This prize for the best unpublished short story of the year was founded by the RSL at the beginning of the new millennium to commemorate the centenary of an author widely regarded as the finest English short-story writer of the 20th century, and to preserve a tradition encompassing Pritchett’s warmth of feeling and mastery of narrative.

Entrants must be citizens of the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth countries or have been resident in one of the aforementioned countries for the past three years. Stories entered for the competition must not have been published previously, or broadcast in any other medium. Any story submitted should be between 2,000 and 4,000 words in length.