March 2018: Competition Monthly
19 March 2018
Francesca looks at more competition rules and why it’s important to follow them
To reiterate what I wrote last month, it’s amazing how often competition rules are ignored. Is it because people don’t bother to read them properly or they think it doesn’t matter? Either way, a competition entry will fall at the first hurdle if the rules haven’t been followed. (Last month’s post, the first part on rules, can be found here.)
One rule that’s found on 99% of competitions is the word count. If the competition stipulates a minimum and/or maximum (more often the latter), then make sure your entry complies. A few contests will give a 10% leeway, but if it’s not mentioned, don’t do it. Be careful, particularly with flash fiction, to check whether the word count includes the title. It usually doesn’t, but very occasionally it does.
The most common format requested is Word document, either .doc or .docx. Other common ones are Rich Text Format (.rtf) and PDF. This will sometimes depend on whether you send it as an email, or as part of a form. Fonts and sizes aren’t always specified, but nevertheless keep to legible ones, for instance, Ariel or Times New Roman. Using something fancy like ARHerman, or overly bold like Impact, won’t make for easy reading for the poor judge. Although it’s less common, check whether a particular line spacing or margin width is favoured.
The final part on rules next month. In the meantime, happy comping!
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Closing Soon
Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Competition
Theme: “The Looking Glass”. 2,500 words
Prize: Two night stay and three course dinner for two at Amberley Castle, plus publication in Harper’s Bazaar.
Closing date: 9 April 2018
Entry: Free
Winchester Writing Festival Memoir Competition
Theme: Memoirs up to 1,000 words
Prize: A place at the Writers’ and Artists’ ‘How to hook an agent’ lunch, worth £175.
Closing date: 11 April 2018
Entry: £6
Winchester Writing Festival Children’s Picture Books Competition
Theme: For readers aged 3 – 6, text 600 words max, prose or verse.
Prize: Editorial meeting with Little Tiger publishing to discuss submission / 2nd & 3rd – constructive feedback.
Closing date: 11 April 2018
Entry: £6
Winchester Writing Festival First Three Pages of a Novel Competition
Theme: First three pages of novel plus 600 word synopsis
Prize: Editorial meeting with Little, Brown to discuss submission
Closing date: 11 April
Entry: £6
Limnisa Short Story Competition
Theme: “Plastic”, 500 – 1,500 words.
Prize: One week writing retreat in Greece
Closing date: 15 April 2018
Entry: Free – just need to ‘like’ and share on Facebook or Twitter.
May Competitions
Writing Magazine Other Worlds Competition
Theme: SciFi, fantasy, horror or paranormal, 1,500 – 1,700 words
Prize: £200 plus publication in magazine / £50 plus publication online
Closing date: 15 May 2018
Entry: £6 / £4 for subscribers
First Novel Prize
Theme: Any adult genre over 50,000 words
Prize: £1,000 / £250 / £100
Closing date: 31 May 2018
Entry: £25
The Fiction Desk Newcomer Prize
Theme: Open, 1,000 – 7,000 words. Must not have had a novel or story collection published, or have been published by Fiction Desk
Prize: £500 / £250
Closing date: 31 May 2018
Entry: £8
Frome Festival Short Story Competition
Theme: Open, 1,000 – 2,200 words
Prize: £400 / £200 / £100
Closing date: 31 May 2018
Entry: £8
Bridport Prize Short Story Competition
Theme: Open, 5,000 words max (not children’s)
Prize: £5,000 / £1,000 / £500 / 10 x £100
Closing date: 31 May 2018
Entry: £10
Bridport Prize Flash Fiction Competition
Theme: Open, 250 words max
Prize: £1,000 / £500 / £250 / 3 x £100
Closing date: 31 May 2018
Entry: £8
Bridport Prize Novel Competition
Theme: Any adult genre or YA. 5,000 – 8,000 words from opening chapters, plus 300 word synopsis
Prize: £1,000 plus mentoring from literary consultant / £500 plus manuscript appraisal / 3 x £100 plus 50 page appraisal
Closing date: 31 May 2018
Entry: £20
Looking Ahead
Christopher Fielden’s Annual Humour Short Story Competition
Theme: Any genre but must be humorous
Prize: £1,000 / £500 / £250 / 3 x £50 / 14 x £25 plus all published in an anthology
Closing date: 31 July 2018
Entry: £9 early bird fee till 30 April. After 1 May, £11. (Cheaper for more entries)
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Francesca Capaldi Burgess has been placed or shortlisted in a number of competitions including Winchester Writers’ Conference, Twyford Writers, Chorley & District Writer’s Circle, Retreat West, Cordelia.net, Meridian Writing, Flash a Famous Phrase, Wells Festival and Writing Magazine. She’s had stories and a serial published in magazines worldwide and in three anthologies, including Diamonds and Pearls and 100 Stories for Haiti plus a few articles and even a poem. She is a member of the RNA New Writers’ Scheme and the Society for Women Writers and Journalists. Francesca runs a writing blog along with RNA member Elaine Roberts called Write Minds. Find me on Twitter
