Francesca Burgess brings us news of the latest writing competitions along with helpful tips on how to enter and succeed. Please post in the comment section below if you have been successful with a competition or know of one that would interest our readers.
There are a variety of competitions this
month including the prestigious Costa Award. The prize
money is impressive and
will attract a lot of people and a high standard. On the other hand, it's free,
so what have you got to lose?
Whichever competitions you're entering,
it's worth having a look at the winning entries from previous years, if they're
available. Or investigating what kind of books have won novel prizes. They'll
give you a feel for what kind of entry is favoured, whether it's literary,
general, light, funny, quirky, dark and whether they prefer happy endings or
are okay with ambiguous or non-happy endings. It's also worth having a look at
what genres the judges write in (if they're writers, of course).
The Telegraph Travel Just Back
competition is a little different, since it's nonfiction. Most of us holiday at
some point, and I know there are those of you who also go on trips to do
research for your novels. Why not use some of that knowledge to try and earn a
bit of extra cash? Some of the past winners can be read online.
Power
to your pen (or keyboard!), and good luck everyone.
**Closing soon**
The Luke Bitmead Bursery
Theme: Adult fiction
only, over 60,000 words and completed, entrants not to be traditionally
published with a novel.
Prize: Publication
contract with Legend Press plus £2,500
Competition deadline: 15
July 2016
Entry: £10
The
Costa Short Story Award
Theme: Open, 1,000 words max.
Prize: £3,500 / £1,500 /
£500
Competition deadline: 5
August 2016
Entry: Free
Elbow Room Short Fiction Competition
Theme: Open, 3,000 words
max. (Also poetry.)
Prize: £200 / £50 / £50.
Anthology publication
Competition deadline: 14
August 2016
Entry: £4, £10 for three
Exeter Flash Fiction Competition
Theme: Open, up to 250
words max.
Prize: £100 / £50
Competition deadline: 31
August 2016
Entry: £4
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award
Theme: Open, 2,000 words
max. (Also poetry)
Prize: £500. Publication
in an anthology. Consultation with Redhammer Management.
Competition deadline: 31
August 2016
Entry: £15
Save As Writers Short Story Competition
Theme: "Rebellion",
3,000 words max. (Also poetry)
Prize: £100 / £50 / £25
plus publication in an anthology.
Competition deadline: 31
August 2016
Entry: £4
Red Hen Press Fiction Award (novel/novella)
Theme: Open. Minimum of
150 pages
Prize: $1,000 plus
publication by Red Hen Press
Competition deadline: 1
September 2016
Entry: $20
Telegraph Travel Just Back Competition
Theme: A feature article
on your travel experience, 500 words max.
Prize: £200 plus
publication in Daily Telegraph Travel section and online. (Also £1,000 for
article of the year.)
Competition deadline: Weekly
– to be sent by midnight on the Wednesday to be considered for the feature ten
days later.
Entry: Free
Francesca
Burgess has been placed or shortlisted in a number
of competitions including Twyford Writers, Winchester Writers' Conference,
Chorley and District Writers' Circle, Flash a Famous Phrase, Meridian Writing,
People's Friend and Writing Magazine.
She's had stories published in magazines worldwide and in three anthologies,
including Diamonds and Pearls and 100 Stories for Haiti. She
is a member of the RNA New Writers' Scheme.
Twitter: @FCapaldiBurgess
Blog: Write Minds Blog
Thank you, Francesca!
If you would like to write for the blogging team please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com
1 comment:
Very much appreciated, as always.
Gabrielle
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