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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Thanks to everybody who entered and all our 2026 partners... We'll be going through your stories in the next couple of months before passing on the shortlist to the judges.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

LAST CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!!! desperateliterature.com/prize/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

You can find our previously shortlisted stories here!https://desperateliterature.com/product/full-whammy/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Shortlisters have the chance to be published in one of our partner journals.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

The 2026 Prize is judged by Claire-Louise Bennett, Ottessa Moshfegh and Joanna Walsh. For a chance to get your work in front of their eyes, enter at: desperateliterature.com/prize 5/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

OTHER PRIZES ☑️ €1000 (2 Runners up) ☑️ 10-day residency at Desperate Literature ☑️ Invitation to the European Writers Salon, Berlin ☑️ access to @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social's "Being a Writer" platform ☑️ Translation into Spanish ☑️ Short Story Clinic desperateliterature.com/prize 4/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

"Civitella Ranieri was beyond anything I could have expected. The castle and the grounds are straight out of a fairy-tale, every window is an entrance to scenery that inspires. But what makes it such an amazing place to go are the people." Paige Cowan-Hall, 2021 Winner 3/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

WINNER : ☑️ 2000€ ☑️ A week at the magnificent 15th C. Castle: Civitella Ranieri ☑️ Meeting with agent Charlotte Seymour @charlotteseymour.bsky.social ☑️ Pub. in Eleven Stories + one of 9 partner journals desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

ONE WEEK LEFT 💫 Calling writers of innovative fiction under 2000 words! Prizes: €2000 / 1000€; residencies Civitella Ranieri & at DL in Madrid; manuscript assessment with @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social; publication; salons; and more... desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Highlighting another partner journal, today: @kydmagazine.bsky.social Not only do they publish 🔥 lit, they also provide tons of editorial services, classes, & content to support authors... For all the info of our prize and what they have published from the prize: desperateliterature.com/prize/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

We are incredibly proud to be partnered with Helter Skelter Magazine, an incredible magazine publishing materials from and about India! During our years collaborating together, they've published four of our previously shortlisted authors Check them out here: desperateliterature.com/previous-win...

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

For all the info and to enter see: desperateliterature.com/prize 10/10

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Shortlisters have the chance to be published in one of our partner journals.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

The 2026 Prize is judged by Claire-Louise Bennett, Ottessa Moshfegh and Joanna Walsh. For a chance to get your work in front of their eyes, enter at: desperateliterature.com/prize 5/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

OTHER PRIZES ☑️ €1000 x2 ☑️ 10-day residency in Madrid ☑️ Invitation to the European Writers Salon, Berlin ☑️ access to @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social 's "Being a Writer" platform ☑️ Translation into Spanish ☑️ Short Story Clinic ☑️ Access to @reedsy.bsky.social desperateliterature.com/prize 4/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

EXTENDED DEADLINE 💫 Calling writers of innovative fiction under 2000 words! Prizes: €2000 / 1000€; residencies at Civitella Ranieri & at DL in Madrid; manuscript assessment with @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social; publication; salons; and more... desperateliterature.com/prize 1/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

As we enter our last month, here's a wee reminder of our 🔥 www.desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

We're excited to announce new prizes 🌟 in collaboration with @reedsy.bsky.social We've a host of prizes to add on to our already pretty tasty basket, with a focus on making sure that more prizes get to longlisters! There's still some time left. ALL THE INFO: desperateliterature.com/prize/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

For all the info and to enter see: desperateliterature.com/prize 10/10

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Shortlisters have the chance to be published in one of our partner journals.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

40 full and 60 half-fee sponsored entries available through us! Additional free entries are being offered by our sponsors: Spread the Word, Helter Skelter, @cipherpress.bsky.social and @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social See website to learn how to apply desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

The 2026 Prize is judged by Claire-Louise Bennett, Ottessa Moshfegh and Joanna Walsh. For a chance to get your work in front of their eyes, enter at: desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

PRIZES: WINNER: ☑️ 2000€ ☑️ A week at the magnificent 15th C. Castle: Civitella Ranieri ☑️ Meeting with agent Charlotte Seymour @charlotteseymour.bsky.social ☑️ Pub. in Eleven Stories + one of 9 partner journals desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

SIX WEEKS REMAINING 💫 Calling writers of innovative fiction under 2000 words! Prizes: €2000 / 1000€; residencies, a manuscript assessment with @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social; publications; salons; and new prizes from @reedsy.bsky.social... desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Want to discover writers making some of the most exciting work today?... check out the 2025 Prize Shortlisters ‘Generous, soulful distillations. A tasting flight of prosaic kerosene.’ -Henry Hoke For the full goss: www.instagram.com/p/DVeWchGDtRR/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Shastri Akella, on winning the 2025 literary prize: Ottessa Moshfegh called Shastri's story: ‘Tender... & haunting.’ You can read an interview with Shastri on our website & download his story as part of Eleven Stories 2025 www.desperateliterature.com/prize Open until April 19th!

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

For all the info and to enter see: desperateliterature.com/prize 10/10

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

You can find our previously shortlisted stories here! desperateliterature.com/product/full... 9/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Shortlisters have the chance to be published in one of our partner journals.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

The 2026 Prize is judged by Claire-Louise Bennett, Ottessa Moshfegh and Joanna Walsh. For a chance to get your work in front of their eyes, enter at: desperateliterature.com/prize 5/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

2026 PRIZE NOW OPEN 💫 Calling writers of innovative fiction under 2000 words! Prizes: €2000 / 1000€; residencies @civitellaitaly & at DL in Madrid; manuscript assessment with @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social; publication; salons; and more... desperateliterature.com/prize 1/

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

THE 2025 SHORTLIST: "Generous, soulful distillations. A tasting flight of prosaic kerosene. Each story ignited a flare in a forsaken corner of my mind. I can’t wait to experience more from these voices." —Henry Hoke, judge Get the pdf or pre-order the book: desperateliterature.com/product/elev...

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Ottessa Moshfegh said of the winning story: a "tender and haunting" story exploring "themes of isolation, vulnerability, and connection across literal and figurative borders." Akella was a recipient of a sponsored entry to the prize and his tale of queer love and ghosts won our hearts.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS of the 2025 Short Fiction Prize Shastri Akella takes the winning spot with ‘The Border Country,' a ‘tender and haunting’ story of queer love on the Kashmir border. Runners-up are Swithun Cooper and Alisha Dietzman.

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

THE LAST DAY TO ENTER! Prizes: €2000 & 1000€, residencies at Civitella Ranieri and (NEW) at DL in Madrid, a manuscript assessment w/ @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social, publication, salons, and more... desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

@minorlits.bsky.social recently ran an interview with our judge Henry Hoke: tinyurl.com/5dck3a6n "What is urgent to the writer? That’s really exciting to me in judging. I’m a small plates person. I like a little concentrated bite of something." Submit your work: desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

🔥Partner Journal Shoutout🔥 Presenting Minor Literature(s) @minorlits.bsky.social, an online journal specializing in experimental prose. Surprising, bold, cutting-edge, vital... For a chance to have your work published by this literary great, submit today: desperateliterature.com/prize

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Desperate Literature @desperatelit.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Last year's runner-up Amanda Hildebrandt had her story 'No Safe Place' published by the journal. In 2021, Phillippa Finkemeyer's 'Cables' got selected. Read these and other stories from the prize with our partner journals! desperateliterature.com/previous-win... Submit your own stories now!

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