Cranked Anvil

June 2025 Short Story Prize – Short List and Winners The stories have been read and re-read, the judging has taken place and final decisions made, and today we’re delighted to announce the short list and winners of our final ever Short Story Wr…

The shortlist and winners of our FINAL short story writing prize are announced today on the website.

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all those who entered.

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/09/14/j...

#shortstory #amwriting #writingcompetition

We'll be at #EdFringe2025 from tomorrow.
Hit us up with any recommendations - especially new writing stuff! #theatre #newwriting

The longlist for our May25 Flash Fiction Prize is announced on the website today.
congratulations to all those authors featured there! crankedanvil.co.uk

It's your LAST CHANCE to enter the Cranked Anvil International Flash Fiction Prize.

(The current round of submissions will be our last ever flash writing competition.)

The deadline has been extended to midnight UK time on Sunday 1st June 2025.

Enter via the website: www.crankedanvil.co.uk

It's your LAST CHANCE to enter the Cranked Anvil International Flash Fiction Prize.

(The current round of submissions will be our last ever flash writing competition.)

The deadline has been extended to midnight UK time on Sunday 1st June 2025.

Enter via the website: www.crankedanvil.co.uk

February 2025 – Flash shortlist and winners The judges have announced the shortlist and winners for our Feb25 Flash Fiction Prize, and we’re pleased to announce it here today. But before we do… NEW SHORT STORY PRIZE! Our Internat…

The short list and winners of our Feb25 Flash Fiction Prize have been announced on the website. Congratulations to all the writers, and thanks to all who entered - we LOVE reading your work.

The next Writing Prizes (Flash and Short) are currently open!

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/04/24/f...

OBSERVATION by E J Taylor (1st place, Apr24) A pigeon nestles, invisible, on a steel branch behind three security cameras, each angled towards the road. A whirring too slight to disturb the bird emits from the cameras when their data transfer…

Looking for a short story to ease you back into work after the long bank holiday? Just read a brilliant one on the @crankedanvil.bsky.social website. Here's 'Observation' by EJ Taylor: crankedanvil.co.uk/2024/07/16/o...

February 2025 – Flash Long List Congratulations to the following authors, who have made it onto the long list of our February Flash Fiction Writing Prize: Joyce BinghamMara BlazicSharon BoyleJude Luttrell BradleyLesley BungayAnne…

Our Feb25 #flashfiction Writing Prize LONG LIST is announced on the website today!
Congratulations to all the authors featured there...

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/04/16/f...

Our #flashfiction and #shortstory competitions are open for submissions.

~Cash Prizes
~Publication
~Any theme/genre

www.crankedanvil.co.uk

##amwriting #writingcommunity #writer #wip #writerslife

GOLDFISH FUNERAL by Neil James I’m telling the goldfish funeral story, so Natasha stays the night. Lamplight low, we’re fully clothed on the bed. It’s a funny story at one a.m. and I miss the sound of laughter in this place. “My…

A new #microfiction published today on the website.

GOLDFISH FUNERAL by Neil James

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/03/28/g...

#amwriting #writingcommunity #flashfiction #wip #shortstory #writerslift #writersofbluesky

Our #flashfiction and #shortstory competitions are open for submissions.

~Cash Prizes
~Publication
~Any theme/genre

www.crankedanvil.co.uk

##amwriting #writingcommunity #writer #wip #writerslife

Just over 24 hours left to enter our #FlashFiction Prize.
Details on the website: crankedanvil.co.uk/flashcomp/

#amwriting #WritingCommunity #writersofbluesky

Shhh Holly, nobody noticed! ;)

MICRO DOUBLE-BILL #2 We have another little micro-treat for you today – a double-bill of superb microfiction. We hope you enjoy… But before you do… We’ve set up a small ‘Donations’ p…

We've published a new double-bill of #microfiction on the website today.

THE SHIPPING FORECAST by Rachel Parker
BAD ATHEIST by Ian Davis & Fiona H Evans

#writingcommunity #amwriting #amreading #flashfiction #wip #shortstory

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/02/20/m...

Just over a week left to submit to our Flash Fiction Prize.

500 words. Deadline 28th Feb.

All the details on our website: crankedanvil.co.uk/flashcomp/

#writingcommunity #amwriting #flashfiction #competition #writing #writer #wip #shortstory #prize #amquerying #writersofbluesky

Another Success Story – Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Publishes Short Story Collection We’re delighted to report on the success of another of our former writing prize winners. In November 2024, Hannah Retallick released her debut collection of literary short stories, called Som…

Another Success Story: Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Publishes Short Story Collection.

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/02/16/a...

Congratulations Hannah Retallick!

#WritingCommunity #amwriting #flashfiction #shortstory #wip

Just over a fortnight left to enter our current #FlashFiction Prize.

Deadline midnight UK time 28th February.

All the deets on our website: crankedanvil.co.uk/flashcomp/

#WritingCommunity #amwriting #writers #shortstory

ALMOST by Fiona Dignan I buried you beneath the barren snag. I think I’ve trapped you inside the tree; there’s a delicious irony in thinking of you as Daphne. I’m the one who remains, even my bruises have faded to an alm…

A new piece of #microfiction published on our website today.

ALMOST by Fiona Dignan.

Please Read. Enjoy. Share.

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/02/13/a...

#WritingCommunity #amwriting #flashfiction

Our #flashfiction and #shortstory Prizes are now open Internationally for submissions.
Go to the website for all the details and to enter.
www.crankedanvil.co.uk

Thinking of submitting to our Writing Prizes? Read how we helped one of our past entrants go on to get an agent and a book deal!

Our #flashfiction and #shortstory Prizes are now open Internationally for submissions.
Go to the website for all the details and to enter.
www.crankedanvil.co.uk

First time entering @crankedanvil.bsky.social - very happy to be shortlisted

Congratulations to Chris & Laura - two worthy winners (both of whom have helped bring my own flash writing along over the past year or so)

Read their pieces!

@chriscottom.bsky.social @laurabesley.bsky.social

Many thanks to @crankedanvil.bsky.social for their support of #TheMargaretCode.

I've been fortunate to do well in their competitions & would encourage writers to take part - it's well worth a shot!

Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Lands Agent And Book Deal One of our former prize winners, Richard Hooton, is to have his debut novel The Margaret Code published on 10 April by Sphere, an imprint of Little Brown. The voice-led whodunnit follows eighty-nin…

NEWS: Past Cranked Anvil Prize Winner Lands Agent and Book Deal.

Congrats @rjhooton.bsky.social

Read all about it here: crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/02/10/p...

#WritingCommunity #amwriting #amquerying

"But perhaps Salma’s or Saarah’s or Sadie’s lover doesn’t celebrate her success. Perhaps her lover isn’t kind."

Stunning piece from @laurabesley.bsky.social Love the way this twists one way then another, how it plays on the various tensions, the power of those repeating motifs

"Suzie’s a snowflake in our nursery school Christmas Gala, petticoat-frothy, with her hair pinned tight"

A whole life on a postage stamp in this wonderful piece from @chriscottom.bsky.social; great use of fracturing to skip through time; so much in the white space

A new slice of brilliance from @welkinprize.bsky.social shortlistee @laurabesley.bsky.social

THE DISCOVERY by Cecilia Maddison Jack pried apart the foliage with gentle fingers. Inside the nest lay three small, sky blue eggs. A robin fretted on a nearby branch, head cocked, glaring.“It’s okay,” Jack whispered, retreating st…

A cheeky little Sunday #microfiction published on the website today.

THE DISCOVERY by Cecilia Maddison

crankedanvil.co.uk/2025/02/09/t...

#WritingCommunity #amwriting #flashfiction

Delighted by this. Thank you to Paul at @crankedanvil.bsky.social; congratulations to @laurabesley.bsky.social; and thank you to @raecowie.bsky.social and several non-BlueSkyers for their help with this one. Full disclosure: I really am a ballet fan.