Pudding Press Detritus Writing Competition

The Detritus Writing Competition 2025 is for unpublished writers whose work has been previously rejected.

The theme of the competition is flexible, but the organizer is looking for original, inspirational and engaging work from within the categories of Horror, Philosophy or Young Adult fiction. They are particularly looking for urgency and excitement within the content.

The competition is open to all writers internationally. Entrants must be 18 and over. Entries must be written in English and it is essential that entrants have had work rejected and have not been previously awarded a significant publishing deal.

All longlisted entrants will be included in our longlisted promotion. Shortlisted entrants will be asked to supply their whole manuscript at the point of shortlisting.

The winner will receive an offer of a publishing contract and will be represented by Pudding Press Ltd. The prize will include publication of your book, promotion and book design.

Is this competition legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any event, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work.

FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it’s your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.

ProWritingAid
We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives. Visit their website and try ProWritingAid for free.