To Hull and Bratislava and Back

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British Czech & Slovak Association, Christopher Fielden, competitions, Hull

Congratulations to Radovana Jágriková on her success in the To Hull and Back writing competition, as announced on the excellent Christopher Fielden website! Radovana won with her story Too. Entries in the competition had to be humorous, but Too I also found unsettling and with what was for me a wholly unexpected twist. It will appear in the To Hull and Back anthology. (See http://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-competition/results-2015.php for more on the results.)

Radovana I have met before, as in 2013 I had the pleasure of presenting her with the second prize in the British Czech & Slovak Association’s annual writing competition. She won that with Journeys.  That story especially appealed as its setting was the prizegiving at a writing competition! It described the repercussions three years later of a British stag weekend in Bratislava.

One of ninevoices’ own, Maggie Davies, was given a Special Mention in the comp, for her story The Castle (see The Rejection Diaries below). A tale well worthy of its commendation, I can confirm.

The 2016 To Hull and Back competition is already open. Prizes are £1,000, £150 and £75, and the prizewinning and shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology. The glory doesn’t end there, for the cover of the anthology will include a photo of the winner’s face, depicted riding a flaming motorcycle and holding “a quill of wrath”, and their copy will be fixed to the handlebars of a Harley Davidson and ridden from Bristol To Hull and Back. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain.

Stories must contain some element of humour. The closing date is 31 July 2016, and the word limit is 4,000. The entry fee for a single story is £7. For full details, including guidance on what sort of humour might appeal, see http://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-competition/#Comp2015

The British Czech & Slovak Association’s 2015 competition has closed; the judges’ votes have been counted and verified, and the results will be announced at the BCSA’s Annual Dinner in central London on 27 November 2015. (Some tickets are still available, for both members and non-members – see http://www.bcsa.co.uk/whatsnew.html#dinner for info). The results will also appear here.

The 2016 BCSA competition will be launched in February next year. The themes are likely to be the same as this year’s: either (a) a link or links between Britain and the Czech or Slovak Republics (or their predecessor states), at any point in history or (b) society in transition in those Republics since the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Entry will be free, the closing date will be 30 June 2016, and the word limit 2,000. With migration so topical just now, in 2015 writers were encouraged to consider this as a subject for their entries. Watch this space for any similar suggestion in 2016. To express interest in 2016 you can e-mail me at prize@bcsa.co.uk.

So, repeated congrats to Radovana and Maggie. And here’s to 2016 for the rest of us!

 

 

 

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The Rejection Diaries

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competitions, rejection, Shakespeare

When troubles come, they come not single spies but in battalions...

Did Shakespeare get rejections? Must have done, mustn’t he? Anyway, I’ve had two rebuffs in the last days: a magazine declining one of my stories and a local charitable 400-word competition which has been scooped by someone else. Am I downhearted? You betcha!

HOWEVER, this is proof positive that I’ve been busy writing and submitting, which is a huge accomplishment in itself. I’ve been much more active this year than last and have had a few invaluable fragments of encouragement – a long-listing and a short-listing. Also, although the magazine didn’t want my story, it was recently commended in a competition.

Writers need thick skins. Wine. Chocolate…

The Rejection Diaries : Fifty Shades of Red

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competitions, Rachel Dunlop, Woman's Weekly

Yesterday brought an old-fashioned brown envelope rejection – it’s usually email or silence these days – to a story I sent to Woman’s Weekly. I’d tried to do the right things: studied the magazine, opted for the first person narrative which they seem to favour, even included an appealing small dog. They obviously hated it. Or did they?

I recently learned that a story I wasn’t happy about has been shortlisted for a competition. It was on a set theme and I found it such a struggle to come up with something appropriate that I ran out of time and put it in the post, warts and all.

So what’s that all about?

Ninevoices have written before about Rachel Dunlop’s must-read blog ‘Butterflies‘ of January 2013 on this subject. She argues that competitions (and, presumably, fiction editors) are like photographers setting up a photo-shoot. They already have a great red dress, a fabulous bag – and only lack a pair of black killer heels and some classy accessories. And what have you sent them? Another red dress. It’s probably a stunning creation, but they’ve got one of those already and moved on.

She adds that competition judges prefer a spread of style/theme for their handful of winners. They clearly wouldn’t want the first, second and third places all to be stories about a one-legged ex-priest, wearing a red dress, who kidnaps and murders female politicians.

Competitions with September/October Deadlines

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competitions

The East London Writeidea 2015 Prize is a new competition for writers who have not been previously published or won a writing competition. There is a first prize of £300, with four finalists each winning £50. Winning stories will be published online and the winner will be read at the Writeidea Festival of reading on November 15. Stories may be on any theme and THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE. The deadline is 11 October and full details are on their website: http://writeideafestival.org

Carried in waves is an international competition for short stories for radio from University College, Cork, in Ireland. They are seeking unpublished stories under 3,000 words on any theme. Forty shortlisted stories will be recorded for broadcast. The winning story will be awarded £(Irish)300, with £(Irish)200 and £(Irish)100 for the second and third. Entry fee is £(Irish)10. Closing date is September 30. Full details on website: http://writ.rs/carriedinwaves.

Prestigious literary journal, The London Magazine, offers publication and £500 for the winner of its new annual short story competition. Entries should be no longer than 4,000 words, with an entry fee of £10. Prizes are: £500, £300, £200. Deadline is October 31. Details on their website: http://www.thelondonmagazine.org.

Flash 500 Novel Contest for first chapter and synopsis. Fee is £10 and prizes: £500, £200. Judges are Crooked Cat Publishing.Deadline October 31. Full details: flash500.com

Earlyworks Press Short Story Competition. 8,000 words maximum. Fee £5 up to 4,00 words, £10 if over. Prize: £100, Details at: http://www.earlyworkspress.co.uk Deadline October 31

Please check the websites to ensure these details are correct. And my apologies (sorry, Val!) for being unable to work out how to use the proper symbol for the Irish £. Shame on me…

Competitions with September Deadline

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competitions

Henshaw Press Short Story Competition. Open theme. 2,000 words maximum. Entry fee £5. Prizes: £100, £50, £25. Closing date 30 September. Details from henshawpress.co.uk

Bedford Short Story Competition. Open theme. 3,000 words maximum. Entry fee £5 for a single story, or £10 for three. Prizes: £200, £100, £50. Closing date 30 September. Details from http://www.bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk

Literature Works’ First Page Writing Prize for the opening of an unpublished novel. The first prize is £1,500 plus a report from literary agent Claire Wallace. There are runner-up prizes of £400 and £200. There is a word limit for first page entries of 350 words. A 150-word synopsis should accompany each entry. Novels may be in any genre, but must be for adult readers. Writers must have completed at least three chapters of the novel. Entry fee £6. Closing date 30 September. Full details on http://www.literatureworks.org.uk

Headway Short Story Competition, to raise money for those who have suffered brain injuries, or who help support them. Short stories should have a maximum of 500 words, with a story theme of ‘headway’. Stories do not need to be about the charity or its services. Prizes: £50-worth of Waterstones’ vouchers; £15-worth of book vouchers from Mr Books bookshop of Tonbridge, Kent. Deadline 18 September. Entry fee is £3 for a single story, £10 for four stories. Details on website: http://www.headwaywkent.org. PLEASE NOTE THE COMPETITION DEADLINE FOR THIS IS 15 SEPTEMBER.

Pride Goeth…

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competitions

Recently ninevoices entered half a dozen stories into a competition. They were good stories – at least we thought so – so we waited hopefully for the outcome. Might we sweep the board? There were three monetary prizes on offer, plus the consolation possibility of getting on their short list.

Reader, we bombed. No prizes. No shortlisting. Nada.

Yet the standard of writing was high. Some of ninevoices have won prizes and been published in the past, so we know we’re not totally hopeless. We just were’t offering what the judges were looking for on this occasion.

HOWEVER, the great thing about being in a writing group is that you aren’t allowed to even think of giving up. There are other competitions out there and we will be entering them. Watch this space.

Competitions with August Deadlines

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competitions

With apologies for this having somehow gone missing yesterday. Please remember to double-check details on the appropriate website in case of any errors on the part of ninevoices. We wouldn’t want you to miss a deadline or get the entry details wrong.

To Hull and Back Writing Competition. Humorous stories up to 4,000 words. Prizes: £200, £100, £50, anthology publication. Entry fee: £5 (£8 for two, £10 for three). Closing date 31 August. Website: http://www.christopherfielden.com

Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition. Short stories up to 2,000 words, poetry up to 40 lines. Any theme. Prizes: £500, publication in Creative Writing Annual, a year’s subscription to Granta books courtesy of Bloodaxe Books and Vintage. Entry fee: £10 for two pieces of one kind. Closing date: 31 August. Website: http://www.aestheticamagazine.com. (They also have a children’s competition – see website for details)

With the Manchester Fiction and Poetry Prize being put back from end August to 25 September, August competitions are few. But maybe the change to the Manchester deadline date means they’re short of entries. With a £10,000 prize this would be surprising, but it’s worth thinking about…

Manchester Fiction and Poetry Prize – Correction!

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competitions

We’ve just checked the website on this and they have changed their deadline from the 28th August to the 25th September – so, lots of time to hone that entry…

Competitions with July Deadlines

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competitions

Here are a few competitions to consider with deadlines at the end of this month. However, PLEASE check the relevant websites to read the small print as sometimes submission dates and details change at short notice. Also (senior moment time) we could just get something wrong and wouldn’t want to mislead you!

Ilkley Literature Festival Competitions:
Short stories up to 3,000 words and poetry up to 30 lines. Prizes £200 in both categories. Entry fee £5 in both categories. Closing date 31 July.
Website: http://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk

Hassa Annual Open Short Story Competition:
Short stories up to 2,500 words. No connection to Scotland is needed either by theme or entrant. Prizes £400, £50 and £50, plus web publication. Entry fee £5. Closing date 31 July. Website: http://www.hissac.co.uk

Cinnamon Press Debut Novel or Novella Prize:
The first 10,000 words of an unpublished novel or novella by a debut novelist. Prize £700 plus publication. Entry fee £12. Closing date 31 July. Website: http://www.cinnamonpress.com

Norwich Writers Circle Open Fiction Competition:
Short stories up to 2,000 words that include the word ‘mustard’ in the text. Prizes £500, £250, £100. Entry fee £7 per story. Closing postal date 17 July. Closing email date 31 July. Website: http://norwichwriters.wordpress.com
Please note their very specific format requirements.

Sherborne Literary Society Literary Competition:
Stories up to 1,500 words; poems up to 40 lines. Prizes £500, £200, £100 for short stories; £100, £50 and £25 for poetry. Entry fee £10 short stories, £5 poems. Closing date 31 July. Website: http://www.sherborneliterarysociety.com

Please also note that the Costa Short Story Award, (stories up to 4,000 words) with free entry and fantastic prizes of £3,500, £1,000 and £500 has a closing date of August 1st.
Website: http://www.costabookawards.com

Good luck!

What is a good short story?

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Bridport Prize, competitions, judging, Short stories

‘All judging is arbitrary and personal.’ This was Kate Atkinson’s opening remark in her report as judge of the Bridport short story competition back in 2001. So, some consolation to the thousands who hadn’t won.

I read the report carefully. I intended to enter the competition the following year. What did this particular judge look for? ‘That elusive something that sends us away knowing our lives have been improved in some small indefinable way…every good story is a journey at the end of which the reader and the writer gain the satisfaction of having been taken somewhere. Somewhere else.’

This was inspiring advice. Every one of the short-listed stories published in the 2001 Bridport story collection had achieved this effect. If only one could write like that!

Tobias Hill, the judge in 2002, pointed out in his report that not all good writing makes good short fiction. ‘The short story has its own particular demands and it is not a short cut to a novel, or a poem unpacked from its shrinkwrap, or a play with the exits and pursuing bears all painstakingly painted in.’ Many of the Bridport entries ‘didn’t really understand what the short story is about, or what it is capable of doing.’ Mine was evidently one of them.

Rose Tremain made some pungent – and ultimately helpful – comments in her report in 2003. ‘It is as hard to write a really first-rate short story as it is to write a really first-rate poem. Both need a strong informing idea. Both demand an economy of means… Very few stories…had any poetic coherence. Very few had tight plotting. Very few sounded any original note and very few were either moving or funny.’

What did the winning ones have in common? ‘A sense that the writer knows what she/he is doing. Good writing is like a boat which doesn’t leak, which has a sure hand at the helm.’

A nice nautical allusion for those of us who feel all at sea when it comes to short stories – and something to keep us on course when we enter this year’s writing competitions.