The go-to place for writers in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire
The go-to place for writers in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire
Calling all our friends across the South West. Whether you have lived experience of forced displacement or work or volunteer with refugees, do you have a story to tell?
Founded in Bristol in 2002, TFSW was the first agency in the South West to provide specialist trauma therapy for refugees.
Over 25 years, we've listened to many stories: of waiting for a decision as time stretches ahead, of surviving and of thriving, of difficult days and the deep reward of connection.
Now we're inviting you to add your voice. Our new Short Story Collection brings that tapestry of voices together, marking 25 years of listening and raising funds for support to continue into the future.
Deadline 1st October
Full guidelines at tfsw.co.uk/stories.
The Wildfire Words 2026 Audio Book International Competition is now open for submissions from writers worldwide.
Each entry should be a collection of six or more poems or prose. Each work should be no more than 300 words or 60 lines including stanza breaks. At least two of them must also be entered as audio recordings of the writer reading that work.
There will be cash prizes of £35 (3rd), £75 (2nd), and £150 (1st), plus publication of an online audio book for each prizewinner. All commended authors will also have at least one of their works published in the 2026 Audio Book Competition (ABC) anthology.
Closing date: Mon 30 Nov 2026
Details, including access to audio books already published by Wildfire Words, here.
The Wildfire/Frosted Fire Seventh International Single Poem Competition is now open for submissions of poetry on the theme of Free Speech or Fake News, which can be interpreted as widely as you like. In poems of up to 50 lines max including title and stanza break lines.
TWO cash prizes of £300 – best audio and best tex. Plus 4 runner-up prizes of £25. All prizewinners, short-list, long-list poets’ entries eligible for Free Speech or Fake News Anthology published online in December. Deadline 31 October
All info here
A paid nine‑month residency for an emerging nature writer from an underrepresented background to work with the Cotswold landscape is being offered. Through fieldwork and community engagement, the writer will create poems, essays, stories or audio pieces that deepen public connection to place. Applicants should live in one of the Local Authorities with boundaries within the Cotswolds. These are: Gloucestershire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Wiltshire Council, South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Worcestershire County Council. More details and how to apply on the Dialect website here
Deadline 6 Sept
TwoCan Connect, Gloucestershire’s Network for Disabled Artists, welcomes anyone who identifies as a disabled creative to join them. They are keen to reach as many DDN creatives across Gloucestershire as possible.
The first event is Tuesday, 28th July 2026 12.30-1.30pm at Patch in Gloucester. Full information and FREE tickets available now at twocanconnect.eventbrite.com
Join them to cocreate a community BY and FOR DDN (Disabled, Deaf and Neurodivergent) creatives across Gloucestershire.
Build connections with peers who just ‘get it’
Discuss accessibility best practice
Work together to build what we need
Budding authors have until September 30 to enter The Paul Cave Prize for Literature 2026. There are already some excellent submissions from around the world.
Established in 2023 The Paul Cave Prize for Literature celebrates the English language and is an excellent platform for writers and poets to get their work read by a professional editor and published in a book. Winners receive feedback, cash prizes and copies of the book featuring their work.
Poetry, flash fiction, shorts stories, novelettes and even novellas can be entered.
The Paul Cave Writing Prizes are in memory of Paul Astley Cave-Browne-Cave (1917 to 2010), a hugely inspirational magazine and
book publisher. In 1960 Paul founded Hampshire the county magazine, running it for over forty years.
More info here
Sole Judge: Penelope Shuttle who will read all entries
Closing date for entries. Midnight, 29th August 2026.
1st prize-£600. Runner-up- £300. 5 x commended-£50 each.
The Gloucestershire Prize - £200. (for Gloucestershire residents only).
Penelope Shuttle has lived in Falmouth since 1970. Her new collection, History of the Child, published in February 2026 by Bloodaxe Books, is a highly evocative exploration of childhood, memory, and imagination. The book blends personal and historical perspectives, guided by the idea of childhood as a transformative and rebellious space.
Her thirteenth collection, Lyonesse, appeared from Bloodaxe Books in June 2021, was Observer Poetry Book of the Month, and long listed for the Laurel Prize. It has been described as ‘...a singular, arresting and moving book’. Noah, a pamphlet, appeared in September 2023 from Broken Sleep Books. Shuttle is President of the Falmouth Poetry Group.
Entry fees: Postal entries; £4 per poem or 3 poems for £10.
More info here
Tim Saunders has published a number of books so far this year including:
The Girl in the Yellow Dress by Margaret Kiernan
Surface Tension by Neil Stevenson
Mr Manderson Investigates by MA Carr
Casey’s Cooking by Linda Liddicoat
Please pardon my rotten corpse by Maverick Jones
What’s All This? Poetry from a quirky Kiwi by Linda Liddicoat
Not Born to Rule – The Queen Anne Poems by Frank McMahon
He is now compiling his schedule for the rest of the year, so do submit your manuscripts for consideration.
There are also plenty of writing challenges on his website:
https://tsaunderspubs.weebly.com/submissions-publishing-process--schedule.html
The Kevin Elyot Award 2026 award, of £5000, will support a writer-in-residence at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection.
It is an annual award given to support a promising writer, practitioner or scholar to begin the process of creating a new written work. It is made in memory of actor and writer, Kevin Elyot (1951-2014) and the influence he has had on writing and the Arts.
This year the award amount is £5,000, generously funded through philanthropic funding including an endowment given to the University by members of Kevin’s family. The award is to enable a writer to be inspired by his work and help them develop their own practice.
The award holder will use the Kevin Elyot Archive (held at the Theatre Collection) to inspire a new dramatic work or other creative, curatorial or academic outcome. Comprising scripts, correspondence, manuscripts and publicity material, the archive details Elyot’s working process from initial idea to finished product.
Details of the application process can also be found on our news page. The deadline for applications is Sunday 31st May 2026.
