Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2025

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is now open for 2025! This is an exciting opportunity for new writers, experimental writers and writers with something daring to say.

Judging panel

Mariana Enríquez, Henry Hoke, and Ottessa Moshfegh.

First prize

• €2000
• A week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation.
• A manuscript assessment with The Literary Consultancy.
• Meeting with literary agent Ed Wilson from The Literary Consultancy.

Runner-up Prizes
€1000 (two prizes available)

Submission Guidelines

• Submit an original work of fiction under 2000 words.
• Translations are accepted, and prizes will be shared between translator and original author, where possible. Submissions are anonymous.
• Stories should be submitted in .pdf format upon payment of the entry fee, without mention of the author or translator name within the document.

Entry fee

• €20 for the first entry
• €10 for every further entry (max. of five entries per person)

Deadline: April 13th 2025 (23:59 CEST)