The London Short Story Prize was started by Spread the Word in 2013 to discover and profile exciting short story talent in the capital and beyond. This page illustrates the history of the Prize to date.
London Short Story Prize 2018
Winner
Guy Ware year of peace
Highly Commended
Emma Hutton Dead Shark
Kira McPherson A Complete History of Portraiture
Shortlisted
CG Menon Real Estate
Judith Wilson Like a Blooming Discotheque
Katie Lumsden Chicken Shop Girl
Longlisted
Adam Welch As Close as it Comes
Ken Barlow Granda
Erika Banerji First Time Ever
Lou Kramskoy Stange Inherited Jazz
Judges
Clare Fisher
Guy Gunaratne
Sarah Such
Anthology
The London Short Story Prize Anthology
(Paperback. Published Spring 2019 in partnership with Kingston University Press)
London Short Story Prize 2017
Winner
Maria Thomas Dead Yard
Highly Commended
Dylan Brethour The Moon We Drown In
Alun Evans Techniques of Neutralisation
Shortlisted
Ed Cottrell Happy Gate
Selma Carvalho Kitchen Sink Mutinies
Anton Rose Family of Four
Longlisted
Kate Ellis Natural Meat
Bren Gosling The Visitor
Kerstin Twachtmann T-t-television
Judges
Leone Ross
Joe Dunthorne
Emma Paterson
Anthology
The London Short Story Prize Anthology
(Paperback. Published Spring 2018 in partnership with Kingston University Press)
London Short Story Prize 2016
Winner
Foye McCarthy Oh, No, a Bank Robbery! Fuck!
Oh No A Bank Robbery by Foye McCarthy (PDF)
Highly Commended
Aaron Cox The Occupants
Farah Ahamed Poached Eggs
Shortlisted
John Wilks The Invisible Boy
Hanna Ali The Story of Us
Anita Goveas Tarantulas are Slow but Deliberate
Longlisted
Jim Gleeson A Swan Called Frank
Radhika Kapur Bathing in Bangladesh, Shitting in Pakistan
Barry Stewart Hunter Denholm’s Epiphany
Richard Wallace A Stick and Poke Tattoo of the Pine Point Mountains
Laura Windley Mementoes and Bones
Judges
AL Kennedy
Irenosen Okojie
Juliet Mabey
Anthology
The London Short Story Prize Anthology
(Paperback. Published in partnership with Kingston University Press)
London Short Story Prize 2015
(Open nationally)
Winner
Joanna Campbell Upshots
Read Joanna Campbell’s winning story here (PDF download)
Highly Commended
Kerry Barner Chopan the Cross-Eyed
James Woolf R v Sieger – additional documents disclosed by the Crown Prosecution Service
Shortlisted
Gary Budden Saltmarsh
Frances Gapper The Moustache Maker’s Daughter
Sabo Kpade Chibok
Longlisted
Jean Ashbury Lemonade with Ice
Tyler Keevil Cassandra to the Sea
Damien Knightley The Colorado River Toad and the Racoon
Hana Riaz make it home on time
Stephanie Scott Partitions
Nikesh Shukla A Man, Without A Donkey
Judges
Jon McGregor
Kevin Barry
Elise Dillsworth
Anthology
Upshots
(Paperback. Published in partnership with Kingston University Press)
London Short Story Prize 2014
Winner
Ruby Cowling Flamingo Land
Read Ruby Cowling’s winning story Flamingo Land here (PDF download)
Highly Commended
Janet H Swinney The Work of Lesser Known Artists
Katie Willis The Passenger
Shortlisted
Fiona O’Connor War Museum
Neil Ferguson French Knickers
Uschi Gatward On Margate Sands
Judges
Cathy Galvin
Jackie Kay
Anthology
Flamingo Land and Other Stories
(Paperback and ebook. Edited by Ellah Wakatama Allfrey)
London Short Story Prize 2013
(Was the Spread the Word Prize)
Winner
Clare Sita Fisher Living It Edgeways
Read Clare Sita Fisher’s winning story Living It Edgeways here (PDF download)
Shortlisted
Nick Black Lottie’s Husband
Toby Litt Changing Room
KJ Orr The Ice Cream Song Is Strange
Deirdre Shanahan Digging
Saradha Soobrayen 13 Ways To Lose A Library Card
Judges
Bidisha
Tania Hershman
Courttia Newland
Anthology
Edgeways (ebook only)