Best British Short Stories 2026

Series

Name: Best British Short Stories   Number: 16

Synopsis

The nation’s essential annual guide to the short story returns for its sixteenth year, once again selecting the very best new fiction from Britain’s finest contemporary writers. Ranging across genre, theme and style, Best British Short Stories 2026 showcases a dazzling array of talent — from established names to emerging voices — as published in literary magazines, journals, anthologies, and online during the past year.

Whether you’re a seasoned reader of the form or a curious newcomer, this acclaimed anthology delivers wit, imagination, drama and craft in concentrated, unforgettable doses. With its finger firmly on the pulse of modern British storytelling, the series continues to celebrate the energy and diversity of the short story today.

Edited by literary editor and writer Nicholas Royle, Best British Short Stories has become an indispensable resource for readers, students, and writers alike — an annual landmark in the UK literary calendar.

Praise for Previous Work

‘Bravo to Salt’s beacon of delight and intrigue – its annual collection of the UK’s best short stories, from established and emerging voices.’ —Duncan Minshull

‘If the latest iteration of Salt’s Best British Short Stories collection is anything to go by then the genre remains in safe hands.’ —Lawrence Foley, TLS

‘In the Best British Stories 2017, a sense of loss, isolation and loneliness surfaces time and again; is given artistic expression. There is no such thing as “the best” – declaring the same merely sets oneself up to be bettered – this collection though, will take some real beating.’ —Tamim Sadikali, Bookmunch

‘Best British Short Stories 2019 is a dazzling and captivating collection that needs to be read!’ —Ross Jeffery, Storgy