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Cymera-Shoreline of Infinity-SF Caledonia Prize for Speculative Short Fiction 2026

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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 competition 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.

Your story should be unpublished, and contain aspects of speculative writing, e.g. elements of science fiction, fantasy or horror.

The winning writer will be awarded £150.

The winning story will be published in Shoreline of Infinity Magazine, and the author will receive a complimentary copy. They will also receive a complimentary weekend pass to our 2026 festival.

The two runner-ups will each receive a weekend pass to our 2026 festival.

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

Submission deadline

Submissions are  open from 12th January until 8pm BST on Sunday 22nd March 2026.

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.

Am I Scottish?

The Cymera Prize for Speculative Short Fiction is open to anyone who is Scottish by birth or inclination. You can enter if one or more 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 more 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 the deadline.

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

Word limits

Maximum of 2,500 words.

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 or similar, 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.
  • And no stories created by Generative AI.

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

Entry Form