Write By The Sea’s Competitions for 2026 are open for entries.

Submission Guidelines

• There are four competition categories: Fiction Short Story (maximum 2,500 words), Flash Fiction (maximum 700 words), Poetry (maximum 40 lines) and Memoir/Personal Essay (maximum 1,000 words).
• Open to original and unpublished entries.

Entry fee: €12 per entry or 3 pieces, in the same or different categories for €30.

Prizes:

• The winner of each category will receive a cash prize of €500 and a free weekend pass to the Write By The Sea Festival 2026.
• All four winning pieces will be published in Issue 12 of The Waxed Lemon Literary Journal.
• The runners-up in each category will receive €300, and third place will receive €200.

Deadline: Submissions close 7th June 6 pm.

Please note: This is an external competition; all details and all submissions are on their website. Click here.