*EmptyPocket's/Seaxwyn's Short Story Challenge*

EmptyPockets

Ok! After a bit of a chinwag with other members, I decided to start this thread for anyone out there who feels like getting creative. (Seaxwyn, hope you don't mind me adding your name to the thread title, but you did come up with the idea first :T )

Most of us here are always open to money-making ideas, so why not let our creativity start earning us some money? Short story competitions mostly offer cash prizes, and you'd be surprised how much - anything from £50 - £6000, and more (I'm sure there's even one that offers £15000 for first place - imagine what that'd do for the dreaded debt!). Of course, they also offer second and third prizes, runners-up, and other things besides money.

So I thought we could use this thread for DFWSSW's (DebtFreeWannabeShortStoryWriter's) - for motivation, inspiration, feedback on work, competition alerts, deadline reminders, etc, not to mention news on any winnings and hard-earned prizes!

It costs nothing but a little of your time to write a short story, or a poem, and most entry fees don't exceed £4... so who knows? Someone's gotta win 'em! why not us?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Come on peeps, I want enthusiasm! (If nothing else, this will give me some much-needed motivation to actually get some writing done!)

:j EmptyPockets:j

chocaholic110

I wouldn't have the imagination to write stories but good luck to the pair of you and anyone else who joins in.

Can we read them if you win?

And will you still remember us if you have a JK Rowling type success story??

Seaxwyn

Hey thanks for getting this off the ground EmptyPockets!

I look forward to sharing progress and getting lots of inspiration and motivation along the way.

I'm planning to enter the comp in the Lady magazine - 1st prize £1000, closing date 7 Oct, I'm happy to send details of that to anyone that would like to join me.

If anyone wants a nice short short story to start with, there is the Leaf Micro Fiction competition for stories of up to 300 words. Entry fee £3, 1st prize £200, 2nd prize a bundle of books. Closing date 31 August.
http://www.leafbooks.co.uk/writers/competitions/micrio2007comp.html

Thanks again EmptyPockets and chocaholic, in the unlikely event I win anything I will be sure to post the story here!

hypno06

Good luck guys x

taxi73

Good luck with that...I'm not creative enough

Lucy1982_2

Hey Guys!!

What a fab idea. I have an English degree, but was never very good at the sort of short stories they got you to write. But I would love to take part.

I've been sitting down for the last few nights trying to start my novel again :rolleyes: but have been getting stuck with somewhere to set it.

I specialised in historic/culture literature and would like to write something long these lines. But the say to write what you know.

So I'm into a bit of crime fiction, so was thinking of an historical crime novels. What do you think? Does it sound like a good idea? and any ideas on where to set?

To write the novel will take some research, but short stories would get the creative juices flowing. Thanks for the challenge

Good Luck

Cazzdevil

What a great idea! Even if you don't win, writing and being creative like that is a fantastic passtime which will improve your language and writing skills no end!!

I've got a bit much on at the minute with some remaining university coursework, but I might give it a go in a couple of weeks time.

redsquirrel80

That is a really good idea, I've entered a few in the past (more poetry but a few short stories), have had a few things published but never won any prizes - love the idea of the 300 word one! Sea.. would be very grateful if you could PM me the details of the Lady one

Seaxwyn

Lucy, there is a comp with your name on it! The Fish Criminally Short Stories competition for historic crime fiction: http://www.fishpublishing.com/criminally-short-histories-2007.php
First prize 500 euros.

Have a dig around on that site as they have other competitions as well for different types and lengths of story, some with bigger prizes.

Good luck with your novel. I wrote one a few years ago which was never published, but I did get useful and encouraging feedback from several agents and publishers I sent it to,

I learned that the key factor that will get your book published is marketability. You need to tell them exactly how they can market it, what niche it fits into, persuade them that you will be great on breakfast tv and doing the rounds of bookshops etc. Send them a one-page synopsis of the book and its key attributes, and a one-page marketing summary.

Also they are interested in two- or three- book deals and are much more likely to take your book if you have more in the pipeline.

I have always wanted to try again but am devoid of ideas, hence the interest in writing short stories, I hope it will get the creative juices flowing once again.

Good luck! And look forward to sharing ideas on this thread. I'm planning to write a historic story for the Lady Competition (one of their themes is 'historical'), I hope to write it when I'm on holiday later this month as too busy with work til then.

EmptyPockets

Chocoholic, most comps publish winning entries whether it be in a magazine or on a website, so any winning stories will be easilly accessable (providing the author tells us where to find it! lol) JK Rowling success... bet she's got a few more £2 coins than me :rolleyes:

Seaxwyn, I like the sound of the Lady mag comp, it's got a decent deadline - not too much of a rush. So I think I'll join ya' on that one!

Lucy, welcome . Nice to hear I'm not the only one with a novel on the go-slow! Mine's set in 1843, it came to a halt somewhere around chapter three 'cos I'm getting myself in a muddle deciding where to set it... That's why short's are so fun, you don't have to worry about every last detail.

Cazzdevil, good luck with the uni work!

Will post again soon with some more comp details I already have, got about 250 things to do today and really doubt I'm gonna get everything done :eek:

EmptyPockets x

Lucy1982_2

Thanks guys. I thought I would play to my strengths. Just need to find somewhere to set it. I thinking a city somewhere... but where!!!

I'll let you know when I decide!

Thanks for the comp idea's. I'm off to have a look.