Cymera-Shoreline of Infinity Prize for Speculative Short Fiction 2023

Cymera, Scotland’s Festival of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing and Shoreline of Infinity, Scotland’s award-winning science fiction magazine are teaming up again to host our short story competition in our quest to discover the best of Scottish Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror writing.

The Awards

The Award is open to anyone living in Scotland or who identifies as Scottish by birth or inclination, aged 14 years or over on the submission deadline at 6pm BST Sunday 26th March 2023.

Your story should be unpublished, and contain aspects of speculative writing, e.g. elements of science fiction, fantasy or horror.

Submissions are closed on 6pm BST on Sunday 26th March 2023.

The winning writer will be awarded £150.

The stories that are selected for the shortlist will be published on the CYMERA website after the festival. The winner in will be published in the Shoreline of Infinity Magazine (Cymera Special), and the author will receive a complimentary copy. They will also receive a complimentary ticket to a Cymera writing workshop of their choice.

The two runner-ups will receive free tickets to two festival events of their choice.

We will also celebrate our competition and its winners in a special event, where the winning story will be read out by professional actors.

Entry instructions

What are the submission dates?

Submissions are accepted until: 6pm on Sunday 26th March 2023

Who can submit a story?

The Award is open to anyone living in Scotland or who identifies as Scottish by birth or inclination, aged 14 years or over on the submission deadline on 6pm GMT Sunday 26th March 2023.

Am I Scottish enough?

The Cymera Prize for Speculative Short Fiction is open to anyone who is Scottish by birth or inclination. In more details, you can enter if ONE of the following criteria applies to you.

1. You were born in Scotland

2. You currently live in Scotland.

3. One or both or your parents were born in Scotland

4. One or both of your grandparents were born in Scotland

5. You are married to a person who was born in Scotland

6. You were resident in Scotland for at least six months at some point prior to entering our competition.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for further information and clarification.

Are there word length limits?

How to Enter

Applicants are encouraged to make their submission via the online entry form below. If applicants are unable to access this, entries can be submitted by post via this form.

Instructions

1. Read the Entry Terms and Conditions here thoroughly to check the author whose work is due to be submitted and their short story are eligible for the Award. Submission of an entry is taken as acceptance of all the Terms and Conditions.

2. Format the short story as per the following instructions:

• Written in English, Scots or Gaelic or other Scottish language (with translation in English) 
• Font: Times, 12pt
• Double spaced
• Include a front page which details the Title of Story and the Word Count
• Do NOT include author’s name or other identifying text anywhere on the story
• Note the word lengths limits above

3. Only one story per author

4. Save the short story in Microsoft Word .doc or .docx format with the Title of Story in the file name.

5. Submit the story via the online entry form below

Please note

• Entries not submitted in accordance with the Entry Instructions and Entry Terms and
  Conditions will not be eligible for consideration.
• No entries will be returned.

Any queries about entering the Award should be emailed to info@cymerafestival.co.uk The Award administrators will respond as soon as possible