Jo Tiddy’s story, Hecate’s Daughter, won the 2023 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition. “A clever story, written deftly and colourfully, showing the cruelty and ignorance (and small kindnesses) of the period,” the judges said. “[We] adored this original and subversive take on a well-worn tale, told in such a vivid and powerful voice that […]
The 2023 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition shortlist and winner
Here are the shortlisted and winning stories in the 2023 Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition. The 2023 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition shortlist: Black Christ by Judith Wilson The judges said: “The central motif of Liverpool’s Black Christ gives a familiar story new grace. Wilson cleverly sets everyday tragedy against […]
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition 2023 longlist
We’re delighted to announce the longlist for the 2023 Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition. “These are all rich and ambitious stories which demonstrate the wealth of material history offers to readers and writers today,” says HWA Chair Imogen Robertson. “The judges were very impressed by the excellent writing on display this […]
Historia interview: Alice Fowler
With the closing date for the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in a couple of weeks’ time, we spoke to Alice Fowler, the winner of the 2020 contest. Like several other competition winners, she now has a publication deal; her short story collection, The Truth Has Arms And Legs, is out in July. We […]
Collapse by Chrissy Sturt (the 2022 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story winner)
Collapse by Chrissy Sturt won the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in 2022. In the words of the judges, it’s “an immediately engrossing tale of a family in Southampton in 1940. A great sense of place and character and a full and satisfying story told with economy and grace.” To celebrate the 2023 HWA […]
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition 2022 shortlist and winner
The HWA and the Dorothy Dunnett Society are delighted to announce the shortlist and winner for the 2022 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition! Six stories were shortlisted and the winner and highly commended entries were selected from these. Congratulations to all six shortlisted writers! The 2022 Short Story Competition winner Collapse by Chrissy Sturt […]
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition 2022 longlist
We’re delighted to announce the longlist for the 2022 Historical Writers’ Association Dorothy Dunnett Society Short Story Competition. “2022 has proved another really strong year for the HWA DDS Short Story Competition with stories which took us from Homeric times to the 1980s. All of the stories long listed are fresh, engaging works and our […]
His Mother’s Quilt by Naomi Kelsey (the 2021 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story winner)
Naomi Kelsey’s His Mother’s Quilt won the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in 2021. It’s a dark, gothic-tinged story of oppression and loss with supernatural undertones, which the judges praised for its “tense, delicate writing. Lace woven with steel threads.” To celebrate the opening of 2022’s HWA DDS competition to entries, we’re publishing Naomi’s […]








