Derby Book Festival is challenging children and adults to write a story or poem in up to fifty words on the subject of ‘Hope’ for its annual Flash Fiction Writing Competition which was launched 19th January. The annual competition has been organised every year since the Festival started in 2015. In 2026, to be celebrated nationally as the National Year of Reading, it will be sponsored by Derby-based company, Derventio Education, who create education software solutions which are used by schools, colleges and universities across the world.
Derby Book Festival is funded by Arts Council England National Lottery grants and the University of Derby as well as with sponsorship from local businesses and individuals.
The Flash Fiction competition has three age categories: 11 years and under, 12 – 17 years and 18 years and over. Entries for all categories will be judged by a panel which includes creative writing specialists and there will be one winner in each category with a prize of a £50 book token. There are also separate categories for HMP Foston Hall and HMP Sudbury.
The winning stories will be printed on a set of Festival bookmarks and distributed across Derby and Derbyshire to promote Derby Book Festival, which has two annual programmes of book-related events: the Summer Festival from 22 – 31 May 2026 and the Autumn Edition from 13 – 15 November 2026.
In previous years, people have been invited to tackle a variety of themes: ‘Love’, ‘Secrets’, ‘Journeys’, ‘Space’, ‘Our World’, ‘Home’, ‘Light’, ‘Spring’ and ‘Voices’, attracting hundreds of entries each year, encouraging people of all ages to be creative and use their imaginations to write a story or poem, often inspiring them to take their first steps towards a writing career.
The theme can be interpreted as widely as the author wishes, so long as the story or poem is no longer than fifty words.
Professor Keith McLay, Derby Book Festival Chair and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “The Flash Fiction competition is a chance for writers to share their voice, stretch their creativity and to be a part of something inspiring.
“We aim to gather the widest possible range of original stories on this year’s theme – hope – in just a few powerful words.
“The Flash Fiction competition is an opportunity to tell a tale that matters, remind readers why storytelling remains so powerful and to share a richness of perspectives. The University of Derby is delighted once more to be a principal partner of the Derby Book Festival, and I look forward to reading the inspiring tales that this competition always generates.”
Stuart Reece, Managing Director of Derventio Education, explained the reasons for their sponsorship: “With more than 20 years of experience in education and firm roots in the city, we are delighted to be working with Derby Book Festival by becoming the official sponsors of its Flash Fiction competition.
“As a Derby-based business, we’re passionate about giving something back to the local community and encouraging creativity in education. The Flash Fiction competition celebrates original thinking and storytelling, and we’re proud to help shine a spotlight on writers across the city and beyond.
“This year’s theme of ‘Hope’ feels particularly important. We are all navigating a world that feels uncertain and fast-moving and creative opportunities like this offer a chance to pause, reflect and express optimism for the future. We can’t wait to see what the would-be authors come up with.”
Once the winning stories have been chosen, there will be a separate illustration competition for Creative Communications students at the University of Derby, which is one of the Festival’s key funders. Each winning story will be illustrated and reproduced as Festival bookmarks, which will be available at the Summer Festival and will be distributed widely across schools, bookshops, local libraries, venues, cafes and arts centres.
The Festival website has some helpful links to those who are interested in writing Flash Fiction but are not sure where to start.
To enter the competition, visit the Festival website and submit your story using the online form.
The closing date for the competition is 10pm on Friday 13 February. The terms and conditions for the competition can also be found on the website, where you can sign up for more information about the Festival.
You can also follow the Festival on Twitter at: @DerbyBookFest and ‘like’ the Festival on Facebook: www.facebook.com/derbybookfestival
Supporting #GoAllIn2026 and #NationalYearOfReading2026
