First Prize
$1,000 CAD
Second Prize
$300 CAD
Third Prize
$200 CAD
All three winning stories will be published in a forthcoming Backhouse Press anthology, planned for Fall 2027.
Entry requirements
Word count
1,000–5,000 words
Entry fee
$25 CAD
Theme
Open
Submissions open
October 20, 2026
Deadline
December 31, 2026,
at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Time
Eligibility
Open internationally
About the Prize
Some stories change us because of what happens. Others change us because of what they reveal.
The Dinah Marshall Backhouse Prize for Short Fiction was created to recognize fiction that isn’t afraid to plunge beneath the surface—stories that are alive with character, contradiction, vulnerability, imagination and consequence.
We are interested in literary fiction in all its forms. We are especially drawn to work that explores the complications of being human: identity, family, belonging, survival, desire, power, memory, transformation and, sometimes, the things we struggle to say.
There is no prescribed theme or
protagonist. We want your story.
About Dinah Marshall Backhouse
Dinah Marshall Backhouse was my grandmother.
Bev Hotchkiss, Founder
She was born on October 20, 1908, and grew up in Wistow, Yorkshire, the eldest of six children. She loved learning and was awarded a medal for every year she attended school.
Dinah wanted to become a nurse.
At fourteen, her father made her leave school.
She went on to raise six children and worked throughout her life—as a nanny, a labourer in farmers’ fields and a housemaid. And she read whenever she could.
She died at 85.
The Dinah Marshall Backhouse Prize carries her name in recognition of stories that get cut short or never get told. It honours resilience and fortitude, and reflects Backhouse Press’s commitment to making room for voices that might otherwise remain unheard.
Prize & Publication
The first-, second- and third-place stories will be published in a forthcoming anthology from Backhouse Press, planned for Fall 2027.
Additional shortlisted stories may also be invited for publication at the editorial discretion of Backhouse Press.
Copyright remains with the author. Writers selected for the anthology will receive a separate publication agreement outlining the rights requested by Backhouse Press.
What We’re Looking For
Send us the story you
couldn’t leave alone.
We aren’t looking for perfection. We’re looking for authority on the page: voice, risk, emotional intelligence, precision and surprise.
We want characters who complicate themselves. Stories willing to enter uncomfortable spaces. Work that trusts the reader enough not to explain everything.
We are drawn to original fiction with characters we can’t forget—work that takes emotional, stylistic or imaginative risks and leaves us somewhere different from where it found us.
We want to pause and tilt our heads in wonder: Does this story feel necessary?
Guest Judge
To be announced
The final guest judge will receive a shortlist of anonymized stories and select the first-, second- and third-place winners.
Entries must be:
-
Original short fiction written primarily in English
-
1,000–5,000 words
-
Previously unpublished
-
The work of a single author
-
Submitted without the author’s name or identifying information in the manuscript
There is no theme.
Writers may submit more than one story. Each story requires a separate submission and $25 CAD entry fee.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome. If your story is accepted for publication elsewhere while the competition is underway, please withdraw it promptly.
Who Can Enter
The prize is open to writers aged 18 and older worldwide.
Submission Guidelines
1,000–5,000 words
Double-spaced
12-point readable font
DOC, DOCX or PDF
Please do not include your name, biography or other identifying information anywhere in the manuscript. The prize is judged blind.
A Note About AI
Submitted stories must be the entrant’s own creative work.
Generative AI may not be used to generate the story or substantially rewrite its prose, characters, structure or scenes.
Writers may use ordinary spelling, grammar, formatting and accessibility tools.
Backhouse Press may request clarification where authorship is reasonably in question.
Important Dates
Submissions Open
October 20, 2026
Submissions Close
December 31, 2026
at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Time
Winners Announced
April 2, 2027
Anthology Publication
Fall 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You may submit multiple stories, but each requires a separate submission and $25 CAD entry fee.
No. The inaugural prize is open theme.
Yes, simultaneous submissions are permitted. However, if your story is accepted for publication elsewhere, you must promptly withdraw it from consideration for this prize.
No. Submitted work must be previously unpublished.
Work made publicly available in whole or substantial part, in print or online, is considered published. This includes publication in personal newsletters or subscription platforms such as Substack. Private sharing with beta readers, writing groups or editors does not constitute publication.
No. Judging is blind. Your name, biography and identifying information must not appear in the manuscript.
Yes. Copyright remains with you. Entering the prize gives Backhouse Press only the permission necessary to receive, store and evaluate your work.
No. The three prize-winning stories are guaranteed publication, subject to a separate publication agreement. Additional shortlisted work may be invited for the anthology.
Yes. The prize is open worldwide. Cash prizes are awarded in Canadian dollars.
April 2, 2027.