Yes, awaiting a tidy up - and a couple of other sections too. Busy month, August
September
Flash Fiction
September 2
@FOSSEWAY WRITERS’ FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
Prizes: £25, £15, £10
Winners announced at meeting
Knights Court, Baldertongate, Newark, November 4th
Fee: £3, then £2 per entry. Length exactly 100 words excluding title
Theme: ‘Secrets’. Judge Penny Young
Include cover sheet with title and contact details
SEND SAE: Competition Secretary, 24, Orchid Drive,
Farndon, Newark NG24 3TX
August
Poetry
August 31
@ ANXIETY POETRY COMPETITION Zion Community Resource Centre,
339 Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 4ZY
www.anxietyuk.org.uk
August 31
#NOTTINGHAM OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
The Competition Secretary, 38 Harrow Road,
West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7DU
info@poetrynottinghamsociety.co.uk www.nottinghampoetrysociety.co.uk
August 31
#THE SALOPIAN POETRY SOCIETY
34th ANNUAL OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
Irene Hoult, 5 Squires Close,
Madeley, Telford, Shropshire, TF7 5RU
www.thesalopianpoetrysociety.webeden.co.uk
Poetry Collections
August 31
@ # BASKALIER PUBLISHING POETRY ANTHOLOGY COMPETITION
2 categories: Schools (11-16s) and Open (16+)
Poetry Competition, Baskalier Publishing, 85 Cavalier Road,
Old Basing, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 7ER
www.baskalierpublishing.com
Short stories
August 31
# EARLYWORKS PRESS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre,
45 Robertson Street, Hastings, Sussex TN34 1HL
www.earlyworkspress.co.uk
Multi Genre
August 31
THE 2010 INTERNATIONAL AESTHETICA
CREATIVE WORKS COMPETITION
Aesthetica, PO Box 371,
York YO23 1WL; 01904 479168
submissions@aestheticamagazine.com
www.aestheticamagazine.com
Playwriting
August 31
BOGNOR REGIS DRAMA CLUB
2010 ONE ACT PLAYWRITING COMPETITION
Beryl Jackman, 9 South Rd, Felpham,
Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 8EF
Books
August 31
# THE 3RD LUKE BITMEAD WRITER’S BURSARY
Email entry only.
For first time non-published authors.
NB, adult fiction only; novel must have been completed.
bitmeadbursary@legendpress.co.uk www.lukebitmead.com
August
Poetry
AUGUST 31st
TORBAY OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes: £800, £400, £200 (increased for 10th Festival),
plus runners up.
‘Organiser reserves the right to publish in Acumen.’
Prizegiving at 10th Torbay Poetry Festival, October 28-1st November
Participants include: Shanta Acharya, Matt Harvey, Tim Cunnigham,
Duncan Forbes, Philip Gross, Jane Holland, Anne Stewart, Martyn Crucefix,
Maggie Butt, June Hall, Penelope Shuttle, Alan Brownjohn
And the editor of Orbis and Kudos (me)…
Fee: £4; £10/3; £20/6. Length: 50 lines.
Judge: Wendy French.
Online entry form or
SEND SAE: The Organiser, 6 The Mount, Brixham, South Devon TQ5 8QY
www.torbaypoetryfestival.co.uk
Short Stories
August 30
WRITERS NEW AND OLD COMPETITIONS
NB, must be a member
@ August Short Story Competition
Prizes: £75, £50, £25
Fee: £5. Length: 100-1500 words.
Opening line ‘The mist crept in….’
info@writersnewandold.com www.writersnewandold.com
THE WRITING FORGE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Prizes: £700, £100, £50; online publication
DEADLINE August 30
Results, end of October
Fee: £6; £10/2, £14/3 (maximum). Length: 3000 words.
Judge: CJ Emerson
Email entries or
SEND SAE: August Competition, Writing Forge,
The Grove, Redbrook, Monmouth NP25 4LX
Full details are available on the Writing Forge website –
including hints on how to maximize your chances of winning
compaugust@writingforge.co.uk http://writingforge.co.uk
August 31
THE DAVID RIDLEY & ARTS ADVANCE ANNUAL LITERARY PRIZE
Prizes: £100, £50, £25; £10 x 10 runners up;
anthology publication (free copy for winners).
Results announced on website, October 12.
Fee: £2.50. Length: 750-1000 words.
NB, not children’s stories.
Judging Panel headed by David Ridley (sponsor)
SEND SAE: Arts Advance (Story Competition)
P.O. Box 93, Jarrow, NE32 4XY
info@artsadvance.org.uk www.artsadvance.org.uk
AUGUST 31st
LEGEND WRITING AWARDS 2010
10th Anniversary
Open to UK residents only
Prizes: £500, £250, £100, 3 x £50 (short stories);
£50, £30, £20, 3 x £10 (flash fiction)
Young writer awards for 15-17-year-olds: £50, £30, £20
Prizewinners notified by mid-November.
Anthology Six of the Best 2009 winners: £4.25
Fee: £7 first entry, then £5, short stories; £3, flash fiction.
Length: 2000 words maximum, short stories;
100 words exactly (excluding title) flash fiction
Any genre excluding children’s.
Rules and entry form on website, or
Send SAE: LWA, 39 Emmanuel Road , Hastings TN34 3LB
legendwritingaward@yahoo.co.uk www.legendwritingaward.co.uk
Non Fiction
August 30
GRAFFITI MAGAZINE TRAVEL ARTICLE COMPETITION
1st prize: £25; publication in Graffiti
(subs: 5 issues - £10.50; single issue: £2.50 [both, inc p+p])
Fee: £2 (cheques payable to Catchword Writing Group).
Length: 1000 words.
SEND SAE: Graffiti Magazine Travel Writing Competition,
c/o 33 Sandford Leaze,
Avening, Glos GL8 8PB
or email for more info: graffiti.magazine@yahoo.co.uk
Multi Genre
August 31
JotSpeak Writing Contest
Must register first (free)
Prizes: 1st: £75 and a one-month feature on website.
2nd: £45; 3rd:£25.
FREE. Format: written (10-2000 words); audio (15 minutes);
video (10 minutes).
Flash fiction, poetry, short stories or essays.
www.jotspeak.com
Books
August 31
The Sony Reader Award
Under 30s (UK only); category in The Dylan Thomas Prize
1st Prize: £5000.
Submit unpublished novel of at least 80,000 words:
ebook, in pdf, Word or epub format.
www.sony.co.uk/hub/1237478694346/
Other
August 31
English Heritage Writing Competition
New signs have been installed at Chiswick House in West London that show historical views of the gardens. This competition you to write a mini play or sketch based on these images.
There are 3 categories of entry: adults, Under 18s, and Chiswick residents, each with a choice of two images to base their sketch on. The sketch can take any form, be it mini play, song, poem, etc. provided it is no longer than 3 minutes when read aloud. Winners will have their entry professionally recorded as part of a new audio guide for visitors to Chiswick House alongside established playwrights who we plan to commission to write the rest of the sketches. They will also receive an English Heritage membership and hamper. All the details and the images can be found at: www.english-heritage.org.uk/
August
Poetry
AUGUST 25
Museum of London Poetry Competition 2010
For age 14-24
Latin isn’t dead. Prove it by writing a poem inspired by a Latin word or phrase. Entry is free. All entries must be original and unpublished. Please include your name, age and full contact details on your entry. Entries are limited to one poem per person, maximum 400 words. 1st Prize is a digital e-book reader. FREE.
lsawyer@museumoflondon.org.uk www.mymuseumoflondon.org.uk
August 16
# THE ARVON INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
PO BOX 38530, London SW1W 0XQ
london@arvonfoundation.org www.arvonfoundation.org/poetry
August 16
@ HAVANT LITERARY FESTIVAL 2010 POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes: £200, £100, £50.
Winners invited to receive prizes at ceremony evening of 2010 Festival Day
The Spring (Havant Arts Centre) October 2.
Fee: £4. Length: 40 lines.
Theme: ‘Transition’. Judge: Charles Bennett.
Download application form or
SEND SAE: Havant Literary Festival Poetry Competition, PO Box 231,
HAVANT, Hampshire PO9 9DU
havantlitfest.org.uk www.havantlitfest.hampshire.org.uk
Events
August 8-14
SWANWICK WRITERS’ SUMMER SCHOOL
Winners announced and presented with awards
Poetry
August 6
2010 MANCHESTER POETRY PRIZE
SEND SAE: James Draper, Project Manager: The Manchester Writing School,
Manchester Metropolitan University, Rosamond Street West,
Off Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6LL; +44 (0) 161 247 1787
j.draper@mmu.ac.uk www.manchesterwritingcompetition.co.uk
Short, short stories
August 16
SNAP STORY
Open to anybody, not just Chelmsford entrants;
NB winners must attend event to receive prize
voiceit2006@yahoo.co.uk www.myspace.com/snapstory
Short Stories
August 30
WRITERS NEW AND OLD COMPETITIONS
NB, must be a member
@ August Short Story Competition
Prizes: £75, £50, £25
Fee: £5. Length: 100-1500 words.
Opening line ‘The mist crept in….’
info@writersnewandold.com www.writersnewandold.com
THE WRITING FORGE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Prizes: £700, £100, £50; online publication
DEADLINE August 30
Results, end of October
Fee: £6; £10/2, £14/3 (maximum). Length: 3000 words.
Judge: CJ Emerson
Email entries or
SEND SAE: August Competition, Writing Forge,
The Grove, Redbrook, Monmouth NP25 4LX
Full details are available on the Writing Forge website –
including hints on how to maximize your chances of winning
compaugust@writingforge.co.uk http://writingforge.co.uk
August 27
@ NEW EASTBOURNE WRITERS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Prizes: £50, £20, £10; website publication
Winners notified after December 16.
Fee: £5; £7/2. Length: 1500 words
Theme: The Journey
Judges: Joan Moules and Peter Lovesey.
Over 16s.
Details on website or
SEND SAE: New Eastbourne Writers, 58 Coopers Hill, Willingdon,
Eastbourne BN20 9JG
www.neweastbournewriters.co.uk
Poetry & Short Stories
August 22
# 1ST MALTON LITERATURE FESTIVAL
OPEN CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITIONS
Prizes: £100, £50, £25, in each category.
Winners invited to read at prize giving;
part of the Malton Literature Festival, October 24
Fee: £4; £10: 4 poems or 3 short stories.
FREE: young writers, Years 7-11 (up to 3 entries).
Length: 40 lines; 2,000 words (30 lines; 1,000 words: young writers)
Judge: Andy Humphrey
SEND SAE: The Competition Organiser, Malton Literature Festival,
Rise Cottage, Broughton Road, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 7BP
www.welovemalton.co.uk
Non Fiction
August 30
GRAFFITI MAGAZINE TRAVEL ARTICLE COMPETITION
1st prize: £25; publication in Graffiti
(subs: 5 issues - £10.50; single issue: £2.50 [both, inc p+p])
Fee: £2 (cheques payable to Catchword Writing Group).
Length: 1000 words.
SEND SAE: Graffiti Magazine Travel Writing Competition,
c/o 33 Sandford Leaze,
Avening, Glos GL8 8PB
or email for more info: graffiti.magazine@yahoo.co.uk
August 1
TONY LOTHIAN BIOGRAPHERS’ CLUB PRIZE
For unpublished/uncommissioned writers
Entries to: 119a Fordwych Road, London, NW2 3NJ
or by email to anna@annaswan.co.uk www.biographersclub.co.uk/prize
Playwriting
August 27
# GRAND WORDS ONE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION
NB, resident in Lancashire; Cumbria; Manchester; Liverpool
or unitary authorities of Blackpool or Blackburn with Darwen
Entry packs from box office, or request via email.
33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT
od_ghoti@hotmail.com
July
Poetry
July 30
ESSEX POETRY FESTIVAL 10th OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
SEND SAE: Essex Poetry Festival Competition,
15 Seeleys, Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0AD
www.essex-poetry-festival.co.uk
JULY 26th
WOMEN’S POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Online entry or
SEND TO: Mslexia Publications Limited, Freepost NEA5566,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 1BR; 0191 261 6656
poetry@mslexia.demon.co.uk www.mslexia.co.uk
July 9
@ THE ELMET POETRY PRIZE
SEND SAE: Anna Turner, Central Library, Northgate, Halifax, HX1 1UN
www.theelmettrust.com
July 6
BASSETLAW WRITERS 13th OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
The Secretary, Bassetlaw Writers, 149 Galway Crescent,
Retford, Notts DN22 7YR; 01777 700307
pamela.mann1@mypostoffice.co.uk
Poetry by Children/Young People
July 23
WRITING THE WORLD
For 5-10s;11-14s;15-18s; email entry only
coolitschools@ukonline.co.uk www.coolitschools.com
Poetry by Children/Young People
July 31
JOHN BETJEMAN YOUNG PEOPLE’S POETRY COMPETITION
SPONSORED BY SHELL
Open to 11-14 year olds in the British Isles and Republic of Ireland
info@betjemanpoetrycompetition.com www.betjemanpoetrycompetition.com
July 31
# FOYLE YOUNG POETS OF THE YEAR AWARD
22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX
fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk www.poetrysocietyorg.uk
Poetry Collections
July 31
THE ALDEBURGH FIRST COLLECTION PRIZE 2010
Katie Burroughs, The Poetry Trust, The Cut,
9 New Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8BY
info@thepoetrytrust.org www.thepoetrytrust.org
July 31
THE PICADOR POETRY PRIZE 2010
NB: poets with previously published collections ineligible,
but OK if pamphlets; UK and Ireland only
See website for rules, the most sensible one ever being:
‘If you don’t actually read poetry, but fancy having a go anyway, don’t.’
www.picador.com/Poetry/prize/submissionpage.aspx
Short Stories
July 31
SID CHAPLIN SHORT STORY COMPETITION
SEND SAE: Shildon Town Council, Council Offices, Civic Hall Square,
Shildon, County Durham DL4 1AH; 01388 772563
council@shildon.gov.uk
July 31
GUILDFORD BOOK FESTIVAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH COMMUTABOOKS
Online entries only
www.guildfordbookfestival.co.uk
July 31
@ HAY-ON-WYE THIRD SHORT STORY CONTEST
SEND SAE: Hay & District Community Support, Oxford
Road, Hay-on-Wye HR3 5AL
www.hayshortstory.com
July 31
CATHERINE HOWARD SHORT STORY COMPETITION
SEND SAE: 98 Woodland Road, Leeds LS15 7DW
akacatherinehoward@yahoo.co.uk
http://akacatherinehoward.weebly.com/news-and-views.html
July 31
The First Spokenink Audiostory Competition
Online entry only
www.spokenink.co.uk/events
July 10
Guardian Weekend Short Story Competition
Open to UK residents aged 18 and over
Entry fee: none
Prize(s) publication In the annual Guardian Weekend short fiction issue
Length: 2000 words max
short.story@guardian.co.uk www.guardian.co.uk/books
Short Stories by Children/Young People
July 23
TAKE A BREAK FIRST YOUNG FICTION WRITER OF THE YEAR
Short Story Competition
For 8-18s: 8-11s; 12-14; 15-18.
www.youngfictionwriteroftheyear.co.uk/
July 5
The Booktrust Teenage Prize Writing Competition
UK residents, in full-time education: 12-16
Bod, the main character in The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (winner of the 2009 Booktrust Teenage Prize,), can become invisible when the situation calls for it – he can ‘fade’.
How would life be if you were invisible?
Write a short story that is original and creative in no more than 500 words.
A panel of judges will select the best four short stories and the prize for each will be: a place on the Booktrust Teenage Prize judging panel to help choose the 2010 teenage book of the year; a ticket to the award ceremony in London in November; the chance to meet and interview all the shortlisted authors, using a yours-to-keep flipcam; a complete set of the shortlisted titles and their winning story will be published on the Booktrust website.
www.booktrust.org.uk/show/feature/Prizes and awards/Booktrust-Teenage-Prize-2010
Non Fiction
July 30
AUTOMOTIVE BLOG’S FERRARI COMPETITION 2010
competitions@automotiveblog.co.uk
www.automotiveblog.co.uk/competitions/ferrari-thrill-experience/
July 31
UNBOUND PRESS CREATIVE NON-FICTION COMPETITION
Essay or 1st chapter of non-fiction book
upsubmissions@googlemail.com www.unboundpress.co.uk
Non Fiction by Children/Young People
July 30
THE PRIORY/RYAN MCKAY PRIZE 2010
For 13-18 year olds; email only
Aims to raise awareness of positive mental and physical health
among young people, who are most at risk of eating disorders
prioryryanmckayprize@priorygroup.com
www.priorygroup.com/pg.asp?p=2086
Multi Genre
July 31
BRITISH CZECH & SLOVAK ASSOCIATION’S WRITING COMPETITION
Was June 30
BCSA Prize Administrator, 24 Ferndale, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 3NS
prize@bcsa.co.uk www.bcsa.co.uk
July 31
@ WASAFIRI NEW WRITING PRIZE
Teresa Palmiero, Wasafiri, The Open University in London,
1-11 Hawley Crescent, London NW1 8NP
t.palmiero@open.ac.uk www.wasafiri.org/pages/News.htm
July 30
@ ARTHRITIS CARE CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
NB, only for those with arthritis
Creative writing competition, Publications department, Arthritis Care,
18 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HD
creative@arthritiscare.org.uk www.arthritiscare.org.uk/Creativewriting
July 16
Didsbury Arts Festival Open Poetry & Short Story Competition
August 1
Photography Competition
C/o 11 Lancaster Rd, Didsbury, Manchester M20 2QU
storypoetrycomp@didsburyartsfestival.org
www.didsburyartsfestival.org/competition
July 1
BUGGED - Creative Eavesdropping
Jo Bell, poet and director of National Poetry Day, and David Calcutt, novelist and playwright, are inviting writers from across the country to take part in a new and exciting literary venture. The idea is simple. A writer places themselves in a location where they can overhear other people’s conversations. And it can be anywhere - on a bus or train, in a supermarket, pub or coffee shop - wherever people gather and talk. Then the writer simply jots down fragments of overheard conversations, and uses those fragments as a starting point for a piece of writing - prose, poetry or drama. Guidelines to the length of the work are: 1000 words for prose, 60 lines for a poem, 150 words for flash fiction, and 5 minutes for short scripts. The deadline for submissions is 15th August.
The best work will be published on a purpose-built blog and in a print-on demand anthology to be launched at the Manchester Literature Festival in October. To find more about how to get bugging visit: bugged.org.uk
Playwriting
July 31
INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL
Rose Marie Vernon Festival Administrator, International Playwriting Festival, Warehouse Theatre, Dingwall Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 2NF
info@warehousetheatre.co.uk www.warehousetheatre.co.uk
July 31
Robert McLellan Award for Playwriting
Must be written in any living Scots dialect - urban or rural
and not yet performed professionally
Heather Gough Carlo, Corrie Shore Road, Isle of Arran KA27 8JA
gough.carlo@virgin.net www.arranartsfestival.co.uk
July 31
@ THE SUSSEX PLAYWRIGHTS’ CLUB
ONE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION 2010
Open to any author, from any country.
Prizes: £150 plus reading at Club meeting, £100, £50.
Constance Cox Memorial Award for £100 made at the judges’ discretion.
Judges’ Announcement: mid-December.
Fee: £5 (SPC members:1 free entry). Length: 1 act; 30-50 minutes
‘Must be entered under a pseudonym; entries to include sealed envelope (title and pseudonym on the cover) containing a card with real name and address, plus sufficient postage for return of mss.’
SEND SAE: D. Evans (Hon Sec), 2 Brunswick Mews, Hove, East Sussex BN3 1HD
www.sussexplaywrights.com
Screenwriting
July 31
^RED PLANET PRIZE
Unit 13, Doolittle Mill, Froghall Road, Ampthill, Bedfordshire. MK45 2ND info@redplanetpictures.co.uk www.redplanetpictures.co.uk/prize.php
Television
July 15
SIR PETER USTINOV TELEVISION SCRIPTWRITING AWARD
Tracy.Oliver@iemmys.tv www.iemmys.tv/foundation.aspx
Other
July 18
^TAYLOR WESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT PRIZE
Register online, by post or in person by this date
Photographic Portrait Prize, Exhibitions Department, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H 0HE; 0870 112 6772
photoprize@npg.org.uk www.npg.org.uk
June
Poetry
June 30
John Clare Poetry Competition 2010
John Clare Poetry Prize 2010, Clare Cottage
Woodgate, Helpston, PE6 7ED; : 01733 253330
events@clarecottage.org www.clarecottage.org
June 30
@ FREDERIK VAN EEDEN POETRY COMPETITION
dparkpress.co.uk
www.hollandparkpress.co.uk/magazine_detail.php?magazine_id=55&language=English)
June 30
G.O.S.H. Haiku Poetry Competition 2010
The Competition Secretary, Lorienwood, The Ride, Ifold, West Sussex RH14 OTQ
June 10
#LEDBURY POETRY FESTIVAL COMPETITION
Ledbury Poetry Festival, Church St, Ledbury,
Herefordshire HR8 1DH
info@poetry-festival.com www.poetry-festival.com
June 7
# POETRY COMPETITION
FOR EDUCATING KENYAN ORPHANS
(EKO) Charity No.111697
Prizes: £1000, £500, £300, £200
Winners notified July 5.
Prizegiving, Rook Lane Chapel, Bath Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1DN, July 17; readings from John Hegley and winners.
Fee: £5. Length: 30 lines.
Judge: John Hegley. Over 17s.
Enter online, or
SEND SAE: Poetry Competition for EKO, Glen View, Church Street,
Coleford, Radstock, Somerset BA3 5LZ
www.educatingkenyanorphans.co.uk
June 2
MARPLE POETRY COMPETITION 2010
PO Box 143, Marple, Stockport SK6 9AD
www.marplewriting.org.uk
June 1
Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition 2010
www.edwinmorganpoetrycompetition.co.uk
June 1
PEACE & FREEDOM PRESS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
OPEN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom Press, 17 Farrow Road,
Whaplode Drove, Spalding, Lincs PE12 0TS
p_rance@yahoo.com http://pandf.booksmusicfilmstv.com/index.htm
Poetry by Children/Young People
June 27
Peterborough’s Youth Poet Laureate 2010
The competition is open to anyone aged between 12 & 18 who is a member of Peterborough Libraries or who lives, works or goes to school in the City of Peterborough area. For poems of up to 20 lines on the theme ‘The Unexplained’.
Entry Fee: £0
Contact: Andrew Upton, Library Events Team, Peterborough Central Library, Broadway, Peterborough PE1 1RX
Email: Andrew.Upton@vivacity-peterborough.com
Young Poet of the Year 2010
Details:
The competition is open to anyone aged between 7 & 11 who is a member of Peterborough Libraries or lives or goes to school in the City of Peterborough area. For poems of up to 20 lines on the theme ‘A Journey Into Space’.
Entry Fee: £0
Contact: Andrew Upton, Library Events Team, Peterborough Central Library, Broadway, Peterborough PE1 1RX
Email: Andrew.Upton@vivacity-peterborough.com
Poetry Collections
June 18
London New Poetry Award:
First collections (not pamphlets) in English with publication dates from 1st June 2009 to 31st May 2010 inclusive
- Award value £2,500
- Plus reading at Coffee-House Poetry at the Troubadour in London’s Earls Court on Monday 1st November, reading alongside shortlisted poets and Poetry Panel judges,
- Plus attendance at London Festival Fringe Awards events at Pizza Express Soho Jazz Club and Waldorf Hilton.
Submission Method:
- Publisher to post one copy only of each submitted title to Coffee-House Poetry, PO Box 16210, LONDON W4 1ZP, to arrive before Fri 18th June.
Process:
- All books received will be listed on both Coffee-House Poetry & London Festival Fringe websites.
- Shortlist will be selected by London New Poetry Award readers & circulated to London New Poetry Award Poetry Panel.
- Each Poetry Panel judge will have the option of calling in an additional title from the longlist.
- Combined shortlist will be published on both websites by 28th June.
- Publishers of each of the selected shortlist titles will be asked to post copies to each of the three judges.
- Judges meet mid-July.
- Winners to be notified, subject to confidentiality, between 16th July and 9th August.
- Awards events as detailed below.
Nominations:
- Poetry supporters on our wide-reaching newsletter list have been asked to nominate first-collection poets (within date criteria). Where titles are nominated and have not been received from the publisher we will endeavour to contact the publisher to ensure inclusion but can only include titles where a copy has been received from the publisher by Friday 18th June.
Short Stories
June 21
@ NEWCASTLE CENTRE FOR THE LITERARY ARTS (NCLA)
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Open to international students in UK universities
including those who graduated within past two years
Prizes: £1000; £500; £200 + anthology publication
Fee: £5. Length: 4000 words
Theme: ‘experience of living & studying in UK’, eg, culture clash;
coping with food/cuisine in a new country; social lives;
job hunts and struggles to make ends meet.
Judge: Jackie Kay.
www.ncl.ac.uk/ncla/projects/competitions/isssc/
June 18
THE BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD 2010
NB, open to authors with a previous record of publication
who are UK nationals or residents. Over 18s.
BBC National Short Story Award, Booktrust, 45 East Hill, London SW18 2QZ
www.theshortstory.org.uk
June 7
SHORT STORY FIRST CHAPTER COMPETITION 2010
Short Story Radio First Chapter Competition, Wyndham Granite, PO Box 1302, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 9AE
www.shortstoryradio.com/short_story_competitions.htm
Short Stories by Children/Young People
June 25
The Litro and IGGY young persons International Short story award
‘Words get you further’
For 11-19s
Inspiring, encouraging and acknowledging the creativity of young people is a common goal for Litro Magazine and the International Gateway for Gifted Youth, and therefore we have created a major new short story award for young people: the Young Person’s Short Story Award.
The award is open to young people from around the world aged 11-19. In addition to a cash prize of £2,500, the winner will be published in Litro Magazine and will see parts of their work displayed on a poster in a London Underground station. The winner and two runners-up will also have their story published on Litro Online (www.litro.co.uk) and on the IGGY website (www.warwick.ac.uk/go/iggy). An illustrious panel of judges has been assembled for the award, including novelist Sadie Jones, author of international bestseller The Outcast; acclaimed author and actor Ian Kelly; award-winning poet Laura Dockrill and Peter Blegvad, creative writing lecturer at the University of Warwick.
Terms and conditions of entry:
1. Entrants can write in any genre.
2. The length of each story must not exceed 3000 words.
3. The winner of the Litro and IGGY International Short story competition will receive £2,500
4. The closing date for all entries is 5pm, Friday 25th June
5. There is no entry fee. However you can support Litro Magazine and this great new competition by subscribing to Litro Magazine http://www.litro.co.uk/index.php/subscription/ in the process support our effort to continue to provide you with alternative new and exciting reading from established as well as up and coming writers.
6. Submissions should be emailed to competition@litro.co.uk
7. The copyright of any story submitted to the Litro and IGGY International Short Story Competition will remain with the magazine, the submission of a story is done with the understanding that Litro Magazine has the right to copy and distribute the story in the magazine and litro online as well other platforms.
8. Entrants must be aged between 11- 19 on the date of the entry.
Disclaimer: Due to the expected volume of entries, Litro Magazine is unable to offer individual feedback to entrants. The decision of the judges is final.
www.litro.co.uk www.warwick.ac.uk/go/iggy
Short Stories for children
June 25
2010 Munch Time Storytelling Competition
* Write an original children’s story, of your own creation, between 600-800 words, which begins with the opening line:
“Once upon a Munch Time, there was a cow called Munch…”
* Submit your story and contact details online
There are no limits to what your story can be about, so let your imagination run away with you and no doubt a wonderful tale will result!
Please note the deadline for all Munch Time storytelling competition entries is 25th June 2010. The winners will be notified within 3-weeks of the closing date.
A jury will select 1 national winner and 10 regional winners
One national winner will receive:
* £1,000 cash prize
* Their winning story published as a book
* An all expenses paid trip to London to receive their certificate from “Superstar” Jamelia
* Their winning story published online and downloadable on www.munchbunch.co.uk
Ten regional winners will each receive:
* £500 cash prize
* An all expenses paid trip to London to receive their certificate from “Superstar” Jamelia
* Their winning story published online and downloadable on www.munchbunch.co.uk
Poetry & Short Stories
June 25
CHILTERNS SHOW COMPETITION
Ages 8-12; 13-18
A CREATIVE writing competition has been launched for this year’s Chiltern Show.
Entrants must be between eight and 18 and should pen a story of up to 800 words or a poem of up to 30 lines which begins with the words ‘Tomorrow I shall have to tell them’ or ‘Tomorrow he/she would have to tell them’.
Local wirter and playwright Jan Moran Neil will judge the entrants at the show on July 17-18.
Send your entries to Chilterns Show Creative Writing & Poetry Competition, HD Fairs Ltd, Abercromby Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks. HP12 3AZ
JUNE 22nd
SENTINEL LITERARY QUARTERLY
POETRY & SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS
Prizes: £150, £60, £40 in each category;
publication in Sentinel Literary Quarterly
15 poems + 4 stories published
in The Sentinel Champions Magazine in November
Results announced July 31st
Fee: £3; £12/5 (poems); £5; £9/2; £12/3 (stories)
Length: 40 lines; 1,500 words.
Details on website; enter online or
SEND TO: Unit 136, 113-115 George Lane, London E18 1AB
sentinelpoetry@gmail.com www.sentinelquarterly.com
Multi Genre
June 4
BIG 30th WINCHESTER WRITERS’ CONFERENCE,
FESTIVAL AND BOOKFAIR COMPETITIONS
June 25-27; workshops: June 28 -July 2.
Prizes: 67, various;
1st place winners published in the conference anthology,
Conference anthology, The Best of 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009:
£8.95 including postage and packing
Shortlist announced June 26.
Writers’ Award Reception, University of Winchester
Fee: £9 (£7 if attending conference or entering ‘Reaching Out’ competition, for writers prevented by distance, age or disability from attendance,
or ‘Retirement’, ‘The Day I Retired and Now’ competitions).
See website for full details of the16 competitions, sponsors, prizes and rules:
Writing for children, feature article, local history, slim volume,
small edition,sustainability of our environment, haiku, young writers poetry, reaching out for those who are disabled, writing can be murder,
a page of prose, lifewriting and poetry
NB: open to those who cannot attend the conference
SEND SAE: Barbara Large, MBE FRSA HFUW,
Founder Director Winchester Writers’ Conference,
Centre for Research and Knowledge Exchange
University of Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire S022 4NR; 01962 827238
Barbara.Large@winchester.ac.uk www.winchester.ac.uk
Playwriting
June 5
In Company Theatre 2010 Playwrighting Competition
www.incompanytheatre.co.uk
Songwriting
June 8
MAKE IT OR BREAK IT AWARDS
UK entry only.
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Mount Street,
Liverpool, L1 9HF,
mibi@lipa.ac.uk www.makeitbreakit.org
Call for submissions
June 15
Burner magazine
For their inaugural issue, Burner seeks work that gets reader’s blood pumping and heart racing. Interested in science, art, truth, conspiracies, naturalism, cyborgs, music, beauty, sex, and everything in between. Deadline: June 15, 2010. Submit poetry 3-5 poems attached in a single document with full formatting; include the word *POETRY* in the subject line and fiction/non-fiction 500-1000 words attached in a single document; include the words *FICTION* or *NON-FICTION* in the subject line to; burnermag@gmail.com
June 30
Mencap Short Story Competition
Prizes: A FREE Manuscript Assessment (up to 35,000 words) and one hour’s Consultation with the Literary Consultancy. The entry fee is £8 per story. You may enter as many times as you like, provided each story is accompanied by the £8 entry fee. Stories should be a maximum of 2,000 words and can be on any topic. Download full details and entry instructions from the web site. mencap.org.uk/
June 30
Tindal Street Press Anthology of British Asian writing
Working title Asian Enough? is an anthology of short stories, to be edited by Tindal Street author Kavita Bhanot, which will be published in October 2011.
Kavita says of the project:
“This anthology is not a disparate collection of literary stories by writers who identify themselves as British and Asian, but a recognition that we share something in common, whether it is influence, experience, or the expectations of others. It is also a protest, a shared agenda to resist these expectations and pressures.
So you won’t be told that your story is not Asian enough or that it’s too Asian for this anthology. You don’t have to write a funny story about an arranged marriage, about the culture clash between parents holding onto ‘outdated’ traditions while their children just want to be ‘British’, or a drama about being a ‘normal’ Muslim in a time of religious fanaticism. Because these are not the only stories that we have to tell.
But it is OK if this is what you want to write about, because these might be aspects of our realities, as long as you do it from the inside, with compassion, understanding and freshness, showing other perspectives, since the stories that we see again and again reflect only one angle. We’re looking for well-crafted stories with wisdom, depth, complexity, energy and detail. You write about what you care about, the story you want to tell.”
Stories are for an adult literary readership, between roughly 3000 and 5000 words. Apart from correspondence concerning the finally selected stories, there will be no individual feedback to authors on stories submitted, although all submission will be read.
If you identify yourself as British Asian send one story only, by email, with a short covering letter, to rikhi@tindalstreet.co.uk, with the subject heading: British Asian Anthology
Deadline for submissions: 30 June 2010
Final Selection: October 2010
Publication: October 2011
www.tindalstreet.co.uk/news/call-for-submissions-for-a-new-anthology-of-britis/
June 30
@ THE WRITE PLACE OPEN WRITING COMPETITION
For writers of short stories
Prizes: First £100, Second £75, Third £50
Entry fees: £4.50 per item or three entries for £12.00
Theme ‘Ten’
Entries will be judged by Paula Williams
www.paulawilliamswriter.co.uk
Cheques or postal orders made payable to The Write Place and posted to: 34 Capelands, New Ash Green, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LG
RULES
Stories should be no longer than 1500 words.
Work to be typed on one side of each page with pages numbered.
Stories to be double line spaced, poetry single line spaced, on white paper with no distinguishing marks to identify the writer.
Each submission to have a front page, attached by a paperclip, showing name address and contact details of the writer along with the word count and title of entry. Each entry to have an A5 stamped, addressed envelope for results.
Please keep a copy of your work as it will not be returned.
The judges reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not conform to the rules.
All entries are not to have been previously published or placed in competition.
Copyright to remain with the author although winning entries will be displayed on our website.
Results will be posted on our website www.thewriteplace.org.uk
June 30
The Write Space ‘Della Galton’ Short Story Competition
Prizes: £150, £100, £50
The competition will be judged by Della Galton and Vanda Inman
Entry Fee £5. Optional critique £5.
(Critiques by Della Galton)
Theme: The Lie
Length: 1,500 words
For competition entry form, email or send SAE to:
Vanda Inman’s Write Space, Rivendell, St Clether,
Launceston, Cornwall. PL15 8QH. 0156686533
www.writespace.co.uk vanda@writespace.co.uk
Short Stories by Children/Young People
June 30
@ # JIGSAW4U
SHORT STORY COMPETITION
For 5-8s (500 words); 9-13s (800 words); 14-18s (1,500 words).1st Prize: 3 x all expenses paid overnight trip to London to prizewinning ceremony, followed by lunch with Michael Rosen, Children’s Laureate 2007-2009. Publication for commended stories. Fee: £5. Theme: ‘Loss’. Online entry or SEND SAE: Short Story Competition, Jigsaw4u, 27 Wolsey Way, Chessington, KT9 1XQ
www.jigsaw4u.org.uk/secure/events/shortstory
Multi Genre
JUNE 30th
THE BRIDPORT PRIZE
Prizes: £5000, £1000, £500; £50 x10 supplementary prizes
(Short Story and Poetry); £1000: Flash Fiction. Anthology publication.
Dorset Award: £100 and trophy: highest place local winner or runner up.
Winning stories and shortlist read by leading London literary agents.
Top 13 stories submitted to the National Short Story Prize
and the Sunday Times short story award.
Top 4 poems submitted to the Forward Prize.
Prize-winners notified beginning of October;
prizes awarded at Bridport Literary Festival, October 31.
Fee: £7 (story); £6 (poem); £5 (flash fiction).
Length: 5000 words; 42 lines; 250 words.
Judges: Zoë Heller (stories and flash fiction) and Michael Laskey (poems).
2009 anthology: £12/£15 Overseas.
Enter online, or
SEND SAE: The Bridport Prize, PO Box 6910
Bridport, Dorset DT6 9BQ; 01308 428333
www.bridportprize.org.uk
JUNE 30th
CINNAMON PRESS NOVEL, NOVELLA,
SHORT STORY & POETRY AWARDS
NB: entrants who have not previously had a collection/novel published
Prizes: £400, £100, £100 + publishing contracts.
Plus winners’ anthologies for story and poetry.
Fee: £16 (both include winners’ anthologies); £14 Envoi subscribers.
Length: novel/lla: 10,000 words;
poetry: 10 poems to 40 lines;
story: 2000-400 words.
Post entries with SAE;
include contact details on separate sheet
Details on website
SEND TO: Cinnamon Press, Meirion House, Glan yr afon, Tanygrisiau,
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 3SU
jan@cinnamonpress.com www.cinnamonpress.com
JUNE 30th
KEATS-SHELLEY PRIZE
Sponsored by the School of English, University of St Andrews
Prize fund: £3000
Prize winners and runner up in each category notified August;
presentation ceremony at the British Academy, London, October 13
Panel of Judges chaired by Jack Mapanje.
Matthew Sweeney + John Hartley Williams (Poetry);
Professor Simon Bainbridge + Professor Sharon Ruston (Essay)
Fee: £5; £5 second entry; maximum 2 poems and 2 essays.
‘All first-time serious entrants’ become Honorary Friends of the KSMA
for one year. Length: 50 lines; essay: 2000-3000 words.
Theme: ‘Ice’ (poem; may be a narrative but not a parody).
Essay: any aspect of work or life of Keats, Shelley,
Mary Shelley, Byron and their circles.
NB, 3 copies.
SEND SAE: KSMA Competition Secretary, School of English,
The University, St Andrews KY16 9AR
www.keats-shelley.com
JUNE 30th
4TH ANNUAL TED WALTERS COMPETITION 2010
To commemorate the talented Liverpool born writer
1st Prize (each category): £200. 2nd: £50; 3rd: £15 book token.
Results announced after August 1st.
Fee: £3.00, then £2.50. 1 free entry for members submitting two or more.
Length: 40 lines; 2000 words;
1 side of page: 20 minutes; 4 characters; relevant information.
NB: 2 copies of each entry. Judge: Linda Walters.
The University of Liverpool Creative Writing Society for Lifelong Learning
donates £1 from each entry to Macmillan Nurses; £1600+ to date.
SEND SAE: Mr Tommy McBride (The Secretary), The University of Liverpool Creative Writing Society for Lifelong Learning, 50 Onslow Road, Kensington,
Merseyside L6 3BB; tel: 0151 291 6942
thomas.mcbride2@sky.com www.the-village.co.uk/tedwalters.htm
Books
June 30
Crocus First Chapter & Pitching Competition 2010
Open to writers who live or work in the North of England
Crocus Books in association with Manchester Literature Festival present Is There A Novelist In The House? Your chance to win £250 and have your fledgling novel ‘hothoused’ by Crocus Books!
The search is on to find the best budding novelist in the North of England. The winner will get £250 and their own writing mentor to help them get their novel completed. Six other promising novelists identified through the competition will be provided with significant assistance with their novel and be invited to take part in Is There A Novelist In The House? on Saturday 23rd October as part of the Manchester Literature Festival.
Full details and an entry form available at www.cultureword.org.uk
Other (Reviews)
June 25
Frieze Writer’s Prize
Established in 2006 and presented annually. The aim of the prize is to promote and encourage new critics from across the world, and many of the previous winners and commended entrants, including Jessica Lott and Jeffrey Ryan, have gone on to contribute frequently to frieze magazine.
Writers are invited to submit an unpublished 700-word review in English of a recent contemporary art exhibition. Applicants must be over 18-years old and must not have had more than three pieces of writing on art published in a newspaper or magazine. The closing date for entries is 25 June 2010 and the winner of the prize will be announced in September.
The winner will be awarded £2,000 and commissioned to write a review for the October issue of frieze.
Conditions of entry
–Entrants must submit one previously unpublished review of a recent contemporary art exhibition, approximately 700 words in length.
–Entries must be submitted in English, but may be a translation (this must be acknowledged).
–Entrants must be over 18 years old.
–To qualify, entrants may only previously have had a maximum of three pieces of writing on art published in any national or regional newspaper or magazine.
–Previous online publication is permitted (this does not apply to the submitted review).
–The winning entrant will be commissioned to write a review for the October issue of frieze and be awarded £2,000.
–Entries should be emailed as a word attachment to writersprize@frieze.com. Please do not send images.
Closing date is 25 June 2010.
Judges
Boris Groys (philosopher and critic)
A.M. Homes (writer and novelist)
Jörg Heiser (co-editor of frieze magazine)
May
Poetry
MAY 30th
BLUE BUTTERFLY POETRY COMPETITION
For Christian poems
1st Prize: £150
3 runners-up £10
Fee: £4 each poem or £10.00 for three.
Length: up to 32 lines, including line spaces.
Adjudicator: Anne Traill
Check website for rules, eg SAE must be included
Entry forms may be downloaded or
SEND SAE: Blue Butterfly Publishers, Christian Poetry Competition,
13 Irvine Way, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire AB51 4ZR
blue7butterfly@which.net www.bluebutterflypublishers.co.uk
MAY 31st
THE CRABBE MEMORIAL POETRY COMPETITION
Open worldwide to anyone with Suffolk links;
members of Suffolk Poetry Society
Prizes: Cheque for £500 (and Crabbe Memorial Silver Rose-bowl),
£150, £100;
£25 x 2 Highly Commended
Presentation at The Wentworth Hotel, Aldeburgh, October 10
Fee: £3, then £2. Length: 50 lines.
Adjudicator: Gareth Calway
SEND SAE: Competition Secretary, Islay Cottage,
2 The Street, Heydon, Norfolk NR11 6RQ
www.suffolkpoetrysociety.org.uk/crabbecompetition/index.php
THE FROGMORE POETRY PRIZE 2010
Closing date: May 31
Prizes: 200, 75, 50 guineas plus 1 year subscription (winner, 2 years’ subs).
Publication in #74, The Frogmore Papers
Copies of selected Frogmore Press publications for shortlist
Fee: £3. Maximum length: 40 lines
Adjudicator: Stewart Conn
21 Mildmay Road, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1PJ
MAY 31st
POETRY PULSE ANNUAL COMPETITION
1st prize £100 and opportunity to judge next competition;
£50, £25
Winning poems published on website with 10 commended poems, August 31
and in the Poetry Pulse Annual, November.
Fee: £3; £10/5 (members, 1 free). Length: 42 lines
Adjudicator: Gemma Green.
Online entry, or
SEND SAE: Poetrypulse, 166 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 7HJ
competitions@poetrypulse.com www.poetrypulse.com
Short, short stories
EARLYWORKS FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
Prizes: £75; $5 x 5 Runners-up
Possible anthology publication
Winners notified July
Fee: £3 (cheques payable to Kay Green); £12/6.
Length: 100 words. Over 16s.
MAY 31st
Enter online, or attach cover sheet and
SEND TO: Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre,
45 Robertson Street, Hastings, Sussex TN34 1HL
www.earlyworkspress.co.uk
Short Stories
MAY 31st
@ THE WRITERS’ CLINIC SHORT STORY COMPETITION SPRING 2010
Prizes: £100, £50, £25; website publication.
Fee: £5; critique (not tick sheet): additional £5. Length: 1500 words.
Judges: Anita Andrews and Sue Johnson.
Include cover sheet and
SEND TO: Sue Johnson, 10 Woodward Close, Pershore,
Worcestershire, WR10 1LP
www.writers-clinic.webs.com/
Film
May 31
FUNDADA ARTISTS FILM FESTIVAL 2010
NB, above is date of receipt not postmark
Submissions invited for festival August 14-20:
screen-based art; film, video, animation;
films in digital format only: avi, mpg or mov,
with film still (jpg at 300dpi).
FREE. Any length/duration.
Submit online: dice.fundada@yahoo.co.uk (10MB max) or via yousendit.com etc. Or
SEND TO: FAFF2010, Halifax Festival 2010, Square Chapel, 10 Square Road,
Halifax, HX1 1QG
www.halifaxfestival.co.uk/
May
Poetry
May 30
THE WELSH POETRY COMPETITION 2010
The Welsh Poetry Competition, 9 The Avenue, Pontypridd CF37 4DF
www.welshpoetry.co.uk
May 31
@ LYMINGTON ARTS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Lymington Community Centre, Lymington SO41 9BQ
info@lymingtonartsfestival.org.uk www.lymingtonartsfestival.org.uk
May 31
POETRY LONDON COMPETITION
81 Lambeth Walk, London SE11 6DX
editors@poetrylondon.co.uk www.poetrylondon.co.uk
May 31
@ LYMINGTON ARTS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Lymington Arts Festival Poetry Competition,
Lymington Community Centre, Lymington SO41 9BQ
www.lymingtonartsfestival.org.uk
Short Short Stories
May 31
SLINGINK SHORT SHORTS COMPETITION
http://slingink.com/slingink-competitions/
Short Stories
May 31
@ THE BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Stephen Theaker, 56 Leyton Road, Birmingham, B21 9EE
shortstorycomp@britishfantasysociety.org.uk www.britishfantasysociety.org.uk
May 31
FROME FESTIVAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010
c/o Frome Library, Justice Lane, Frome,
Somerset BA11 1BE; 01373 462215
ffshortstorycomp@yahoo.co.uk www.fromefestival.co.uk
Poetry & Short Stories
May 31
THE YEOVIL PRIZE
Yeovil Prize 2010, The Octagon Theatre,
Hendford, Yeovil BA20
enquiries@yeovilprize.co.uk www.yeovilprize.co.uk
Poetry
May 22
@ WEASDALE NURSERIES POETRY COMPETITION
SEND SAE: ‘Poetry Competition’, Weasdale Nurseries Ltd, Kirkby Stephen,
Cumbria CA17 4LX www.weasdale.com
May 19
THE FIFTH ANNUAL VIRGINIA WARBEY POETRY PRIZE
CFW Poetry, PO Box 474, Eastleigh SO50 0AN
www.poetrypf.co.uk
May 15
NORTHAMPTON LITERATURE GROUP’S
OPEN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Prizes in each category: £150, £50, £25, £10 x 3.
Winning poems posted on website.
Winning poems read at award ceremony June 25.
Fee: £3; £10/4. Max length: 40 lines.
Two categories: Free Verse and Rhymed Poetry.
Judge: Dr Christopher Ringrose.
Entry forms on website or
SEND SAE: Pat Archer, 7 Cattle Hill, Great Billing,
Northampton, NN3 9DU. Or ring: 01604 410090
tricia.archer@tiscali.co.uk www.northamptonliteraturegroup.org.uk
May 15
POOLE WRITERS’ CIRCLE 2010 POETRY COMPETITION
PWC Competition Secretary, 44 Bloxworth Road,
Poole, Dorset BH12 4BW
www.writerspoole.co.uk
May 1
PARTNERS ANNUAL OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
Partners, 289 Elmwood Avenue, Feltham,
Middlesex TW13 7QB
partners_writing-group@hotmail.com
Poetry Collections
May 21
INDIGO DREAMS SUMMER COLLECTION COMPETITION 2010
132 Hinckley Road, Stoney Stanton, LE9 4LN
dawnidp@btinternet.com or idpoet@rocketmail.com
www.indigodreamsonline.com
May 15
CINNAMON PRESS ANTHOLOGY
OF POETRY AND PROSE POETRY SEQUENCES
www.cinnamonpress.com/submissions.htm
May 8
TEMPLAR OPEN PAMPHLET AND COLLECTION PRIZES
Open to all poets writing in English, published or unpublished.
NB, translated poetry not eligible.
Managing Editor Alex McMillen, Templar Poetry,
PO BOX 7082, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 9AF
submissions@templarpoetry.co.uk www.templarpoetry.co.uk
May 1
THE POETRY WALES PURPLE MOOSE POETRY PRIZE
“Purple Moose”, Poetry Wales Press, 57 Nolton Street,
Bridgend, CF31 3AE Wales
poetrywales@seren-books.com www.seren-books.com
Poetry in Translation
MAY 28th
#THE TIMES STEPHEN SPENDER PRIZE 2010
For poetry in translation
Entrants must be British residents or citizens;
The Trust encourages submissions from children and adults who are British residents but have roots in other countries
Three categories: Open;18-and-Under;14-and-Under
Prizes: £750, £500, £200, (open);
£250, £150, £100 (under 18s); £100 (under 14)
Publication in The Times and in a commemorative booklet
Winners announced in The Times and on website by October 29th.
Fee: £3: FREE for under 18s. Length: 60 lines
(entrants may have to submit an extract if poem is longer.)
From any language, classical or modern;
must send 300 word commentary on choice of poem
and any difficulties in translation.
Judges: Susan Bassnett, Edith Hall, Karen Leeder & George Szirtes.
Full details, entry forms, and last year’s winning entries on website
(NB, no entries by email) or
SEND SAE: Stephen Spender Memorial Trust, 3 Old Wish Road,
Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4JX
info@stephenspender.org www.stephen-spender.org
Short Stories
May 13
@ READ FOR READ
to help raise funds to support the distribution of educational books in East Africa
1st Prize: 3 winners: stories published alongside established authors
in the Read for READ Anthology.
Invited to prizewinners celebratory event with judges at the British Library, August 23.
FREE. Length: 3000 words.
Theme ‘It Started With a Book’
Entries which get through the first stage posted on website;
shortlist of 10 chosen by public vote, (each costing 50 pence,
the cost of sending a book to a child in Africa).
Judges: Sarfraz Manzoor; Clare Alexander; Sonny Leong
Enter online or
SEND TO: READ International, Vintage House, 37 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London, SE1 7TL, UK
www.readinternational.org.uk/pages/read_for_read
May 15
@ LA SCALA STUDIOS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Prizes: £200, £100, £50
Special Prize: Yorkshire Residents
and pony club members with equestrian prizes.
Special award presentation at Bishop Burton college, July 31.
Entry fee £5. £10: professional critique (not tick box) from Linda Acaster.
Length: 2000 words .
Theme: ‘Countryside/Equine’.
Judge: Penny Grubb
SEND SAE: Pippa Ireland, Eastfield Farm,
Rise Road, Catwick, East Yorks HU17 5PN
shortstory@lascalastudios.co.uk http://lascalastudios.photium.com
May 14
LOROS Short Story Competition
They say everyone has a good story in them. Why not write one and enter the LOROS Short Story Competition. The competition was officially launched on Wednesday 24th March by best selling author and competition co-judge Jane Wenham-Jones at her ‘After Dinner’ speaker evening at Loughborough College.
Winning Story £100, Runner Up £50 and 3rd Place £25.
This could be one for you. Just write a short fictional story in English of up to 2000 words on any subject. For rules and entry forms, visit the website. Closing date is Friday 14 May 2010, so get writing.
Entry Fee £5 for your first entry and £3 for each additional entry.
1.A fictional story written in English of up to 2,000 words on any subject.
2. Entries must be typed, double spaced, page numbered and printed in black ink on white A4 paper with the story’s title on each page.
3. The author’s name should not appear on any page in the manuscript.
4. Please do not fold or staple your entry.
5. The entry must be the original work of the author and be previously unpublished.
6. A Cover sheet giving the author’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address if possible and story title with word count should accompany each entry.
7. Keep a copy of your entry as manuscripts cannot be returned.
8. If you require a copy of the results please enclose a SAE marked ‘Results’. The winning entry titles will also be posted in the Schools, Colleges, Universities section in the Fundraising pages on the LOROS website.
Entry Fee (payable to LOROS)
Entries to: “LOROS Short Story” Competition, c/o Nancy Taylor,
LOROS Fundraising Department, LOROS, Groby Road, Leicester, LE3 9QE
www.loros.co.uk
May 14
^PHANTOMS AT THE PHIL SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Phantoms at the Phil Competition, Lit & Phil, 23 Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 1SE
keasson@litandphil.org.uk www.litandphil.org.uk
Short Stories
MAY 1st
THE SLEEPER SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Prizes: £100, £50, £25. Runners-up: £10 x 7.
Publication as a graphic novel: The Sleeper
Results: May 31
Fee: £4. Length: 1000-1500 words
Judges: panel of resident authors.
Details, tips and back story (character created by Chris Greybe) on website
Online entry, or
SEND SAE: Th_ink Group, 49 Weltjie Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 9LS
info@creative-writing-courses.co.uk
www.creative-writing-courses.co.uk/
Stories by Children/Young People
May 28
#HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION
Under 19s.
Six winners invited to meet Jacqueline Wilson at the Award party in London on July 9;
up to £250 travel expenses paid (UK only).
Plus: a copy of each of the shortlisted books
and meet the authors.
On the night, chance for one person to win an extra prize of £500’s worth of books
for their school library ( Peters Bookselling Services).
FREE. Length: 1500 words maximum, ‘or just 100 words… or 500… or maybe 973’
‘Use starter paragraph, written by Jenny Downham,
who won the 2008 Branford Boase Award with Before I Die.
Judge: Kate Jones, Director of Young Writer magazine.
Full details online; submissions may be emailed.
SEND TO: Glebe House, Weobley, Hereford, HR4 8SD
youngwriter@enterprise.net www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk
Short Stories for Young People
May 20
RIPTIDE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Riptide Short Story Competition, Centre for Creative Writing and Arts,
Queen’s Building, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QH
editors@riptidejournal.co.uk www.riptidejournal.co.uk
Non Fiction
May 14
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY/BRADT TRAVEL GUIDES
TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION 2010
Must register first to enter
1st prize: holiday for two to Malta and Gozo;
winning story published in The Independent on Sunday’s The Compact Traveller section, and commission paid for article based on prize holiday.
Unpublished writers’ category: a place on writing weekend provided by Travellers’ Tales
All entries posted on the www.GeckoGo.com travel-planning website: ‘People’s Choice’ vote.
Most popular entry featured on GeckoGo and Bradt Travel Guide websites.
Shortlisted entrants notified by July 7
Prize-giving ceremony at Stanfords in London.
FREE. Special offer for entrants: 35% off next Bradt order.
Length: 800 words. Theme: ‘The World at My Feet’.
Judges: Hilary Bradt, Donald Greig and Adrian Phillips of Bradt Travel Guides, Jonathan Lorie of Travellers’ Tales, and Kate Simon, travel editor of The Independent on Sunday.
Final winners selected by Matthew Parris.
No email submissions.
SEND TO: Bradt Travel Guides, 23 High Street, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks SL9 9QE
www.bradtguides.com
Playwriting
May 1
DYS-PLA msft Making Theatre Work
Dyslexic theatre writers; email submissions
Looking for plays to produce at festival
dyssing@makingtheatrework.com
www.makingtheatrework.com/msft-projects/dys-pla/
Songwriting
May 21
‘SING A NEW SONG’ CAROL WRITING COMPETITION
0131 556 9710
www.waverleycare.org/events/fundraisingevents/129,497/Sing-a-New-Song-Carol-Writing-Competition.html
Other
May 16
The Everyman and Playhouse’s new writing festival, Everyword, is looking for people to help them create a new piece, Wish You Were Here, inspired by holiday memories, for the finale to this year’s festival on Saturday 29 May at the Everyman.
Directors Elli Johnson and Chris Meads are encouraging people to contact them with their favourite holiday moments to create this special piece for the festival. They are trying to capture the moments treasured in the memory but for which there exists no photograph, video or memento – only the blissful images, sights, sounds and smells created in the mind’s-eye when we reminisce about a special time.
Submissions need to be sent to the Everyword festival by Sunday 16th May, where they will be used to creatively inspire the Everyman writers as they create a new event titled Wish You Were Here.
The creators of this event would like to know, in two hundred words, where your unforgettable moment happened, who you were with, what happened, what made the moment special or unique and most importantly – how it changed you?
Send entries on a postcard to: Wish You Were Here, Liverpool Everyman, 13 Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BH or email wuwh@everymanplayhouse.com
April
Poetry
APRIL 30th
# EARLYWORKS PRESS WEB POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes: £75; £5 x 5
Anthology publication: 10-20 contributors.
Winners notified June.
Fee: £3; £12/6. Length: 40 lines.
Cover sheet with each entry. Over 16s.
Details on website; online entry or
SEND TO: Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre,
45 Robertson Street, Hastings, Sussex TN34 1HL
www.earlyworkspress.co.uk
Southport Writer’s Circle International Poetry Competition 2010
1st prize £200: 2nd prize £100; 3rd prize £50.
Plus humour prize and a local prize: £25 each.
Entry fee: £3 per poem; up to 40 lines.
Adjudicator: Alison Chisholm
Please write for a copy of the rules enclosing SAE:
Southport Writers’ Circle, 18 Ditchfield, Formby, Merseyside L37 4EQ
Closing date: April 30
APRIL 30th
# VER POETS OPEN COMPETITION 2010
Prizes £500, £300, £100; £100:Young Writers Prize.
Anthology publication (£4.50).
Adjudication, The Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans June 26th
Fee: £3; £10/4, then £2. Length 30 lines.
Adjudicator: Anne Berkeley
NB: 2 copies of each poem. Membership of Ver Poets, subs pa: £18.
SEND SAE: Competitions Secretary, 181, Sandridge Road,
St Albans, Herts AL1 4AH
gillknibbs@yahoo.co.uk www.verpoets.org.uk
APRIL 30
# WARE POETS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Prizes: £500, £200, £100
£100: The Redpage Sonnet Prize.
Anthology publication for winners and shortlist
(£3.50, post free: pre-ordered).
Informal prize-giving ceremony at Ware Arts Centre, July 9.
Fee: £3; £10/4, then £2.50 per poem (in the same submission).
Length: 50 lines.
Judge: Robert Seatter.
Include contact sheet with usual details.
Download flyer from website, or
SEND SAE: The Competition Secretary, Ware Poets Competition,
Clothall End House, California, Baldock, Herts. SG7 6NU
www.poetrypf.co.uk/images/compware2010.pd
APRIL 30th
GREY HEN POETRY COMPETITION FOR WOMEN OVER 60*
* by June 30
Prizes: £100, £75, £25.
Winning poems posted on website.
Results announced end of June
Fee £3; £10/4. Length: 40 lines
Judges: Ann Alexander and Penelope Shuttle
Entry form may be downloaded but must be posted, not emailed: 2 copies.
SEND SAE: Grey Hen Press, PO Box 450, Keighley, W Yorks BD22 9BG www.greyhenpress.com
April 30
MAG POETRY PRIZE 2010
Online entry only; need to register first.
Poetic Republic, PO Box 674, Stockport, SK4 9AA.
peter@poeticrepublic.com www.poeticrepublic.com
April 30
#PULSAR POETRY COMPETITION
Poetry Competition Administrator, 34 Lineacre,
Grange Park, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 6DA
pulsar.ed@btopenworld.com www.pulsarpoetry.com
April 30
# RED SHED OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes: £100, £50, £25 Wakefield post code prize.
Fee: £3, then £2. Length: 50 lines.
Sole adjudicator: Gerard Benson
Over 16s.
3 Sandal Cliff, Sandal, Wakefield WF2 6AU
www.currockpress.com
April 23
@ THE MARGARET MUNRO GIBSON MEMORIAL
POETRY COMPETITION (8th Davidian)
Wendy Webb (DAV10), 9 Walnut Close,
Taverham, Norwich , NR8 6YN
tips4writers@yahoo.co.uk
April 6
@ # RHYME & REASON POETRY COMPETITION 2010
NB, poems must be submitted by email.
4 Gomms Wood House, Cherry Drive, Forty Green, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 1XW
anniepoet007@aol.com www.irhh.org/rhymeandreason
April 1
@ # BUXTON POETRY COMPETITION
Claire Rhodes, Business Development Office, Buxton Festival,
3 The Square, Buxton SK17 6AZ; tel: 01298 70395
claire@buxtonfestival.co.uk www.derby.ac.uk/buxtonpoetrycompetition
Children’s Poetry
April 15
KIDS EXPRESS 2010 POETRY COMPETITION
For ages 8-12 and 13-17
PoetsExpress@darkworld.com
http://groups.myspace.com/PoetsExpress
Short Stories
April 26
@ THE INSPIRE DISCOVERY CENTRE WRITING COMPETITION
inspirediscoverycentre.com/
www.inspirediscoverycentre.com/InspireWritingCompetition.html
April 12
@ HARPER’S BAZAAR AND ORANGE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Stephen Doig, Features assistant, Harper’s Bazaar, National Magazine House, 72 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9EP
www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/going-out/Short-Story-Competition-2010/v1
April 1
FIRSTWRITER.COM 6th INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORY CONTEST
Writing competition; online entry only
www.firstwriter.com
Short Stories: collections
April 30
MUSIC FOR ANOTHER WORLD: ANTHOLOGY OF STRANGE FICTION
mark.musicanthology’@'gmail.com
www.music-strange-fiction-submissions.info/2009/10/music-for-another-world-anthology.html
Poetry & Short Stories
April 30
Kudos March/April Competition
Choose one of the following:
Court
or Beacon
then post or email me 10 other words you associate with it – and all will be revealed… baldock(dot)carole(at)googlemail(dot)com
But probably along the lines of the usual:
Poem (30 lines), which may rhyme
50 word short, short story/ intro to a short story
Plus, extra copy of magazine if you can tell me which competition listings BOTH words come from, in the UK listings for March/April 2009, on this page: www.kudoswritingcompetitions.com/?page_id=2434
Overall Winner: 1st prize: year’s subs to either Kudos or Orbis, plus publication on website - and invitation to submit work for future issue of Orbis
Winner in each category: complimentary copy of current issue of Kudos, plus 1 free copy of magazine.
Runners-up: 1 free copy of Kudos
April 30
DEDDINGTON WRITERS GROUP OPEN WRITING COMPETITION
DWG Competition, Applewood, Castle Street, Deddington, Banbury OX15 0TE
www.deddingtonfestival.org.uk
Multi Genre
APRIL 30th
@ SWANWICK WRITERS’ SUMMER SCHOOL
August 8-14; winners announced and presented with awards
Theme ‘reflections’
2nd and 3rd Prizes sponsored by Writers’ News
Short story (quote code WNS0061)
1st prize: free week at Swanwick sponsored by the Writers’ Summer School
2nd and 3rd: choice of manuscript critique
Fee: £5*. Length: 1000 words
Writing for Children (quote code WNS0062)
1st prize: free week at Swanwick sponsored by The Hayes Conference Centre.
2nd and 3rd: choice of manuscript critique
Fee: £5. Length: 1000 words (short story or opening of novel)
Poetry (quote code WNS0060)
1st prize: poetry Home Study Course,
sponsored by Writers’ News and Writing Magazine.
2nd and 3rd: choice of manuscript critique
Fee: £5. Length: 40 lines.
*Cheques payable to Warners Group Publications.
(For details of Summer School, send A5 SAE to the Secretary,
Fiona McFadzean, 40 Pemberton Valley, Ayr KA7 4UB)
SEND SAE: Fiona Berry, Warners Group Publications,
West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH
www.wss.org.uk
April 30
UNBOUND PRESS FICTION COMPETITION
Short story or 1st chapter of unpublished novel
www.unboundpress.co.uk
April 16
GAP-YEAR TRAVEL WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Worldwide
editor@gap-year.com
www.gapyear.com/browse.asp?catID=1813&sNode=1813&Exp=Y#1813
Playwriting
April 30
SCRIPT FRENZY
NB, must sign up first.
International writing event: participants take on the challenge
of writing 100 pages of scripted material during the month.
‘No valuable prizes awarded or ‘best’ scripts singled out.
Every writer who completes the goal of 100 pages is victorious
and awe-inspiring and will receive a Script Frenzy Winner’s Certificate
and web icon proclaiming this fact.’
FREE. Length: 100 pages.
Screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, graphic novels,
adaptations of novels ‘or any other type of script’.
ScriptFrenzy.org
April 23
THE SUSSEX PLAYWRIGHTS’ CLUB
NATIONAL 10 MINUTES PLAY COMPETITION
In association with The New Venture Theatre, Brighton
Open to any author, from any country
but no translations; see website to check all criteria
10 Minute Play Competiton, The New Venture Theatre, Bedford Place,
Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2PT
www.sussexplaywrights.com www.newventure.org.uk
Screenwriting
April 30
AESTHETICA SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Aesthetica, PO Box 371, York YO23 1WL;
submissions@aestheticamagazine.com
www.aestheticamagazine.com
March
Poetry
March 31
Writing Competition
DAVID BURLAND POETRY PRIZE 2010
Open to all poets, writing in either English or French.
Prizes: £150, £75, £30, in both categories.
Winning poem published on Michel Francois’s website
Winners announced May 31.
Fee: £5/€4.50, then £3/€7.50 (3 maximum). Length: 40 lines.
Judge: Michel Francois.
Details on website.
SEND SAE: David Burland Poetry Prize, c/o Anna Burland Services,
2nd Floor, 3 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2JB
enquiries@annaburland.com www.michel-francois.com
March 31
HANNAH FRANK ART POETRY COMPETITION
Glasgow artist Hannah Frank died in December 2008 at the age of 100.
This competition is designed to bring her work to a new audience
Prizes: £200, £100 + framed print of drawing of their choice (E: adults; 19+);
Prizes: £100, £50 + print (D: 16-18s and C: 13-15s );
Prizes: £25, £10 + print (B: 10-12s and A: under 9s);
Prizegiving: August 23.
Fee: £3 (E: adults); includes £3 Gift Voucher for items from the Hannah Frank shop.
Children free (4 age categories); group entries from schools welcome -
also receive a print with winner and/or runner-up in Categories A-D.
Length: 40 lines. Theme: ‘inspired by one of Hannah Frank’s drawings’.
Judge: David Kinloch.
A pack of Hannah Frank related materials (two books and a DVD, worth over £50)
available for a special rate of £35 during the competition
(free to Scottish schools; see website for details).
Full details, entry forms, and gallery of drawings on website.
www.hannahfrank.org.uk
March 21
SPRING FEVER PHOTO POETRY COMPETITION
Register to enter: NB, cap on entries after 100.
7 Melbourne Road, Newbold, Coleorton, Leicestershire LE67 8JH
sue@writelink.co.uk www.writelink.co.uk/springfever
March 4
@ FOSSEWAY WRITERS’ COMPETITION
Prizes: £25, £15 and £10.
Winners announced at meeting Knight’s Court, Balderton Gate, Newark,
May 6th
Fee £3, then £2. Length 40 lines.
Theme: ‘Money’. Judge: Tom Warner.
Include cover sheet with title, word count and contact details.
SEND SAE: Competition Secretary, 24 Orchid Drive, Farndon, Newark
NG24 3TX; 01636 612373
Poetry Anthologies/Collections
March 31
THE IRON BOOK OF NEW HUMOROUS VERSE
Eileen Jones c/o Iron Press, 5 Marden Terrace,
Cullercoats, North Shields, Northumberland, NE30 4PD
ironpress@blueyonder.co.uk www.ironpress.co.uk/anthology.html
March 31
@ LXV BOOKS SPRING POETRY COMPETITION
65 Roman Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 0QN
www.lxvbooks.com
Children’s Writing Competition
March 31
Oliver Eade, author of Scottish-Chinese fantasy Moon Rabbit, invites children to explain link between River Tweed and mythological China
(300 words maximum)
Prize: £100 and acknowledgement in Moon Rabbit sequel. Winner announced: 1st May
E-mail submissions via parent by attachment as Word or PDF (Include child’s name and age and parent’s contact details):
Rashmi Shastri, Delancey Press, at info@delanceypress.co.uk
www.moon-rabbit.org.uk
Short Stories
March 31
# COMMONWEALTH SHORT STORY COMPETITION
www.commonwealthfoundation.com/shortstory
March 31
EXETER WRITERS SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2009/10
Exeter Writers Short Story Competition,
202 Manstone Avenue, Sidmouth, EX10 9TL
info@exeterwriters.org.uk www.exeterwriters.org.uk/competition.html
March 31
THE RICHARD SZULIK MEMORIAL PRIZE
Writing Competition
The Richard Szulik Memorial Prize, 23, Oakfield Road,
Twyn, Ammanford SA18 1JH
scribesrus1@aol.com
http://scribesrus.angelfire.com/dawn/index.html
March 31
# 2010 TOULMIN PRIZE
Writing competition. NB, amateur writers only: no solo work published by a recognised UK publisher
Ian Russell, Director, The Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, King’s College, Aberdeen AB24 5UA
elphinstone@abdn.ac.uk www.abdn.ac.uk/~wap001/doric-competition.shtml
March 31
THE YELLOW ROOM COMPETITION FOR SHORT STORIES
The Yellow Room Competition, 1 Blake Close, Bilton, Rugby CV22 7LJ
www.theyellowroom-magazine.co.uk
March 30
SHORT FICTION’S ANNUAL NEW WRITERS COMPETITION
Anthony Caleshu, Editor, Short FICTION, University of Plymouth, Faculty of Arts, 6 Portland Villas, Plymouth PL4 8AA
www.uppress.co.uk/shortfiction.htm
March 31
# BRISTOL SHORT STORY PRIZE
Writing Competition
Unit 5.16 Paintworks Bath Road Bristol BS4 3EH
www.bristolprize.co.uk
March 26
CALDERDALE LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS AND ARTS
FOURTH SHORT STORY COMPETITION.
Prizes: £300, £100, £50;
opportunity to read at a library event.
Winner notified after May 28.
Fee: £3. Length: 3000 words.
Judges: Tiffany Murray (Novelist and Creative Writing Professor,
University of Glamorgan) & Alan Mahar (Tindal Street Press)
SEND SAE: Short Story Competition, Central Library, Community Services,
Libraries, Museums and Arts, Northgate, Halifax HX1 1UN
anna.turner@calderdale.gov.uk
www.calderdale.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/readers/shortstory-competition/index.html
March 20
@ THE RIDER HAGGARD SOCIETY
ANNUAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010
1st Prize: £200 and a year’s free membership
(depending on number of entries, prize may be increased)
5 runners-up: a year’s free membership.
Fee: £10 (Payable to Roger Allen). Length: 4000 words.
Theme: ‘reads as if it is narrated to a group of friends’;
taking the idea from SHE, the possibility of eternal life,
but under the heading ‘HE’.
The main point to focus on should be
the disadvantages of such a discovery. Originality essential!’
Final judges: editor and two members of the society.
‘All entrants: receive special offer with regard to the Society and Haggard books.’
‘Please indicate where you first read about the competition.’
Full details on website, or
SEND SAE: Roger Allen, 27 Deneholm, Whitley Bay, NE25 9AU.
rb27allen@blueyonder.co.uk. www.riderhaggardsociety.org.uk
March 7
Chrysalis Prize ‘Furniture Stories’ Competition
Prizes: £100 for the 18 and over category; £50 for entrants aged 15-17.
An intriguing short story competition has been launched in conjunction with a an exhibition called ‘Furniture Stories’ to be held at the North Wall Arts Center in Oxford in late March. The show is an exhibition of the work of well known furniture designer Derek Elliott. The pieces on display premier a shift away from the concept of furniture as a purely functional and decorative object. The pieces tell a story whether making visible a single moment or sentiment, or emerging from a narrative tale. One of the highlights of the show is a writing table in the shape of a butterfly, for which the designer is seeking a short story based on the subject of metamorphosis. The Chrysalis Prize has two categories of entries. Over 18 and under 18. The winners will be presented with their prizes at the opening night, The table will then be on show with its own bound story along with music especially commissioned for the show. Submissions may be made by downloading entry forms from the website and clicking on Furniture Stories (bottom right). outofthewood.co.uk/
Short Stories by Children
April 1
@ # THE FRANCO-BRITISH COUNCIL SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010
Email entry*
Franco-British Council, 16-18 Strutton Ground, London SW1P 2HP
adampreston@francobritishcouncil.org.uk www.francobritishcouncil.org.uk/currentwinners.htm
Short Stories for Children
March 31
# THE ACADEMY OF CHILDREN’S WRITERS
25th ANNUAL WRITE A STORY FOR CHILDREN COMPETITION
PO Box 95, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 5RL
enquiries@childrens-writers.co.uk
www.childrens-writers.co.uk
Poetry & Short Stories
March 25
SENTINEL LITERARY QUARTERLY POETRY
& SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS
Prizes: £100, £60, £40 in each category; publication in Sentinel Literary Quarterly.
15 poems + 4 stories published in The Sentinel Champions Magazine in August.
Results announced April 30.
Fee: £3; £12/5 (poems); £5; £9/2; £12/3 (stories) (Cheques in GB£ payable
to Sentinel Poetry Movement). Length: 40 lines; 1,500 words.
Judge: Claire Askew (poems); Chuma Nwokolo Jr.,
publisher of African Writing Magazine (stories)
See also, below: Excel for Charity, April 25.
Details on website; enter online or
SEND TO: Unit 136, 113-115 George Lane, London E18 1AB
sentinelpoetry@gmail.com www.sentinelquarterly.com
Multi Genre
March 31
MERVYN PEAKE AWARDS
Writing competition celebrating the creativity of people with Parkinson’s
in art, poetry and photography
mervynpeake@parkinsons.org.uk
www.parkinsons.org.uk/mervynpeake
Non Fiction
March 31
REVIEW WRITING COMPETITION
£500 for most intriguing review of Red Bleeds the Jacaranda by R.B. Cheviot, a mystery thriller about an 18 year old’s life-changing adventures,
from the North of England to Morocco and Croatia (ISBN 978 1 906459 17 8). For full details, contact the email address at the back of any copy
bought through a High Street bookshop (not Amazon).
March 31
@ NATUR CYMRU NATURE WRITING COMPETITION
info@naturcymru.org.uk www.nature2010.org.uk
Playwriting
March 31
ROTHERHAM ARTS
ONE-ACT PLAY WRITING COMPETITION
NB: anyone resident or regularly working or studying
within 30 miles of Rotherham town
Graham Rippon, 19 Godric Drive, Brinsworth,
Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 5AN
grippon1@tiscali.co.uk
March 4
SEVENTH WINDSOR FRINGE MARRIOTT AWARD
FOR NEW DRAMA WRITING
Windsor Fringe Marriott Drama Writing Award,
Suite 640, 24-28 St Leonard’s Road Windsor, Berks. SL4 3BB;
01753 863218; (Ann Trewartha)
ann.trewartha@btinternet.com
www.windsorfringe.co.uk
Screenwriting
March 31
EUROSCRIPT SCREEN STORY COMPETITION
Euroscript, 64 Hemingford Road, London, N1 1DB
ask@euroscript.co.uk www.euroscript.co.uk/competition.htm
March 28
THE BRITISH FEATURE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Writing Competition open to British and international applicants
info@kaosfilms.co.uk www.kaosfilms.co.uk
Other
March 17
FANS URGED TO WRITE THEIR OWN HEADLINES WITH JOHNSTONE’S
Hold the back page! The Johnstone’s Paint Trophy has an exclusive on its hands and it needs a lifelong Southampton and Carlisle United fan to help create a scoop.
To steal a march on Fleet Street, the trophy is asking would-be-reporters to
enter a competition to interview the manager and players of their favourite
team.
So if any Carlisle United or Southampton fans would like to write their own
headlines for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in the run-up to the final on March 28, then they are invited to get in touch and tell us why.
Successful fans will attend the club’s official media day in the week leading up
to the final and will interview key members of the squads before writing
articles for the official Johnstone’s Paint Trophy website.
Johnstone’s Paint Trophy’ sponsorship manager Teresa Hardwick said: “We have never offered an opportunity like this for supporters before and we hope that it captures their imagination.
“We know that the fans are the people that matter and we know that they are in the best position to ask some probing questions as they watch their teams every week.
“With this in mind, we would them to put their team on the spot and write some articles for us which will go on our official website,
www.johnstonespainttrophy.com
“We will be choosing one fan from Carlisle to interview his or her team and one from Southampton to do likewise.”
To enter the trophy’s search for a Johnstone’s Journalist, simply email your
details to johnstonesjournalist@connect-group.com and state in no more than 250 words why you think you would be the perfect reporter for us.
Closing date for entries is Wednesday March 17, no later than 5pm.
For more information about the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy click on
www.johnstonespainttrophy.com
Other
March 28
Wasafiri Internship
Wasafiri is a quarterly magazine for contemporary international literature, founded in 1984. Based in London, the magazine publishes essays, interviews, fiction, poetry by leading as well as up and coming writers from diasporic communities and around the world. The magazine has recently set up an annual writing prize. Wasafiri is hosted by the Open University in London and funded by the Arts Council, England and its co-publisher, Routledge.
We are looking for an Intern to assist the Wasafiri team at the Camden office for 2 days a week for a period of 6 months. Wasafiri will offer an excellent opportunity to gain experience in publishing and the running of a world-renowned magazine that is highly respected in both the academic and creative writing worlds. Travel expenses and subsistence will be offered. For more information about the magazine and its history see www.wasafiri.org
Duties include:
1. Website — researching events and news stories and updating the website using a content management system under the supervision of in-house staff;
2. Helping to maintain writer databases in Excel and Access;
3. Managing the mailing and in house stock of back issues;
4. Providing assistance with the production of each issue;
5. Researching cover images for the reviews section of the magazine;
6. Assisting with the organisation and running of events, writing prize and promotional duties;
7. General administrative and office duties such as filing, photocopying, scanning.
Intern Specification
Essential
1. A degree and/or demonstrable interest in international literature and creative writing;
2. Office experience and good knowledge of computers and software such as Word, Excel, Office Outlook as well as knowledge of or a keenness to learn to use Content Management Systems;
3. Good organisation skills, ability to plan, prioritise and work to tight deadlines, and initiative to follow through on tasks;
4. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate clearly with people;
5. Good research skills;
6. Ability to work in a multicultural environment.
Desirable
1. Experience of proofreading and editing;
2. Experience in event and project management;
3. Adobe Photoshop and In Design;
4. Experience of working within a charity and/or publicly-funded organisation.
Only candidates with permission to work in the UK can apply. Please send a covering letter with CV and references to t.palmiero@open.ac.uk. Deadline is 28th March 2010. We are looking for candidates to start by 3rd May 2010.
www.wasafiri.org
February
Poetry
February 28
# STAFFORD POETRY COMPETITION
Stafford Poetry Competition, Shire Hall Library,
Market Street, Stafford ST16 2LQ
www.imaginingstaffordshire.org.uk/poetrycomp2010.htm
February 16
NORWICH WRITERS’ CIRCLE
2010 OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
NWC Open Poetry Competition Secretary,
1 Stannard Road, Norwich, NR4 7JD
shirley.collin@mac.com www.norwichwriters.org.uk
February 15
@ THE HIPPOCRATES PRIZE FOR POETRY AND MEDICINE
Deadline extended from January 31
Prizes: £5,000, 1,000, 500, 50 x 20.
NB: no poem may win more than one prize;
proof of NHS employee or health student status required from winners.
NB: NHS category poem may win a prize in the open category,
but not vice versa.
Prize-giving event, University of Warwick, April 10
and results published simultaneously on website.
Fee: £6. Length: up to 50 lines.
Theme: A medical subject.
Final judges: Dr Dannie Abse, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, James Naughtie.
NB: Mark poems OPEN in the top right corner;
NHS if entered in category for National Health Service related employees
(current or former) or UK health students.
NB 2: The Warwick Review: 1 years subs for entrants, reduced from £25 to 15.
Enter online or
SEND SAE: The Hippocrates Prize, c/o The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine, 12 Chandos Street, London W1G 9DR
www.hippocrates-poetry.org
February 12
Closing date extended from February 5
THE WIGTOWN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
In association with the Scottish Poetry Library
Prizes: £2500, £750. £50 x 8 supplementary prizes.
Gaelic Prize £500 (In association with the Gaelic Books Council)
Publication in The Scotsman or Scotland on Sunday..
Winning and commended poems published in special anthology.
Winners notified by April 5.
Prizegiving, Wigtown, May 1
Fee: £6.50; ‘first three poems: £17.
Each subsequent entry costs £5, or a total of £12 for every additional block of 3, eg, 4 poems: £22; 6 poems: £29; 8 poems: £39; 12 poems: £53, etc.
Judges: Liz Lochhead; Meg Bateman (Gaelic Prize).
SEND SAE: The Wigtown Poetry Competition,
Wigtown Booktown Company, County Buildings, Wigtown,DG8 9JH poetrycomp@wigtownbookfestival.com
www.wigtownbookfestival.com/poetrycomp/
Poetry by children/young people
February 11
#@ CHRISTOPHER TOWER POETRY PRIZES
NB: for school students aged 16-18.
Prizes: £3000, £1000, £500; £200 Highly Commended.
Top prize winners also wins a prize for their school.
All prizewinners offered free places at the Tower Poetry Summer School,
a unique opportunity to work on their poetry alongside
some of the country’s top poets and creative writing tutors.
FREE (one poem only). Length: 48 lines. Theme: ‘Promises’.
Judges: Stephen Romer, Michael Schmidt and Peter McDonald..
Entry form counter-signed by teacher or school official.
SEND SAE: Christopher Tower Poetry Prizes, Christ Church, St Aldate’s
Oxford OX1 1DP; 01865 286591
info@towerpoetry.org.uk www.towerpoetry.org.uk
Poetry in translation
February 15
THE JOHN DRYDEN TRANSLATION COMPETITION 2009/2010
Sponsored by The British Comparative Literature Association
and the British Centre for Literary Translation
Prizes: £350, £200, £100; possible commendations.
Publication on website. Prize-winners announced in July.
Fee: £7; £12/2; £16/3(one entry free when joining BCLA); maximum 3 entries.
Translations into English from any language of literary works
(or excerpts), eg, novel, short story, essay, drama, poetry, prose.
From any period. Length: maximum 20 pages.
Judges selected from:
Peter France, Stuart Gillespie, Elinor Shaffer,
Amanda Hopkinson, Robert Weninger, Glyn Pursglove.
See website for details; (envelopes should be marked ‘Translation Competition’)
SEND SAE: Dr Jean Boase-Beier, School of Literature and Creative Writing,
University of East Anglia, Norwich NR 4 7TJ
transcomp@uea.ac.uk www.bcla.org/trancall.htm
Short Stories
February 28
@ # PENTLANDS WRITERS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Attach as a .doc, .docx or .rtf file: pwgcompetition@west-linton.org.uk
www.west-linton.org.uk/content/pentlands-writers-group
February 28
THE JAMES WHITE AWARD
NB, non-professional writers
James White Award, 48 Spooners Drive,
Park Street, St Albans, Herts, AL2 2HL
administrator@jameswhiteaward.net www.jameswhiteaward.net
February 28
@ WRITERSREIGN.CO.UK SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010
1 Delta Road, Hutton, Brentwood, Essex CM13 1NG www.writersreign.co.uk/WR-Short-Story-Competition-2010.html
February 14
@ WRITERS’ & ARTISTS’ YEARBOOK
SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Email with ‘WAYB10 competition’ as subject: competition@acblack.com
www.writersandartists.co.uk
Poetry & Short Stories
February 27
FYLDE BRIGHTER WRITERS SHORT STORY AND POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes (Short stories): £200 & trophy; £50. Runners up: £25 x 3.
(Poetry): £100 & trophy; £50. Runners up: £25 x 2.
Winning entries in Fylde Brighter Writers’ Anthology Summer 2010
Winners and best entrants will be notified by May 2010
Fee: £5; £10/3 (short stories); £3; £5/3 (poems).
Individual comprehensive critiques: additional fee, £10.
Length: 2500 words; poems, no limit.
NB, two copies.
Entry may be emailed, or
SEND SAE: The Circle Prize Short Story and Poetry Competition,
Fylde Brighter Writers, 12 Ramsay Close, St Annes on Sea, Lancashire FY8 2RH
brighter_writers@btinternet.com www.brighterwriters.org.uk
February 15
AMBIT 200 COMPETITION
To celebrate 200th issue
www.ambitmagazine.co.uk/200words.htm
February 10
Huddersfield Literature Festival
The aim of this year’s event is to write a story in fewer than 1,000 words or a poem with 10 lines or less.
The prizes in each category are as follows:
* 1st prize - £200
* 2nd prize - £100
* 3rd prize - £50
The best entries will also be published in the next Grist Anthology
To enter please send your entrance fee (£3) to:
Huddersfield Literature Festival,
School of Music, Humanities & Media,
University of Huddersfield HD1 3DH
www.litfest.org.uk/competition.htm
Multi Genre
February 28
WRITER’S RETREAT COMPETITION 2010
vicky@myriadeditions.com www.myriadeditions.com
February 26
# BRIT WRITERS’ AWARDS UNPUBLISHED 2010
Writers not in an agreement with a publisher or an agent.
Eligible: if work published in a magazine, online or in an anthology.
1st Prize: £10,000. Prizes in each category.
Awards ceremony, University of Birmingham, March 27.
Fee: £10.95. Length: Poetry (no mention: 5); short stories (1000-5000words).
Other Categories: Novels, Non-fiction, Short stories, Children’s stories; Songwriting.
Plus: Diverse Unpublished Writer of the Year (people of black, minority or ethnic origin)
and Published Writer of the Year (not eligible for 1st Prizes; submission details on website).
16 and Under
Poetry (3); Short stories (3000 words); Songwriting.
Judges: David Price; Harry Bingham; Jonathan Telfer; Jane Struthers; Martin Ouvry; Lesley McDowell; Sam Jordison; Yasmin Standen; Sarah Harrison; Val Tyler; Susan Davis; Sheena Joughin; Arshia Riaz (under 16s); Robin Lloyd-Jones; Tania Hershman; Rachel Bellerby; Victoria Lee; C M Taylor; Debi Alper; Anastasia Parkes; Julia Hamilton; Richard Gallagher; Fiona Shaw; Alma Alexander; Jeremy Sheldon; Michelle Lovric; Dexter Petley; Richard Blandford; Clio Gray; Diana Stainforth; Rebecca Horsfall; Emma Shipley; Matt Hill; Elizabeth North
Full details on website. Online entry or
SEND TO: Brit Writers Ltd of 67 Lombard Street, Birmingham B12 0QU
Tel: 0871 237 4442
enquiries@britwriters.co.uk www.britwriters.co.uk
Books
February 28
@ SUNPENNY ROSE AND CROWN COMPETITION
Sunpenny Publishing, Church Cottage, North Ferry Road,
Carleton St. Peter, Norfolk NR14 7BD
info@sunpenny.com www.sunpenny.com
February 28
Chapter One Promotions Novel Competition
Chapter One Promotions, Canterbury Court,
1-3 Brixton Road, London, SW9 6DE
info@chapteronepromotions.com www.chapteronepromotions.com
February 6
THE CWA DEBUT DAGGER
Sponsored by Orion
Open to anyone who has not yet had a novel published commercially.
Entries read by professional writers.
1st Prize: £500 plus night’s stay in top London hotel.
Shortlisted entrants also invited to Awards ceremony
and receive a selection of crime novels
and professional assessments of their entries.
Fee: £25. Length: up to 3000 words (first chapter)
plus 500-1000 word synopsis.
‘Welcome a wide variety of styles, subjects, settings, time-periods and genres.
Details and entry form online or
SEND TO: Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger,
P.O. Box 273, Boreham Wood, WD6 2XA
info@thecwa.co.uk www.thecwa.co.uk
February 7
THIRD ANNUAL AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD
Open to previously self-published novels.
Limit of 5000 entries in each category.
Must be registered: www.CreateSpace.com/abna
Two Grand Prizes: General Fiction (over 17s) and Young Adult Fiction (12-17s):
publishing contract with Penguin, which includes $15,000 advance.
1st Prize: trip to Venue for 3 finalists in each category (worth $3000)
2nd Prize: 500 Quarterfinalist: Publishers Weekly manuscript review of Manuscript.
All entrants receive an electronic coupon for one proof copy from www.createspace.com. Plus 10% discount off any single publishing service purchased from them.
Results: June 14. ‘Finalists flown to the Venue in Seattle, WA (or a different city that we select) for publicity and promotional interviews and an awards ceremony’.
Fee: no mention. Length: Send 1. complete mss; 2. excerpt of first 3000-5000 words, excluding any table of contents, foreword, and acknowledgments;
3: pitch, 300 words; 4. personal information required on entry form.
Unbelievably complicated rules (I wonder) why, particularly judging system: basically, mixture of editors, reviewers and customers tho at leas the latter have the final vote (again, I wonder why…). So I’m leaving it to you.
www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200291720
Books for Children
February 26
THE FRANCES LINCOLN DIVERSE VOICES CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD
For a manuscript that celebrates cultural diversity
in the widest possible sense, either in terms of its story
or in terms of the ethnic and cultural origins of its author:
NB, writers over 16 who have not previously published a novel for children.
1st prize: 1,500,
plus option for Frances Lincoln Children’s Books to publish the novel.
Winner announced at award ceremony at Seven Stories,
The Centre for Children’s Books, in June.
FREE. Length: 15,000-35,000 words.
For ages 8-12s.
Panel of judges: Trevor Phillips; Jake Hope;Geraldine Brennan;
Janetta Otter-Barry; Mary Briggs
For entry forms contact: diversevoices@sevenstories.org.uk
www.franceslincoln.com
Other
February 26
Heritage magazine historic travel writing competition
Have you enjoyed an unforgettable historic holiday in Britain ? Do you want to tell the world about an amazing heritage site that you have found? Have you always wanted to try your hand at writing a feature for a travel magazine? Then here’s your chance!
Perhaps you have taken a stroll around a magnificent castle in the Scottish Highlands, enjoyed an unforgettable ride on a steam train in Snowdonia or think you have found England’s most spectacular stately home and gardens? The inspiration for your tale could be anything from a day trip to a historic city or village to a weekend spent exploring your favourite stretch of coast or countryside. Perhaps you want to share your wonder at finding an incredible stone circle or Roman ruin, battlefield or battleship? Just remember, the more entertaining you make your story the more chance you have of winning.
Stories can be a maximum of 500 words and must be first hand accounts of your experience and not published anywhere else. All entries will then be judged by the Heritage magazine editorial team. The winner and four runners up will then be printed in the June 2010 issue and other selected stories will be published on the magazine website.
It is free to enter this competition. For details of the rules or to submit your story, go to www.heritagemagazine.co.uk and follow the ‘reader writing competition’ link. Alternatively you can send your work to us by post to Reader Writing Competition, Heritage/Realm magazine, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB. The closing date for all entries is Friday 26th February 2010.
1st prize: A luxurious seven night cruise for two people courtesy of Hebridean Island Cruises, staying in a G-Grade double or twin Castle cabin onboard the Hebridean Princess in 2010
2nd prize: A two night stay for two adults and two children at the Auchrannie Spa Resort on the Isle of Arran, Scotland, including a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, use of all leisure facilities, a complimentary express beauty treatment and a full Scottish breakfast
3rd prize: An overnight stay for two in a four poster room at Bibury Court Hotel, a stunning Jacobean mansion in the heart of the Cotswolds, with complimentary afternoon tea, dinner in the newly refurbished restaurant and a full English breakfast
4th prize: Two tickets to a forthcoming exhibition of your choice at the Royal Academy of Arts
5th prize: A Thorntons Chocolates Chocoholic gift set, containing an assortment of goodies for any chocolate lover.
January
Poetry
January 31
BANK STREET WRITERS POETRY COMPETITION
Bank Street Writers Poetry Competition,
Jolyon Coombs, 37, Carslake Avenue, Bolton BL1 4BT
bswscribe@googlemail.com www.freewebs.com/bankstreetwriters
January 31
EAST RIDING OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
In association with Beverley Literature Festival
& East Riding Libraries
Prizes: £500 £200 £100; £20 x 10 commendations.
Prizewinners notified by Friday 10 April 2009;
adjudication part of Beverley Festival programme
Fee: £3 (Cheques payable to ERYC; name and address on back).
Length: 45 lines. Sole Adjudicator: Christopher Reid.
SEND SAE: East Riding Poetry Competition,
Library Offices, Skirlaugh, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU11 5HN
www.bevlit.org www.eastriding.gov.uk/libraries
January 31
HAIKU CALENDAR COMPETITION
Prize money: £360 total.
Calendar published in August.
Fee: £3/US $5; £6/US $10/3; £12/US $20/10.
‘entries on 3″ x 5″ (75mm x 125mm) card, and assigned to a month,
written on the reverse’.
Details on website. No entry form required; enclose appropriate details and
SEND TO: THCC, Snapshot Press, Orchard House, High Lane, Ormskirk L40 7SL info@snapshotpress.co.uk www.snapshotpress.co.uk
January 31
#KENT & SUSSEX POETRY SOCIETY
OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes £800, £300, £150, 4 x £75; publication in Poetry Folio (£3).
Results published mid-March
Fee £4. Length 40 lines. Over 16s. Adjudicator: Alan Jenkins.
Entry form not required but can be downloaded from website.
NB: ‘Put name and address on separate sheet - not on poem’.
SEND TO: The Competition Organiser, 26 Courtlands, Teston,
Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5AS
info@KentAndSussexPoetrySociety.org www.kentandsussexpoetrysociety.org
January 31
@ SLIPSTREAM POETS OPEN POETRY COMPETITION 2010
Competition Secretary, Homestead Studios, The Drive,
Ifold, Loxwood, West Sussex. RH14 0TE
www.slipstream-poets.co.uk
January 31
THE TURNER MAXWELL POETRY COMPETITION
tmb@turnermaxwellbooks.com turnermaxwellbooks.com
January 30
QUEENS PARK ART CENTRE REFURBISHMENT APPEAL
OPEN POETRY COMPETITION
The Poetry Competition, Queens Park Art Centre,
Queens Park, Aylesbury HP21 7RT; 01296 424 332
info@qpc.org
January 30
TORRIANO POETRY COMPETITION
(Proceeds to the Torriano Meeting House Support Fund)
Prizes: £250, £150, £75.
3 winning poets offered feature readings at the adjudication celebrations.
Torriano Meeting House, March 2.
Winning poems featured in Brittle Star magazine.
Winners notified by January 30.
Fee: £3, £5/2, £10/5 (Cheques payable to Torriano Support Fund). Length: 40 lines.
Adjudicators: Nancy Mattson and Mike Bartholemew-Biggs
No entry form required: A4 cover sheet:
title(s) and usual contact details.
Enquiries: 01304 372914 or email june.English@btinternet.com
SEND TO: Diana Baggs, 1 Havelock Road, Walmer, Deal, Kent CT14 7TE
January 29
2010 ACADEMI CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
Prizes: £5000, £500, £250; 5 x £50 runners-up.
Winners announced May.
Fee: £6. Length: 50 lines max.
NB: poems must be unpublished and in English; enclose 2 copies; no translations.
Judges: Jackie Kay and Zoë Skoulding.
SEND SAE: PO Box 438, Cardiff CF10 5YA, Wales, UK
www.academi.org/cipc/
January 28
^CREWE & DISTRICT WRITERS’ CIRCLE POETRY COMPETITION
Crewe & District Writers’ Circle,
2 Barony Road, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 5PL
January 8
Battered Moons Poetry Competition
For Swindon (Wiltshire) residents.
Adjudicators: Martin Malone and Cristina Newton. The seven winners will be invited to read their winning poems at the Swindon Literature Festival in May 2010. Winning poems will be published online. Send a maximum of 3 titled poems of up to 50 lines and a separate attachment with poems’ titles and personal details to swindonpoetry@googlemail.com
Winners to be notified by post at the end of January 2010.
Supported by the Swindon Literature Festival and Artswords, an Arts Council project promoting literature in Swindon.
Short Stories
January 31
MYSTERY WOMEN SHORT STORY COMPETITION
The winner to be announced and the prize to be presented at BRISTOL CRIME FEST 2010, at the Gala Dinner 22nd May 2010, the Marriot Hotel, Bristol
Prize: £100
Winning entry to be published in the Mystery Women magazine
Conference ticket for CrimeFest 2011
Judges Martin Edwards - author of the Harry Devlin and the Daniel Kind series and Ayo Onatade – CWA Dagger Judge.
RULES AND ENTRY:
1. Open only to unpublished writers.
2. Write a crime story on 1000 words - no more, no less, entitled
MYSTERY WOMAN or MYSTERY WOMEN. (Entries non-returnable)
3. £10 per story - Max 2 stories per person
4. Please give yourself a pseudonym, your name must not appear on your script. Please write your pseudonym on your script and in the right hand corner of your envelope.
Post to; Ms L HAYES, 2 Darwin Close, Broughton Astley. Leicestershire. LE9 6XD
www.mysterywomen.co.uk/SSC.html
January 31
@ VANDA INMAN’S WRITE SPACE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Prizes: £150, £100, £50.
Fee: £5. Optional Critique, £5. Length: 1500 words.
Theme: ‘Lost Love’.
Details on website. Entry form may be downloaded or
SEND SAE: Vanda Inman’s Write Space, Rivendell, St Clether Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 8QH; 01566 86533
vanda@writespace.co.uk www.writespace.co.uk
January 30
CHAPTER ONE PROMOTIONS
INTERNATIONAL OPEN SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Also, Novel Competition, deadline February 28.
Chapter One Promotions, Canterbury Court,
1-3 Brixton Road, London, SW9 6DE
info@chapteronepromotions.com www.chapteronepromotions.com
January 25
100 STORIES NEEDED TO HELP HAITI
Fundraisers are calling for urgent short story submissions to help raise money for disaster-stricken Haiti. Out of the submissions, 100 pieces of fiction will be chosen to appear in an e-book, the proceeds of which will go to the Red Cross.
The Red Cross is just one of a number of charities and humanitarian organisations mobilising a vast aid effort to reach the thousands of injured, hungry and thirsty survivors of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake to hit Haiti on 12 January.
100 Stories for Haiti is the brainchild of author Greg McQueen. On the morning of January 19, Greg posted a video on his blog saying: “Dear Twitterverse, I can’t keep watching this on the news or trending on Twitter without doing something. I woke up this morning with the idea that together we could make an e-book and donate all the profits to the Red Cross.”
Within hours, news had spread throughout microblogging website, Twitter, and story submissions began arriving. Nick Harkaway, author of ‘The Gone Away World’, will be editing a story for the book as well as penning the introduction. Lorraine Mace, co-author of the ABC Checklist for Writers, and award-winning environmental journalist, Sarah Lewis-Hammond, are volunteering their time to help with the editorial process.
100 Stories for Haiti needs short story submissions and volunteers.
If you want to send a short story, please follow these guidelines:
• Do not exceed 1,000 words.
• No stories containing graphic violence, death or destruction.
• Send all stories in the body text of an email to 100storiesforhaiti@gmail.com. Stories sent as attachments will not be opened.
The book will be sold on www.smashwords.com. Founder and CEO Mark Coker will be waiving the normal 15% commission.
100 Stories for Haiti will be published in mid-February, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Greg McQueen, 100 stories for Haiti
Tel: +45 31 71 77 41
Email: gregmcqueen@gmail.com
Published online at www.pressdispensary.co.uk/releases/c992540.php
Press office: http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/office/q991438.php
January 25
MSLEXIA WOMEN’S SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010
Prizes: 1st: £2,000
plus 1 week writing retreat at Chawton House Library
(accommodation only) and a day with a Virago editor;
NB, dates to be agreed between CHL/Virago editor
and the winner (who responsible is for any other expenses involved
ie, travel, food, etc); prizes must be taken by 31 March 2011.
£500, £250, £100 x 3 finalists.
Winning stories published in Mslexia
Winners contacted in March.
Fee: £8 per entry (no limit of entries); payment may be made online
but UK entries must be posted.
Critique service available: £45 per story.
Length: 2200 words. Judge: Tracy Chevalier.
Enclose sheet with contact details.
Overseas may submit via email.
SEND TO: Mslexia Publications Limited, Freepost NEA5566,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 1BR; 0191 233 3860
www.mslexia.co.uk/whatson/msbusiness/scomp_active.html
JANUARY 20
VERULAM WRITERS’ CIRCLE
GET WRITING 2010 SHORT STORY COMPETITION
NB: open to delegates of the ‘Get Writing’ 2010 Conference
(February 20: £45),
excluding judges and Conference organizers
Prize: £50 + ‘Get Writing’ Cup
Fee: £5. Length: 1500 words
Judges: Adèle Geras, Lesley Eames and Meena Wells
All entries must be marked with unique booking reference number.
SEND TO: The Treasurer, VWC ‘Get Writing’ 2010,
c/o Connor Spencer, The Leys, 2c Leyton Rd, Harpenden, Herts. AL5 2TL
www.verulamwriterscircle.org.uk/getwriting2010comp.php
January 15
HEAVEN CAN WAIT SHORT STORY COMPETITION
UK and Eire only
‘Heaven Can Wait Short Story Competition’,
Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency, Estelle House
11 Eustace Road, London SW6 1JB
taylor_cally@yahoo.co.uk www.callytaylor.co.uk/competitions.html
Poetry & Short Stories
January 31
ONWARD SHORT STORY & POETRY COMPETITION 2009
To raise funds to save the Theatre Royal, Hyde, Cheshire
Prizes: £50, £30, £20.
Further prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the judge.
Anthology publication.
Winners notified in February.
Fee: £3; £5/2. Length: 1200 words; 40 lines.
Include cover sheet with usual details.
The Competition Secretary,
412 Mottram Road, Hyde Cheshire, SK14 3BP
www.theatreroyalhyde.co.uk
January 29
Ignite the Flame Competition
Young disabled person: 13-16 s and 17-25 s; Welsh only?
Enter one poem or one short story of up to 500 words using what ignites the flame for you? as your inspiration. Think about excellence, friendship, respect, determination, inspiration, equality.
Dpisability Arts Cymru will work with the winners from each category to develop their writing skills. The winners’ work will be included in an anthology in 2012.
To enter send your poem or short story to:
Ignite the Flame competition, Disability Arts Cymru, Sbectrwm,Fairwater
Cardiff CF5 3EF
Or email entries to: post@dacymru.com
You can also enter by audio or CD-rom or any other format preferred
Contact Disability Arts Cymru on: 02920 551 040 / 02920 551 036 (FAX)
www.dacymru.com/index_e.html
January 22
# @ INSPIRED? GET WRITING! 2009/10
NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND COMPETITION
English-Speaking Union Scotland, 23 Atholl Crescent,
Edinburgh, EH3 8HQ
inspired@esuscotland.org.uk www.nationalgalleries.org/education/competition/6:3740/8895/
Multi Genre
January 30
@ # The 2010 DSWF GLOBAL CANVAS ART & POETRY COMPETITION
Age categories: 8-10, 11-13, 14-16 years.
Winner in each category spends a day in the studio with David Shepherd.
Up to 50 entries in each category exhibited
at London’s Natural History Museum in March
Fee: £1. Length: no mention.
Theme: ‘Global Warming’;
drawings, paintings, collages and photos of sculptures.
Judge: David Shepherd CBE, FRSA
SEND SAE: DSWF, 61 Smithbrook Kilns, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8JJ; 01483 272323
www.davidshepherd.org/education/competition
January 18
WRITE QUEER LONDON
UntoldLondon’s annual Queer History Writing Prize
in association with Chroma Queer Arts Journal.
NB, email entry only.
Prizes in each category: £300, £100 x 2;
£25 in book tokens from Gay is the Word bookshop
Prize-giving Party with DJ Paul Burston (author of The Gay Divorcee)
at Museum of London, February 5
Fee: £5/$10/€10, via Paypal. Length: 30 lines; 2,500 words
Short stories or non-fiction (essays, journalism, profiles, comment).
Theme: ‘must relate to an aspect of historical Lesbian,
Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender London.
Judges: Matt Houlbrook, Shaun Levin and Anna Bendix
with DJ Paul Burston (author of The Gay Divorcee) at Museum of London.
Include separate cover letter with title and contact details.
swajid@museumoflondon.org.uk www.untoldlondon.org.uk
January 18
JOHN MUIR TRUST WRITING COMPETITION 2010
Presentation of prizes, February 13,
at the Fort William Mountain Festival (February 11-15).
Prizes: tba. Publication in The John Muir Trust Journal
‘one of the strongest voices in the campaign
for the protection and conservation of wild places’.
FREE Length: 1200 words.
Theme: ‘ to share their experience of wild places and wild journeys
… a journey or expedition on land or water, an exploration of a remote place,
a climb, a walk, a river, a loch, a mountain.
For more info, contact Sarah Lewis
at John Muir Trust on 01397 705049.
SEND TO: to Nevis Conservation Officer
John Muir Trust, 41 Commercial Street, Edinburgh EH6 6JD
www.mountainfestival.co.uk
Non Fiction
January 20
THE ORWELL PRIZE 2010
www.theorwellprize.co.uk
Playwriting
January 31
#DAWS 20010 ONE ACT PLAYWRITING COMPETITION
NB: for theatre, not radio or TV
Sponsored by Technocover:
1st Prize in first three categories: £250; considered for publication.
Ty Newydd Bursary: Best Play from playwright based in Wales.
Fee: £10.00. Length: One Act Play, 20-50 minutes; minimum cast of 2.
Categories: Open Section; Best Play for Youth Cast 16-25;
Best Play in the Welsh language; Best Play for a Wales Based Playwright.
Entries received from all over the world.
SEND SAE: Drama Association of Wales, The Old Library,
Singleton Road, Splott, Cardiff CF24 2ET;
+44 (0) 29 2045 2200
teresa@dramawales.org.uk
Screenwriting
January 14
The European Independent Film Festival (ÉCU)
PARIS, FRANCE (8 January, 2010) – The European Independent Film Festival (ÉCU), Europe’s premier event for independent filmmakers and their audiences, announces the final submission deadline is closing on 14 January 2010.
The fifth edition of the festival is currently accepting submissions in thirteen categories including feature films, short films, documentaries, animation and experimental films.
Since its inception five years ago, ÉCU has become the premier arena in Europe for independent filmmakers to screen their films to large international audiences, to network with producers, talent scouts, agents and distributors as well as exchange ideas with other indie filmmakers. As a result, people are beginning to call the ÉCU Film Festival Europe’s answer to Sundance.
The ÉCU 2010 Official Selection will represent the pinnacle of independent filmmaking talent from around the world and filmmakers will compete for twenty-two awards, including the prestigious title of “Europe’s Best Independent Film”.
“I’m continually amazed at the quality of films submitted to the festival. The idea that there are people all over the world united by their overwhelming desire to tell a masterful story, often with limited resources, shows that the creative spirit of independent filmmaking is alive and kicking,” says Scott Hillier, ÉCU 2010’s President and Academy Award honoured independent filmmaker.
“We have one week before the final deadline which means things are heating up for our selection committee. I guarantee an official selection slate that exemplifies the heart, soul and passion of independent filmmaking,” promises Hillier.
The European Independent Film Festival will be held at Cinema Le Grand Action in Paris, France from 12th-14th March, 2010.
Media Contact: Rhiannon Hobbins Rhiannon@ecufilmfestival.com
www.ecufilmfestival.com
January 15
The Magic Hour scheme
A groundbreaking UK-wide short film initiative aimed at disabled filmmakers.
They are looking for writers and directors with passion and talent to make bold films which portray disability on the screen in a way that is innovative in both form and content.
Film ideas can be up to 20 minutes in length and any genre: drama, documentary, animation or a mixed medium. The Magic Hour wants edgy, challenging, satirical, funny, surprising ideas that have something fresh to say about disability but are accessible to a wide audience.
A total of four films will be produced each with a budget of £10,000.
To download guidance notes and application forms visit www.themagichour.org.uk
Books
January 31
FIRST BRIDGE HOUSE DEBUT NOVEL COMPETITION
International; email submissions only: as attachment . Over 18s.
NB, must not have had a novel previously published,
though other published work acceptable, eg, plays, short stories and articles
Fee: £10. Length: 5000 words or first three chapters.
NB, must have been completed (90,000-110,000 words)
Include separate 1 page synopsis plus bio (200 words).
Rules for submission are specific; see website.
admin@bridgehousepublishing.co.uk
http://bridgehousepublishing.co.uk/firstnovel.aspx
Other
January 31
The Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics is a new peer reviewed journal for 2010. The Editors are currently inviting international submissions for the first volume: all aspects of the graphic novel, comic strip and comic book, with the emphasis on comics. And all genres and all kinds of topics. Length: 5000-7000 words. Email or SEND TO: Faculty of Art & Design, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chatham Building, Cavendish Street, Manchester M15 6BR
January 22
New Critics Programme
Wales only
National Theatre Wales in partnership with Academi are starting an exciting New Critics Programme. Together, we are looking for a number of new critics to participate in a training programme of seminars and workshops, whilst following and critiquing the journey of National Theatre Wales’ first year programme of shows.
Applicants will be asked to submit a current CV with covering letter plus a 500-word piece on any work of art in any chosen art form. Applicants must live in Wales.
Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed during the week beginning: 1 February 2010
To find out more about this opportunity and to receive an application pack email: newcritics@nationaltheatrewales.org
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