Probably the biggest competition on this list purely in terms of the amount of exposure that awaits any winner…
An offshoot of the massively popular Costa Book Awards, the coffee giants introduced the Short Story Award in 2012, allowing unpublished writers to get in on the act.
The lack of an entry fee, a sizable cash prize and the publicity that Costa can bring makes this an obvious starting point for any award-chasing author.
Entry Fee: Free Word Count: 4000 word limit Prize: £3000