Wells Festival of Literature’s International Creative Writing Competitions

The Wells Festival of Literature’s International Creative Writing Competitions 2026 are organised by the Wells Festival of Literature, an annual literary festival in Wells, Somerset, England that celebrates writing across genres with cash prizes, publication visibility, and public readings. These competitions welcome writers and poets from around the world, offering multiple categories that include poetry, short fiction, and children’s writing.

There are  four competition categories: Open Poetry, Short Story, Book for Children, and Young Poets. Each category is judged independently by experienced writers or industry professionals, and winners are celebrated at a prize-giving ceremony and poetry reading held during the festival. Entries must be original, unpublished work in English and submitted anonymously online.

Prizes:

• Open Poetry: £1000, £500, £250
• Short Story: £750, £300, £200
• Book for Children: £750, £300, £200
• Young Poets: £200, £150, £100 + a year’s subscription to The Poetry Society

The fee for each separate entry is £8. Competitors may submit any number of entries.

Competitions open 1 April 2026 and close on 30 June 2026.

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.