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

JCD_Capulet

Seaxwyn wrote: »

The Lady magazine competition is for a story of 1,800-2,200 words in one of these genres: Comedy, Historical, Mystery or Science Fiction.

First prize: £1,000, second prize: a Waterman pen worth over £200; 5 runners up get various reference books.

Closing date is 7 October. There's instructions on how to send your entry, plus biogs of the judges, in the magazine. I've got a pdf scan of this, which I'll email it to anyone who PMs me their email address (it's about 2MB).

JCD - 'I can't write for toffee' is the biggest lie I've read on this Board! Your thread is gripping reading.

I'm glad this thread has generated some excitement, I'm itching to get writing and Lucy, if you want any help brainstorming you're bound to get lots of help here.

You think? Aww thanks hon, that's given me my first popper smile of the day xx

EmptyPockets

Amanda, if it interests you, it might interest us. If you like the sound of a particular comp, let us know about it so we might enter too

I just google 'short story competitions' - there are hundreds to go at. But it's also worth remembering to keep an eye out for any comps running in local papers and magazines. The big women's mags feature weekly shorts, 'coffee-break fiction'. and they pay the author, so they can be worth looking into aswell. If any of you have the Writer's & Artist's Handbook 2008, all info you'll ever need is in that book :T. It gives heaps of advice, info and useful websites.

A good place to start if you're struggling is the Jackie Bennett site: Current closing date is 30th Sep. £150 1st prize, £50 2nd prize, £25 3rd prize. £4 entry fee.

http://www.jbwb.co.uk/competition.html - there is a short story competition for spring, summer, autumn and winter of each year, cash prizes, etc, and they give you photographs you can base a story on (a bit of inspiration if you haven't got any) but you don't have to use the photos if you don't want...

EmptyPockets x

Adrasteia01

Hi,

I am interested as well. Could someone pls PM me the information?

I studied journalism and literature at uni, and editing and publishing post-grad. I really like fantasy fiction so if anyone knows of any competitions for that genre then I'd definitely be interested. Hopefully they will accept submissions from outside the UK.

If anyone is interested, there's also a site called RPOL (role-play online) www.rpol.net
which has online games. You can join up to games where you write part of a story from your character's perspective, the next person carries it on, and so on. I'm joined up to a few games and they are pretty cool. You don't get paid to play though.

So anyway, count me in for this one!

Tamara

redsquirrel80

Oh dear, I think I'm going to need a 'competition entries' budget now :rotfl:

Adrasteia01

I'd say it would be easier to write more than less. 300 words is only around a page, typed.

OliveOyl_2

Yippee what a lovely idea.

I don't write stories, but plays and I submitted one to a local competition in June, the winner gets £100, and the first 3 get performed. It's the first time I managed to get stuff in within the due date (and they'd extended it because of the postal difficulties ) That is where I fall down, procrastination, procrastination, procrastination. So i wish you all well in your plans, and I'll certainly let you know if I become a performed playwright....:rotfl:

redsquirrel80

Adrasteia01 wrote: »

I'd say it would be easier to write more than less. 300 words is only around a page, typed.

Yep that is quite a challenge, trying to fit a 'story' into so few words... I've probably written posts on here that are longer than that!

Seaxwyn

Adrasteia01 wrote: »

I'd say it would be easier to write more than less. 300 words is only around a page, typed.

I don't know if it's easier to write less, but it's less daunting and quicker.

I recently entered a 100-word story competition, with a MSE-themed story. If it wins I'll post it here. Well I can dream....

redsquirrel80

I'd just like to say that I haven't really written much for a couple of years (lots of thinking 'I should' or 'I wish I had the time...'), but thanks to you lot inspiring me, I've made use of a quiet afternoon at work to rattle out a few words on something that I had an idea about a few weeks ago... it might be awful but it's a start

EmptyPockets

Well done redsquirrel :T :T :T

Hopefully I'll be taking a leaf out of your book (haha) tomorrow and getting something down myself. I tend to decide on a specific comp first, then write for that - just gives me an aim, if ya know what I mean!

(off shopping now and haven't had the time to meal-plan OR make a shopping list... the plan is to be below the £55 budget... oh gawd, wish me luck pleeeaaase) :eek: