Cash prizes!

Gay Authors Workshop and Homo Promos are launching a competition – HOT FLASHES! – aimed at all GAW members.

We are looking for Flash Fiction stories and poems for possible inclusion in the new anthology to be published in April 2026.

The competition will have four categories: 

1. Under 40 words prose (for poetry – haiku, limerick or clerihew).
2. Under 300 words prose, or,for poetry – sonnet, or other form under 20 lines.
3. Under 600 words prose (poetry under 40 lines).
4. Under 1000 words prose (poetry under 70 lines).

These word limits are strict, so please check your word counts before submitting.

We welcome poetry submissions, but they need to contain elements of flash fiction, i.e. a Narrative of some kind.

Although this is an anthology for LGBTQ+ writers and straight allies, there is no restriction on the material: our sexuality is only one of our concerns. 

The only restrictions are those laid down by the Flash Fiction format:

1. Within the format every word must count.
2. It needs character, plot and resolution within its word limit.
3. It should hint maybe at an unspoken larger story.

Stylistic inventiveness and atmosphere are bonuses.

Your submission must not contain material produced by AI, and must not have appeared in any publication with an ISBN.

There is one prize of £100 for each of the categories, plus two 'commendations'. All these will be guaranteed inclusion in the anthology.

The closing date is 31 January 2026. The judges will be professional writers, and the results will be published on this website before the end of February 2026.

When submitting your story, please use this

Note: Please submit each item separately, in either a Word or RTF file, unformatted, but in 12pt Times Roman typeface, using the above Submission Form.