Brno short-story contest accepting entries again

For the 7th year in a row, Brno expats and writing enthusiasts prepared a short-story contest to spark that creative streak in any English-speaking resident of Brno (or past resident). It’s your chance to compete not only for the recognition of a story well told, but for a hefty prize pool, too!

Brno Short Story Writing Contest

This year’s contest will have a record total purse of 17,000 CZK to entice local writers to address the theme Perfect Strangers in a creative way. The best short story will win 10,000 CZK. Second place gets 4,500 and third place gets 2,500. In addition, this 2023 contest will have a prize for high school (or younger) students: the top two entries will get 1,000.

The deadline for entries is 21 May.

Only one entry per person. The short stories must be in English, 2,500 words or less, and address the theme “Perfect Strangers”, in Brno context, in some significant way.

The jury includes a cross-section of local cultural icons and writing enthusiasts: 

• Don Sparling, a co-founder of the Brno Expat Centre and a longtime leader in the local expat and Masaryk University communities;
• Tomáš Kačer, the head of the Department of English and American Studies at MU and a translator;
• Anna Formánková, a translator and a book editor at MOBA Publishing House;
• Anne Johnson, the winner of this contest in 2021 and a local producer of theater; and
• Joe Lennon, a writer for Brno Daily and the Brno Expat Centre, and coordinator of the Writing Lab at Masaryk University.

They will be instructed that the story is the most important aspect, including writing, originality, character development, and plot development. It is understood that most of the entrants will not be native English speakers and that, in fact, this may be their first attempt to write creatively in English.

Picture courtesy by Bruno Zalubil, Min An