Ink of Ages Fiction Prize Announces Winning Stories 2026
Discover new history and myth-inspired short fiction favourites. The winning stories are here! At Ink of Ages Fiction Prize, our annual writing competition celebrating historical and mythology-inspired short fiction from around the world, we’ve announced the winners of the youth and adult categories. These stories rose to the top of a fiercely competitive shortlist. Each shortlisted entry was read by multiple specialist judges, scoring for literary merit, originality and creativity, historical interest, and impact and enjoyment. There’s brilliant writing, fresh ideas, a sense of being transported, and stories that stay with you long after reading. The shortlist was exceptionally strong this year, and the final decisions were close (so close that some personal favourites of the judges missed the top five by a whisker!). Adult Winners #1: “In the Land of Heroes” by Aleah Romer #2: “The Weaver of Faces” by Theo James Taylor #3: “Warmth in the Woods” by Sydney Miller Highly Commended: “The Crown That Would Not Bow” by Writinah “Perfection” by Sparsh Sharma Youth Winners #1: “The Ink-Keeper’s Daughter” by Anaya Jain …

