The Chimera

The Chimera

Why is the Commonwealth Short Story Prize so wilfully boring?

Sorry, but it’s embarrassing at this point

Tom Barrie's avatar
Tom Barrie
Jun 29, 2025
∙ Paid
12
1
1
Share

If there really was a vibe shift, nobody told the judges of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Every year since 2012, the transnational organisation of former colonial states has run a short story competition, receiving thousands of entries, and every year they seem desperate to choose the most mawkish, didactic story they possibly can as its winner. T…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Chimera to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Thomas Barrie
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture