50 Word Fiction competition: write a story about sailing

Closing date: Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 11.55pm

Each month, we'll provide a prompt to get you started, but where the story goes from there is entirely up to you.

The 50 Word Fiction competition includes four categories: adult writers, all-age Gaelic writers, young writers aged 5–11 and young writers aged 12–18. The entries will be judged by a panel and the four winning stories will be published on our website roughly two weeks after the closing date.

A prize will be awarded to a writer in each category, should they be located in the UK, and we're very happy to offer a certificate (printed or digital, depending on your preference) as well as the below:

To read the full article on scottishbooktrust.com, click here