Call For Stories: The Book of Cardiff
Are you a writer from Cardiff, or someone who has lived in the city for a long time? Submit your work for consideration for an upcoming collection of Cardiffian fiction published in the UK by Comma Press.
We Want:
Stories that could not be set anywhere else – that live and breathe Cardiff! Maybe your story is set against an event in the city’s recent past, or perhaps explores a street, neighbourhood or landmark en route to telling a compelling tale. The story should touch on things that Cardiff’s residents would be very familiar with, but that readers outside of Wales might not be. We want our readers to feel like they’ve been here after reading your story.
It is important that your story includes references to real places and areas of Cardiff.
Besides spotlighting Cardiff, your submission must be a compelling, well-written short story in its own right. Remember, we’re looking for stories set in Cardiff, not a travel guide!
Stories may be set in the recent past, present or even future, and we welcome those that are abstract or stylised, though this is not a requirement.
Submission Guidelines and Rules
Submissions Close: Midnight September 26th 2025
Submit via Google Forms here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfd_1fDt6NFDaj6WplcMB6cfm1aRjJQ-PPGcTl1Hq2VNYiVCA/viewform?usp=header
If you are having issues, please get in touch on Isabella.barber@commapress.co.uk
Submissions:
Must be your own original work of fiction
May be written in Welsh or English
Should be new, unpublished stories*
Must be 2000 – 6000 words
May be of any genre
Must not contain any libellous, blasphemous or copyrighted material
Must not contain symbols, emojis or images
*If you story has been published in a literary magazine or single-author collection it will be considered for publication if it meets the above criteria. However, we are primarily looking for new, unpublished stories and these will be given preference
We Are Not Looking For:
Autobiography or mediations
Poetry
Reportage or non-fiction
Chapters or excerpts from a longer piece
Stories that could take place in any other city
We encourage you to look at other Comma Press ‘Reading the City’ anthologies for an idea of what we’re after.
Translation
We invite writers to submit the names of up to three preferred translators (if writing in Welsh). We cannot guarantee that you will be granted your chosen translator if selected for publication, but your preferences will be taken into consideration.
Payment & Rights
All successful writers will receive a payment in line with Comma Press’ standard author fees. The rights to your story will remain with you and the rights to the specific English translation (if written in Welsh) will remain with the translator, with all other rights belonging to Comma Press.
About the ‘Reading the City’ Series
Travelling is great, but what happens when your experience of new cities becomes confined by your status as just a tourist? The guidebooks only tell you what tourists want to know.
Comma's 'Reading the City' offers a completely new way in. Ten stories, by ten different authors from the city in question, specially commissioned or never previously translated into English – they each offer diverse and conflicting impressions of the city, exploring its many distinct boroughs and neighbourhoods as well as uncovering its different historical layers, unlocking the subcultures and secrets that ultimately make it the city it is.
This series has visited nearly 30 cities so far, from Birmingham to Beijing, Tokyo to Tehran. Anthologies contain a mixture of emerging writers, contemporary authors and the city’s most celebrated literary figures.
About The Book of Cardiff
The Book of Cardiff will be Comma Press’ first UK Reading the City anthology set outside of England.
This anthology will be co-edited by Martha O’Brien, a writer, researcher and editor from Cardiff, and Isabella Barber, an editor at Comma Press.
The book is expected to include stories from some of Cardiff’s major literary figures (TBA) alongside the city’s most exciting contemporary authors.
This project has been generously supported by Books Council Wales.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfd_1fDt6NFDaj6WplcMB6cfm1aRjJQ-PPGcTl1Hq2VNYiVCA/viewform?usp=header
We're looking for stories that live and breathe Cardiff!
