Saturday 1 October 2011

October competitions

1st Oct

The Prole Prolitzer Prize

Prose or creative non-fiction: 1500 wds. Fee: £4. Prizes: £130/2x£30. Details: http://www.prolebooks.co.uk/page8.html Prolebooks, 15 Maes-y-Dre, Abergele, Conwy, LL22 7HW


Crystal Magazine 10th Birthday comp 

Story:  1500 wds. Fee: £4. Prizes: £50 plus publication. Details:http://christinecrystal.blogspot.com/p/competitions.html


Spilling Ink Fiction Prize

For stories of up to 3,000 wds. Prizes: £500, £250, £125, plus all winners and shortlisted entries will be published in a print anthology.

Entry fee: £5 per entry.

Spilling Ink Review, PO Box 16864, Glasgow G11 9DJ.

www.spillinginkreview.com



Beautiful Britain Family Travel Writing Competition.  

For articles of up to 800 words about family holidays, breaks, days out or adventures in Britain. Prizes: 1st - £200, an English Heritage family day pass to the property of your choice, and a copy of Travelling with Children by Catherine Cooper.  2nd - A weekend break at the Park Inn, York, an English Heritage family day pass to the property of your choice, and a copy of Travelling with Children by Catherine Cooper.  3rd to 10th - An English Heritage family day pass to the property of your choice, plus a copy of Travelling with Children by Catherine Cooper.
 Entry Fee: Free for the first entry; subsequent entries £5 each (of which £1 goes to charity).
    Comp Page:
http://havealovelytime.com/2011/07/the-beautiful-britain-family-travel-writing-competition.html


Oct 7th

John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry

is a search for the best live poet in Wales through a series of live heats culminating in a Grand Final. See website for submission guidelines. Prize: £500; £100; Audience Prize of £100. Entry fee: £7 per entry. Contact: 029 2047 2266. www.literaturewales.org



Bookbite First Lines Competition.  

Choose a line from those shown on the competition page and use it as the opening to your own story running to no more than 750 words. Prizes: £100, £75, £25 in National Book Tokens.  Winners also receive a complete set of Quick Reads. Entry Fee: None - free to enter. Comp Page: http://bookbite.org.uk/writing/writingcompetitions/11/


Christchurch Writers Competition. 

The contest, you might like to know, is for articles of up to 800 words, poems of up to 40 lines, and stories of up to 2,500 words. Prizes: Articles, Poetry, Stories (in each category) - £50.  One Act Play - £100. Entry Fee: £3.50. Details/Entry Form: Christchurch Writers Competition, The Regent Centre, 51 High Street, Christchurch, BH23 1AS.


10th Oct


Creative Competitor Dramatic First Paragraph Writing Comp

First paragraph: No word count stated. Theme: dramatic. Fee: £2. Prizes: £100/£50 Details: http://creativecompetitor.com/competitions/new-competitions/dramatic-first-paragraph-writing-competition/


Mills and Boon New Voices comp 2011

Novel: 1st chapter, 2nd chapter, pivotal moment total wd count for all 10,000 words (see details on website). Fee: FREE. Prizes: 1x Possibility of publishing contract with Mills and Boon, Apple ipad, book hamper/3x editorial consultation, Kindle 3G, book hamper/16 x editorial advice, book hamper. Details: http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/ (no postal entries accepted).

Please note, 10th Oct is deadline for first round. There are later deadlines for those who make the second and third rounds. Details are on the website.


TRYangle Project Writing Competitions.  

From Excel for Charity in aid of the TRYangle Project is for stories of up to 1,500 words and poems of up to 40 lines.  The TRYangle Project is a Greenwich-based charity whose aim is to increase the safety of familes who experience domestic violence and abuse.  Hence the theme of the contest is Domestic Violence & Abuse. Prizes (in each category): £150, £75, £40, 2 x £10.  Winners will be published in the Excel for Charity News Blog ... assuming they don’t opt out. Entry Fees: Stories - £5.   Poems - £4 each, £7 for two, £10.50 for three, ... the list goes on, but I’m going to bed.   One third of entry fees go to the TRYangle Project. Comp Page: http://www.easternlightepm.com/excelforcharity/current-competitions/


14th Oct

Stringybark Australian History Short Story Award

Story: 1800 wds. Theme: Australian History. Story can be fiction, non-fiction or a mixture of both. Fee: A$9.50 or A$17 for two or A$22.50 for a maximum of three stories. Prizes: A$300 cash, a certificate, publication in hardcopy and/or electronically and a copy of the book/A$125 cash, a certificate, publication
in hardcopy and/or electronically and a copy of the book/A$50
cash, a certificate and publication in hardcopy and/or electronically and a copy
of the book. Details:
http://stringybarkstories.net/The_Stringybark_Short_Story_Award/Home.html


15th Oct

SLQ Annual Poetry Competition.  

For poems of up to 50 lines on any subject and in any style.  The judge is Roger Elkin, who published the book called No Laughing Matter. Prizes: £500, £250, £125, 5 x £25.  Winners will be published in the Sentinel Champions magazine. Entry Fee: £5. Comp Page: http://www.sentinelpoetry.org.uk/competitions/sapc-2011/


Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize.  

This contest, which is for fiction or non-fiction of between 1,000 and 1,500 words, is for young writers aged between 18 and 25.  Entries should interpret the following Benjamin Franklin quote for its significance today: ‘Light often arises from a collision of opinions, as fire from flint and steel.’ Prizes: £750, £500.  Winners will be published on The Telegraph website. Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
Comp Page: http://www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org/site/sections/news/literary_prize.html


Dorothy Sargent Rosenburg Annual Poetry Competition.  

This American contest, which is open to all writers under 40, is for lyric poems celebrating the spirit of life.  Prizes: Varying from $1,000 up to as much as $25,000 (expect the former in these hard times). Entry Fee: None for entrants outside the United States, as it’s too much hassle dealing with international payments from bankrupt countries.  If you live in the U.S., bad luck - the fee is ten dollars. Comp Page: http://www.dorothyprizes.org/DorothySargentRosenbergPoetryPrizes.htm


The Earth Vision Nature Writing Contest 2011.  

This US competition is held ‘to support the cause of writing on the subject of nature and deep ecology’.  It is for fiction, creative non-fiction, poetic prose or poetry with some element of nature woven into it. Prizes: 1st - $500.  2nd - $100.  3rd - $100.  Honourable Mentions (2) - Entry Fee: $12.
Comp Page: http://www.evbooks.net/contest.htm


Troubadour International Poetry Prize.  

This annual contest from Coffee House Poetry is for poems of up to 45 lines. Prizes: £2,500, £500, £250.  Runners-up (20) - £20.
Entry Fee: £5 (6 euros/$8) each.
Comp Page: http://www.coffeehousepoetry.org/prizes


21st Oct

Creative Competitor First Chapter Writing comp

First chapter: 5000 wds max. Fee: £4. Prizes: £300/£200/£100/£50 plus publication for the winner. Details: http://creativecompetitor.com/competitions/new-competitions/first-chapter-writing-competition/


Northern Star New Author Competition

is searching for the North East’s next budding children’s author. Submit: 1000 wd synopsis for a book aimed at 7-9yrs.The winning idea will be developed into a book, illustrated and published. www.ncbf.co.uk


29th Oct 

The Ruth Rendell Short Story Comp 

Story: 1000 wds. Fee: £10. Prize: £1000 Details: web post Short Story Competition, InterAct Reading Service, Room 8, Victoria Charity Centre, 11 Belgrave Road,
London, SW1V 1RB. 


The A.Vogel Dormeasan Write a Story for Bedtime Competition

Stories should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words and of course be suitable for bedtime.  I imagine this means you should avoid subjects that might keep the reader awake for the next fortnight, such as scream-inducing horror, tax investigations, etc. Prizes: £500, £300, £100 (x2).  Winners will be announced in the magazine Your Healthy Living and will be published online.
Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
Comp Page: http://www.avogel.co.uk/story/


Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition.  

This contest from the charity InterAct Reading Service is for stories of up to 1,000 words in any genre.  The winner will be chosen by world-famous author Ruth Rendell who will present the prize at a special ceremony in 2012. Prize: £1,000.  The winner will be commissioned to write four more stories for InterAct Reading Service over the course of one year. Entry Fee: £10.
Comp Page: http://www.interactreading.org/content/ruth-rendell-short-story-competition-20112012


30th Oct

Fiction Garden Ghost Story Comp 

Story:  2500 wds. Theme: Ghosts. Fee: £3 or 2 for £5. Prizes: £100/£40/£20. Details: http://www.fictiongarden.co.uk/ghoststorywritingcontest.html


The National Poetry Competition (National Poetry Society)

Poem: 40 lines max. Fee: £6 then £3 for subsequent entries. Prizes: £5000/£200/£1000/7x£100. Details: http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/competitions/npc/post: National Poetry Competition: The Poetry Society, 22 Betterton Street, London, WC2H 9BX. 


31st Oct

Earlyworks Press Short Story Competition

For stories in two categories: up to 4,000 wds; between 4,001-8,000 wds. Prizes: £100, plus publication. Entry fee: £5 per story of up to 4,000 wds; £10 per story over 4,000 wds. Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre, 45 Robertson Street, Hastings TN34 1HL. Contact: www.earlyworkspress.co.uk



Eric Gregory Trust Fund Awards

Poetry collection: 30 poems max. Fee: FREE. Prizes: total £24,000 shared between winners. Rules: Poets must be under 30 years of age at 31st March 2012 and must be British subject by birth. Details: http://www.societyofauthors.org/eric-gregory


National Association of Writers Groups Open Short Story Comp

Story: 500-2000 wds. Fee: £5 and £3 for optional critique by judge Linda Lewis. Prizes: £250/£100/£50. Details: http://www.nawg.co.uk/competitions/open-competitions/post NAWG Comp Administrator, 28 Riversdale Avenue, Stakeford, Choppington, Northumberland, NE62 5LE


National Poetry Competition

is for poems of up to 40 lines. Judges: Colette Bryce, John Glenday and Jackie Kay. Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000, 7@£100. Entry fee: £6 for first poem, £3 each thereafter. National Poetry Competition, The Poetry Society, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX. www.poetrysociety.org.uk


The  McKitterick Prize

Novels: Published send in Four Copies (non-returnable). Unpublished: One copy of first 30 pages. Fee: FREE. Prizes: (in 2010) £4000. Rules: open to authors who are over 40 on 31st October 2011. Novel must be full length fictional work, not aimed at children. Novelist cannot have had any other novels published. Details: http://www.societyofauthors.org/mckitterick


Milton Keynes Speakeasy Short Story and Poetry Comp

Story: 2100 wds max. Poem: 60 lines max. Fee: Poems £3 each (or £10 for 4 poems). Story £4 each (or £10 for 3 stories). Make cheques payable to Speakeasy and mark back with COMP 11. Prizes: £100/£50/£25 in each category. Details: http://www.mkweb.co.uk/speakeasy/displayarticle.asp?ID=78828 post SPEAKEASY COMPETITION 2011, 46 Wealdstone Place, Springfield, Milton Keynes, MK6 3JG, United Kingdom


SAWC Annual Short Story Competition.  

This comes courtesy of the South African Writers’ Circle based in Durban, and is for stories of up to 2,500 words on any subject.  The contest is open worldwide. Prizes: R1,000, R500, R250.  (For your information 1,000 Rand is about £90 - or was at the time of writing.) Entry Fee: R55 (about £5).
    Comp Page: http://sawriters.org.za/live/competitions/annual-competition.html


Southport Writers Circle Open Short Story Competition.

This particular contest requires stories of up to 2,000 words.
Prizes: £200, £100, £50. Entry Fee: £3 each, £10 for four.
Comp Page: http://www.swconline.co.uk/#comps.


Stepping Stones Nigeria Short Story & Poetry Competition.  

This one from Excel For Charity is in aid of Stepping Stones Nigeria.  It is for stories of up to 1,500 words and poems of up to 40 lines on the theme of Childhood. Prizes (in each category): £150, £75, £40 and 2 x £10. Entry Fee: Stories - £5.   Poems - £4 each, £7.50 for two, £10.50 for three, £12.50 for four, £14, for five.  A third of the net entry fees go to Stepping Stones Nigeria.
Comp Page: http://www.easternlightepm.com/excelforcharity/current-competitions/


Poetry Society National Poetry Competition . 

 In 1983 Carol Ann Duffy won this contest and 26 years later she became the Poet Lauriate.  So if you’re hoping to become an overnight sensation, this is probably not the ideal starting point.  But there are compensations.  The top cash award is one of the best in the business, and the second prize isn’t bad either. Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000.  Runners-up (7) - £100.  Winners will be published on the website and in Poetry Review. Entry Fee: £6 for the first, £3 thereafter. Comp Page: http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/competitions/npc/


Chapter One Promotions Children’s Story Competition.  

This annual contest is for stories of up to 1,000 words written by children.  Your story must have one of the five titles given on the website.  There are four age groups: 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-18.
Prizes (in each age category): £150, £75, £50.  Plus publication in the Children’s Story Book. Entry Fee: £5.
Comp Page: http://www.chapteronepromotions.com/kids-korner/writing-competition.htm


New Media Writing Prize. Best Student New Media Writing Prize

Prizes (2): A valuable bundle of new media hardware and software, plus publication on various websites, your entry showcased at the Awards ceremony, and ‘substantial media coverage’. Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
Comp Page: http://www.newmediawritingprize.co.uk/


Atlantis Short Story Competition.  

The contest from the USA is for stories of up to 1,500 words on any theme. Prizes : $300, $100, $50.  Plus in-depth feedback for the top 15 entries. Entry Fee: $10. Comp Page: http://www.atlantis-shortstorycontest.com/site/page000.aspx


Leaf Books Memoir Writing Competition.  


Prize: £100 plus a selection of writing books.  The winner and selected runners-up will be published in the Leaf Writers’ Magazine and an anthology, and they will receive a free copy of the latter. Entry Fee: £4 each, £10 for three.
Comp Page: http://www.leafbooks.co.uk/New/For%20Writers/CurrentCompetitions.html#Mem2011

Brighton COW Autumn Leaves Competition.  

This is for fiction or non-fiction pieces of between 500 and 1,000 words on the subject of autumn, endings, afterglow, etc.  Your piece can, they say, be funny, sad, surreal, horrific, nightmarish, and can span an hour, a day, a year or a lifetime. Prizes (3): £10.  Winners will be published on the website and may be recorded for broadcast on local hospital radio. Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
Comp Page:
http://www.brightoncow.co.uk/comps/free.html


TXTLit Micro Story Competition.  

For this contest you need a mobile phone. Limit your stories to 154 characters (letters and spaces, not people), and while you’re about it, refrain from using abbreviated TXT gibberish, as this is not welcome. There is a different theme each month. Prize: £50.
Entry Fee: £1 plus the normal cost of sending a text message (no use asking me what that is).
Website: http://www.txtlit.co.uk/

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