2026 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition – Aug. 7 (Australia)

This annual competition run by Hawkeye Publishing invites writers to craft an original short story of up to 1,000 words, with cash prizes, publication in an anthology, and the chance to be recognized for strong storytelling and emotional impact. They’re looking for stories with powerful beginnings, rising tension, and a climax that resonates, to the theme of “I’m Glad You Called.” Before you enter the competition, they strongly suggest you check out their previous years’ winning entries.

Deadline: August 7, 2026
Categories: Theme of “I’m Glad You Called”
Prize: A ticket to the Children and Young Adult (CYA) Conference for 2026 (valued at $410), $200 Cash Prize. Anthology cover based on the winner’s story.
For More Info: The 2026 Sydney Hammon Memorial Short Story Competition

Hawkeye Publishing hosts two annual writing competitions:
The Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition and the The Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize (First Prize value $3,500AU) – open to all authors writing for an English-speaking audience.

The writing competitions are not-for-profit and sponsored by Hawkeye Publishing. They do this because they love watching their talented writers see their work published. It’s especially exciting for first-time authors.

If you have a short story idea waiting to be told, the 2026 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition is a wonderful opportunity to bring it to life. This annual competition run by Hawkeye Publishing invites writers to craft an original short story of up to 1,000 words, with cash prizes, publication in an anthology, and the chance to be recognized for strong storytelling and emotional impact.

Good luck!

Think maybe you’ve got the writing bug? REAL WRITER’S MARKET. Submissions now open.