November 2020: Competition Monthly
16 November 2020
No Explanation Needed
I hope you’re all coping with the current round of lockdowns (or variation, depending on where you are). Here are some more competitions to enter, which may take your mind off the present situation for a while.
Now, this is most likely something none of you would ever do on a competition entry, but it has been reported by judges in the past, so it’s worth mentioning. Don’t ever be tempted to explain on your competition entry form or manuscript where the story originated, or that it’s based on something funny that happened to your cousin Billy. Don’t attach photos of the setting you’ve based it on or add illustrations in the margins. The judge isn’t interested in any of these things and it will make no difference to whether they like your story or not. What they’re looking for is a thumping good tale. If you have to explain your story, then maybe it needs to be rewritten.
There are a variety of competitions this month, including ones for historical and crime novels. There’s also a poetry contest, if you fancy entering something a little different, along with a Haiku competition.
Good luck to you all in your comping endeavours.
Click October 2020 for posts detailing further competitions closing in November and December.
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Closing soon
Evesham Festival of Words Haiku Competition
Theme: Winter
Prizes: £70 / £40 / £20
Closing date: 5pm 30 November 2020
Entry: £5 for maximum of 4 entries
Fiction Factory Flash Competition
Theme: Open (excl. children’s and YA), 3,000 words max
Prizes: £200 / £50 / £25
Closing date: 30 November 2020
Entry: £6
January Competitions
Exeter Novel Prize
Theme: Unpublished novel, first 10,000 words including synopsis
Prizes: £500 / 5 x £100
Closing date: 1 January 2021
Entry: £18
St Martins Minotaur / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
Theme: First crime novel of unpublished author
Prizes: Publication and advance of $10,000 US
Closing date: 1 January 2021
Entry: Free
The Tuscorora Award for Historical Fiction
Theme: Historical novel
Prizes: Publication and $1,000 US
Closing date: 15 January 2021
Entry: $22 US
Sandy Run Novella Award
Theme: Novella between 17,500 and 40,000 words
Prizes: Publication and $1,000 US
Closing date: 15 January 2021
Entry: $20 US
Writing Magazine Open Short Story Competition
Theme: Open, 1,500 – 1,700 words
Prizes: £200 and publication in magazine / £50 and publication on website
Closing date: 15 January 2021
Entry: £6 / £4 subscribers
Bath Novella-in-Flash Award
Theme: Open, 6,000 – 18,000 words total. Each flash no more than 1,000 words
Prizes: £300 / 2 x £100 plus publication for all three
Closing date: 17 January 2021
Entry: £16
Lancashire Authors Association Open Flash Fiction Competition
Theme: Open, Exactly 100 words
Prizes: £100
Closing date: 31 January 2021
Entry: £2 / £5 for 3
Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition
Theme: Open, any style of poetry, 40 lines max
Prizes: £1,000 / £300 / £100 / 4 x £50
Closing date: 31 January 2021
Entry: £5 / 3 or more poems £4
Retreat West First Chapter Competition
Theme: Open, first chapter only (no prologues or synopses)
Prizes: Submission package, review and feedback from a publisher / Other prizes of feedback
Closing date: 31 January
Entry: £10
Fiction Factory Flash Competition
Theme: Open, 1,000 words max
Prizes: £150 / £50 / £25
Closing date: 31 January 2021
Entry: £5
Looking Ahead
Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition
Theme: Open, 2,500 words max
Prizes: £150 / £50 / £30
Closing date: 5pm on 12 March 2021
Entry: £5
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Francesca Capaldi Burgess has been placed or shortlisted in a dozen competitions including Winchester Writers’ Conference, Retreat West, Meridian Writing, Wells Festival Book for Children, Writing Magazine and The People’s Friend serial competition. She’s had stories and a serial published in magazines worldwide and her fourth DC Thomson pocket novel, is due out on 10th December. Her second historical saga, War in the Valleys, published by Hera Books, is due out on November 25th. Apart from the RNA, she’s also a member of the Society for Women Writers and Journalists. Francesca runs a writing blog with RNA member Elaine Roberts called Write Minds.
