500 Words 2025/26 is open for entries!
Stories must be submitted via our online submission system by 9pm, Friday 7 November – we strictly cannot accept any story after that point. Make sure you don’t leave it until the last minute to submit.
You will receive a confirmation email once your story has been submitted successfully. If you haven’t received one, then please check your drafts or contact 500words@bbc.co.uk.
Important: Once you submit your entry, it cannot be changed. If you no longer want your story to be considered, you’ll need to email us to request for your entry to be deleted. Please check your story carefully before submitting.
In February, 50 finalists will be invited to a grand final at Windsor Castle, hosted by Her Majesty The Queen. Make sure you check out the highlights from the 2024/25 grand final.
There are lots of prizes to be won, including books for the bronze, silver and gold winners (and 500 for the gold winners’ schools), as well as original illustrations of the stories.
There is still time to sign up as a volunteer judge – 500 Words relies on the thousands of volunteer judges that whittle down the entries to progress to round 2. Each volunteer judge is also added into a random draw, where they could see themselves attending the grand final!
