Final call for entries to this year’s Cheshire Prize for Literature competition

The countdown is on for writers to submit their work for this year’s Cheshire Prize for Literature, run by the University of Chester.

Entrants can write about anything that inspires them, in four categories: short stories, poetry, children's literature and scriptwriting.

The Cheshire Prize for Literature was founded in 2003 by the then High Sheriff, John Richards OBE DL, and Dr Bill Hughes from the University of Chester, who was one of the most influential figures in the modern cultural life of the city. It is one of the few free-to-enter literary competitions and offers a cash prize to winners who are 18 and over, and a voucher for younger winners, as well as the rare opportunity for the best entries to be published professionally. 

Entries need to be submitted by Wednesday, January 31, 2024. To submit an entry, and for further information, please visit: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/press-office/cheshire-prize-literature.

The competition is split into three age groups:

• Primary (four to 11) for short stories or poetry
• Secondary (11 to 17) for short stories or poetry
• 18 and over for short stories, children's literature, poetry or scriptwriting.

Entrants must live or have lived, work or have worked, studied or have studied, in Cheshire, Wirral, Warrington or Halton.

Two entries can be submitted to the competition by each entrant but these must be in different categories.

Dr Harry Parkin, Senior Lecturer in English Language and Programme Leader for the Master’s in Storytelling at the University of Chester, as well as chair of the judging panel, said: “Thank you to everyone who has entered to date and if you haven’t submitted any work yet but are keen to share your writing talent, please don’t miss your chance this month. 

“Also, just a reminder that the competition is open to ages four upwards; the children's categories were introduced in 2022, and they’ve been a wonderful addition.

“We look forward to seeing and shortlisting the entries, announcing the winners and runners-up at our awards evening in the summer and seeing the pieces in print later in the year.”

To find out more about the anthology of work by winners, runners-up and shortlisted authors in the previous year’s competition, Humankind: Writing from the Cheshire Prize for Literature 2022, please visit: www.chester.ac.uk/university-press.

For any queries about the competition, please email cheshireprize@chester.ac.uk or call 01244 511344.

* The photo shows winners and shortlisted entrants with Dr Harry Parkin at the Cheshire Prize for Literature 2022/23 awards evening.