The short story

Welcome to story, the campaign to celebrate the short story. We believe that the short story is one of the most exciting and important literary forms, that can and should reach the widest possible readership. We believe that the short story matters.

News and information

What can you find on this site? Simply everything you could ever want to know about the short story:

reading them
writing them
events
competitions
workshops and projects

You can search for short story collections currently published in the UK and read tips and articles from writers, agents and publishers on what makes a great short story and the great classic and contemporary stories they love.

BBC National Short Story Award anthologyBBC National Short Story Award

You can also find out about the BBC National Short Story Award (previously known as the National Short Story Prize)

Clare Wigfall has won the 2008 BBC National Short Story Award.

Find out more

Find out about Story Readers' Days

Find out about the history of the prize and previous winners

Find out more about the BBC and its work with the short story

The short story form is better suited to the demands of modern life than the novel.
Simon Prosser Publishing Director Hamish Hamilton

Story now

> Think piece

Richard Beard's story thoughts
Our shortlisted author speaks

>Vote!

for Alison MacLeod or Sophie Hannah
... to be the 2009 Book to Talk About

> Feature

Short story radio
Listen to stories online

> Books

New and forthcoming collections