Competition Monthly: August 2020
14 August 2020
How to make a good impression
How can you make a good impression with your competition entry? Although not all competitions stipulate a writing font and size, it’s a good idea to stick with something easily legible, like Arial or Times New Roman size 12. Anything that makes it hard to read isn’t going to warm the judge to your story, and it doesn’t look very professional. If you’re entering by post, don’t use old yellowed paper you’ve found at the back of the cupboard, or coloured sheets. Neat, white paper is the order of the day. Some competitions ask entrants not to use certain formatting, presumably as it makes it easier for them to use their own formatting if they end up publishing it. Whatever their requirements, stick to them if you want a better chance of winning.
The Writing Magazine has a competition tailor made for RNA members this month, one with a love story theme. And for those of you who are good at comedy, the Funny Pearls competition might be right up your street.
Good luck to you all in your competition endeavours.
Click June 2020 for posts detailing further competitions closing in September.
*
Rolling Competitions
Writers’ Forum Short Story Contest
Theme: Open, 1,000 – 3,000 words
Prizes: £300 / £150 / £100
Closing date: ongoing
Entry: £6 / £3 for subscribers
Closing soon
The TSR Short Fiction Prize
Theme: Open, 350 words max
Prizes: $500 / £300 / £200
Closing date: 1 September 2020
Entry: $5
Writing Magazine Love Story Competition
Theme: 1,500 – 1,700 words
Prizes: £200 / £50
Closing date: 15 September 2020
Entry: £6 / £4 subscribers
October Competitions
The Imison Award
Theme: Audio drama script, or first episode from a series, by writers new to the medium
Prizes: £3,000
Closing date: 4 October 2020
Entry: Free
The Raven Short Story Contest
Theme: Open, 2,500 words max
Prizes: $300
Closing date: 15 October 2020 (Opens 1 September)
Entry: $20
Dystopian Short Story Competition
Theme: 1,500 – 1,700 words
Prizes: £200 / £50
Closing date: 15 October 2020
Entry: £6 / £4 subscribers
The Funny Pearls Short Story Competition
Theme: Comedy, 1,000 – 2,500 words. Women entrants only.
Prizes: £200 Amazon gift card / 2 x £50 Amazon gift cards
Closing date: 30 October 2020
Entry: Free
The Barbellion Prize
Theme: Any genre of book fiction that has spoken of the experience of chronic illness and/or disability
Prizes: £600
Closing date: 31 October 2020
Entry: Free
CBC Short Story Prize
Theme: Open, 2,500 words max
Prizes: CAN $6,000, book published / 4 x $1,000
Closing date: 31 October 2020
Entry: CAN $25
Earlyworks Press Short Story Competition
Theme: Open, up to 4,000 or 8,000 words
Prizes: £200 / cash and book prizes
Closing date: 31 October 2020
Entry: £4 for up to 4,000 words / £8 for over 4,000 words
The Bedford Short Story Competition
Theme: Open, 3,000 words max
Prizes: £500 / £150 / £100 plus £100 prize for a Bedford resident
Closing date: 31 October 2020
Entry: £6 / £12 for 3 stories
*
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 in December. Her first historical saga, published by Hera Books this year, is called Heartbreak in the Valleys . 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.
