50 Word Fiction

Scottish Book Trust’s 50 Word Fiction competition for June is now open for entries. This month, the prompt is to write a 50 word story featuring a rainbow. The winner of the best Gaelic story receives a prize from The Gaelic Books Council and the winning story will be published on this page.

Deadline:  30th June 2026

Ready? Steady? Write! Entry form here.

Count Miklos Cseszneky was the winner of the Gaelic 50 Word Fiction competition for May. Entrants were challenged to write a story, in no more than 50 words, about a computer. Congratulations, Miklos, we hope you enjoy the prize supplied by the Gaelic Books Council!

And here is Count Miklos Cseszneky‘s prize-winning story:

An dèidh dhan mhàthair bàsachadh, chum an coimpiutair aice oirre a’ cur puist-d thugam Dihaoine.

Reasabaidhean. Naidheachdan. Dealbhan cait.

Airson sia mìosan, fhreagair mi i.

An uair sin sgrìobh i:

“Tha mi duilich nach do dh’innis mi dhut mu d’ athair.”

Cha do thàinig post-d sam bith às dèidh sin.

After my mother’s death, her computer continued to send me e-mails on Fridays.

Recipes. News. Pictures of cats.

For six months, I replied.

Then she wrote:

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about your father.”

I didn’t receive any e-mails after that.

[Gaelic Books Council translation]