2027 Anthology
We are aware that AI has become an integral part of our digital lives. We can’t turn the clock back, and we are not about to try. However, we are aware that AI generated stories have received prize money in other short story competitions. While it is possible to conduct checks for plagiarism – it is something we do every year – it seems nothing can categorically identify an AI story, in order that it can be eliminated. We trust all our entries will be made in the spirit of a competition that seeks to unveil creative, original and entertaining writing so its integrity is not drawn into question. Once again, we thank our loyal writers for showing their support.