Limnisa short story competition 2026

For this competition let yourself be inspired by ONE LINE from the following poem. Use it somewhere in your story.

ON THIS LAND by MAHMOUD DARWISH

(Recited by Benedict Cumberbatch)

On this land

There are reasons to live

The return of April

The smell of bread at early dawn

The thoughts of women about their men

The writings of Aeschylus

The beginning of love

Moss clinging to a stone

Mothers balancing on the notes of a flute

And the fear of the conquerors from memory

On this land there are reasons to live

The endings of September

A woman leaving her forties behind with the blushed ripeness of an apricot

A moment of sun dancing in a prison cell

A cloud that becomes a flock of wild creatures 

The cries of people to those who ascend their death

And the fear of the tyrants from songs

On this land there are reasons to live

This land the lady of lands

The motherland of beginnings

The motherland of all ends

She was known as Palestine

She forevermore will be known as Palestine

My land, my lady, you are a reason to live

*LISTEN to the poem being recited by Benedict Cumberbatch.  

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On YOUTUBE

Above all, we’re seeking well-crafted stories in English  that radiate spark and conviction. We encourage you to read the winning stories from previous years to gain a clearer understanding of what we’re looking for

Between 500 and 1500 words - title excluded

This short story competition is for entries written in English. Alongside it, Limnisa hosts a separate short story competition in Dutch, with its own set of rules. 

Are you a Dutch writer? Click here for more details about the Dutch competition.

Participation has always been free, but for the first time in fifteen years we’re introducing a small entry fee. This helps us reduce the number of AI-generated submissions and ensure a fair experience for everyone. 

Contribution is €10 (or £8.50) per story.

Contribution  is €25 (or £22) for 3 stories

You can send a maximum of 3 stories

Deadline is Sunday February 22nd, 2026 at 23.59hrs UTC

Open to anyone (16 or older) worldwide (except friends and family of the judges)  

Submit  your document as an attachment in PDF or WORD.

Use Arial or Times New Roman, size 14.

No  headers or footers.  

The title is at the top of the page. 

Your name is NOT in the document!  

In the accompanying email please mention: 

1) your name.

2) email address (if different from the one used to contact us).

2) title of your story.

3) Proof of contribution payment.

1) Pay your contribution at the bottom of this page

2) Send your story to competition@limnisa.com or  throught the SUBMIT button

You will receive an automated reply to your submission.  Don’t worry, we won’t lose it and will read it, PROVIDED you have complied with the instructions above.   We regret we cannot always reply to personal questions relating to the competition or accept alterations to your submission.

Judges  include published authors and a  publishers’ editor as well as a cross section of general readers. Their verdict will be final.

Feedback is optional. For a fee of £50 we offer a professional evaluation of your story. Please mention in your covering email that you're interested and we will send a leaflet with more information. 

• Results will be announced on www.limnisa.com on Sunday March 21st, 2026
• Winners will be contacted by e-mail
• Winning stories will be posted on www.limnisa.com only with the author’s consent
• all copyrights remain with the author