The Next Generation Short Story Awards is a not-for-profit awards program open to authors writing original unpublished short stories (5,000 words or less per story) in English. Brought to you by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (NGIBA) and Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (IBPPG), the 2026 Next Generation Short Story Awards offers 30+ categories, and is open to all authors, even first-time authors, in the U.S., Canada or internationally.

The top short stories will be considered for a cash prize, gold medal, complimentary invitation to attend the annual NGIBA awards gala where you will be recognized if your story is a Grand Prize Winner, literary exposure, inclusion in an annual anthology, and recognition as one of the top short stories written this year!

The Next Generation Short Story Awards will honor and award 1 Winner and 3 Finalists in each of the 30+ categories and 3 Grand Prize Winners from all entries submitted this year. Winners and Finalists will receive the following:

Grand Prize Winners: $500 cash prize for 1st plus a trophy; $300 cash prize for 2nd; $200 cash prize for 3rd. Plus all Grand Prize Winners will receive a gold medal, complimentary invitation to attend the NGIBA awards gala, story and author bio published in the Anthology of Winners along with a complimentary copy of the Anthology of Winners.

Winners in each of 30+ Categories: $75 cash prize, gold medal, story and author bio published in the Anthology of Winners along with a complimentary copy of the Anthology of Winners.

Finalists: Story title and author name mentioned in the Anthology of Winners along with the Anthology of Winners available to purchase at half price. Beginning with the 2026 awards year, Finalists will be able to order medals.

Other Benefits: Exposure for a full year as a Winner or Finalist on the Next Generation Short Story Awards website, social media coverage, complimentary Winner or Finalist gold award sticker image to display on writers’ social media, potential literary acknowledgements and accolades.

The entry deadline date for the 2026 awards program is Thursday, February 26, 2026. We wish everyone much success with your short stories. Enter today at https://shortstoryawards.com/.