Historical & Mythological Short Fiction
Ink of Ages Fiction Prize
World History Encyclopedia's international historical and mythological short story contest
Ink of Ages Fiction Prize
If you write historical or mythology-inspired short fiction, and are 18 years old or above, you can enter a story of between 1,500 and 2,000 words to win some great prizes from World History Encyclopedia and Oxford University Press! Make sure it's set before 1939, the current cut-off date for World History Encyclopedia.
Our contest is free to enter and we accept submissions in English from anywhere in the world.
Ink of Ages Fiction Prize is run by World History Encyclopedia and generously sponsored by Oxford University Press.
Contest Timeline
04 Sep – 07 Oct 2023
Open to Submissions
Send us your historical or mythology-inspired short fiction. We can't wait to hear from you!
22 November 2023
Longlist Announced
We'll email you if you make our longlist and publish your name on the WHE website.
20 December 2023
Shortlist Announced
We'll email you if you make our shortlist and celebrate you on the WHE website and socials.
24 Jan 2024
Winners Announced
We'll email you if you're a prizewinner and celebrate you on the WHE website and socials.
Precise dates may be subject to change.
Prizes
Get Published
Your short story will be published and promoted to over 7 million monthly readers around the globe.
Merchandising
A selection of clothing, accessories, map posters and more shipped to you from the WHE Store.
Custom Content
Personalized map, family tree or infographic published on World History Encyclopedia.
Lifetime Membership
Lifetime membership to WHE for an ad-free experience and our monthly members magazine.
Winners Overview
The winners as well as all of the shortlisted authors will receive various prizes
Winner
$200 to spend in the WHE store (free international shipping).
Any 4 Oxford University Press books from a list up to a total value of $100 (free international shipping).
Promotion on World History Encyclopedia to millions of readers, newsletter subscribers and social media followers.
Personalized map, family tree, or infographic created by our in-house cartographer and graphic designer Simeon Netchev.
Translation into French, Spanish and other languages.
Lifetime WHE membership & World History Insider magazine subscription.
2nd Place
$100 to spend in the WHE store (free international shipping).
Any 3 Oxford University Press books from a list up to a total value of $60 (free international shipping).
Promotion on World History Encyclopedia to millions of readers, newsletter subscribers and social media followers.
Translation into French and/or Spanish.
Lifetime WHE membership & World History Insider magazine subscription.
3rd Place
$50 to spend in the WHE store (free international shipping).
Any 3 Oxford University Press books from a list up to a total value of $60 (free international shipping).
Promotion on World History Encyclopedia to millions of readers, newsletter subscribers and social media followers.
Lifetime WHE membership & World History Insider magazine subscription.
2x Highly Commended
Any 2 Oxford University Press books from a list up to a total value of $40 (free international shipping).
Promotion on World History Encyclopedia to millions of readers, newsletter subscribers and social media followers.
Lifetime WHE membership & World History Insider magazine subscription.
Shortlisted
Promotion on World History Encyclopedia to millions of readers, newsletter subscribers and social media followers.
Lifetime WHE membership & World History Insider magazine subscription.
About Us
World History Encyclopedia (WHE) is a non-profit organization publishing the world's most-read history encyclopedia.
Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide.
Our Vision
Studying history helps us gain a more nuanced understanding of the world we live in today. Our knowledge and interpretation of history shape how we define ourselves as nations and as cultures, and it influences how we see and interact with other cultures. We help people across the globe gain a deeper, fundamental knowledge of our interconnected human past in order to create curious, open-minded, and tolerant societies in the future.