The Historical Writers Association

The official website of the HWA

Imogen Robertson

New Final Submission Date for the DDS/HWA Short Story Competition! 1 August 2025

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Yes, fate is on your side! You still have time to enter!

It looks like we haven’t got the word out enough on the DDS / HWA Short Story Competition this year, so we are extending the deadline to midnight on 1 August 2025. Many thanks to those who have already submitted a story.

Perhaps we rely too much on X (formerly Twitter) to spread the word, or perhaps our muses are all on strike. Last year saw our highest ever number of entries, so something strange is going on! If your muse needs encouragement remind them this competition has helped launch the career of some excellent writers of historical fiction.

Please do spread the word if you have the chance. All the details are available here: https://historicalwriters.org/ddshwass-award-2025/

You can read last year’s fantastic winner here: https://historiamag.com/st-kilda-bird-song-kf-maccarthy-hwaddss24/

New close of submissions date for HWA Crowns 2025

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Due to some technical problems with the site (sigh) we have extended the date for submissions for the HWA Crowns to midnight on Friday 9 May 2025. If anyone has continuing problems with the site, or you want to check that your submissions have been received, please email Imogen on chair@historicalwriters.org

Submissions are open for the 2025 Crown Awards!

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We are inviting submissions for the 2025 Debut, Gold and Non-Fiction Crowns. You can find all the details via the Awards Page and congratulations again to the brilliant 2024 winners:

For the Gold Crown – Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle. For the Non-Fiction Crown – Four Shots In the Night: A True Story of Stakeknife, Murder and Justice in Northern Ireland by Henry Hemming and for the Debut Crown The Tumbling Girl by Bridget Walsh

Dorothy Dunnett / HWA Short Story Competition is now open!

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You have until midnight on 1 July to send us a historical short story of up to 3500 words. Entry fee is still £5 and we’ll publish the six shortlisted stories in our annual anthology. All details here. Open this post for the link, or go direct to https://historicalwriters.org/ddshwass-award-2025/

Many congratulations to our 2024 winner, K.F. MacCarthy, our highly commended writers, Liz Kershaw and Elaine O’Connor, and our shortlisted writers Laura Karim, Muiread O’Hanlon and Cath Staincliffe. The anthology is available here