COMPETITION CLOSED - RESULTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
AT
http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/longlist-shortlist-and-winners-2013-short-story-competition.html
Open Short Story Competition (Summer 2013)
Judge - Maria Smith
http://firstdraftcafe.blogspot.co.uk/
2,000 words maximum
Entry fee: £3.00 for one entry, £5.00 for two, £2.50 thereon
Closes Thursday 26th September 2013
Six prize winners, two categories of entry:
£60 First, £40 Second, £10 Third - 'New Writer' category
£60 First, £40 Second, £10 Third- 'Open' category
plus we will make a charitable donation (amount starts at £25)
We're pleased to invite you to submit a short story to our Open Competition. There is no theme for this competition, you can write anything you like. There is no minimum word count although the maximum is 2,000 words.
As we thoroughly enjoy the variety found in entries from both novice and experienced writers we have decided this year 'New Writer' and 'Open' will be our two categories of entry. Please see Rules of Entry below to determine which category you should enter.
We're delighted Maria Smith is our judge. Maria has won several Short Story and Flash Fiction competitions including The 2009 Bloody Brits Crime Short Story Competition, Writers' Den Flash Fiction and Ten Day 250 Words a Day Challenge along with taking second place in the prestigious Writers' Forum Jamie Medhurst Fundraising Story Competition. Maria is currently working on a supernatural novel, and enjoys blogging over at www.firstdraftcafe.blogspot.co.uk.
Those of you who entered our Open Competition 2012 may remember we raised £100 for charity. We gave £60 to Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in Sheffield and £40 to a charity in Notts/Derbys (see our Blog for more information and photos). We have organised another donation to be made with this competition, the amount we have to give is currently £25. Provided we receive a good response, this amount will increase as the competition progresses. When you send in an entry you can nominate your favourite UK charity or voluntary organisation for the donation. At the close date we will put all nominations into a hat and one will be drawn to win the cash donation. Any UK charity or voluntary organisation is eligible to be nominated.
Please make sure you read the Rules of Entry below which explain whether you should enter the 'New Writer' category or 'Open' category. If you've any doubt, please contact Debbie at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
RULES OF ENTRY
If you would like a copy of these Rules of Entry and the Entry Form, please email Debbie at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
1 Decide if you're to enter the 'New Writer' or 'Open' category.
You're a new writer if you’ve never had a paid article or story published in a magazine, newspaper or on-line and if you’ve never won a competition or been runner-up (regardless of whether it was published or not).
You will still be counted as a ‘New Writer’ if you’ve done none of the above but you’ve written (or posted work on) a blog; had letters published in a magazine or if you’ve written for a non-profit making publication and not been paid (eg: an article for the local parish magazine or a school magazine).
If you’re in any doubt, email Debbie who will tell you whether you qualify as a ‘New Writer’. If you think you might be ‘borderline’ then please avoid the ‘New Writer’ category.
2 All entries must be in English. Double line spacing is preferable. As entries will be judged anonymously please ensure the entry form is completed.
3 Entry by EMAIL: Send your completed entry form in the body of an email to Debbie at
e[email protected] subject title: ENTRY OPEN 2013 (and your name) eg ENTRY OPEN 2013 (Debbie Wilkinson).
Your entry can be sent with your entry form (above) or can be sent in a second email. You can choose to send it either
a) in the body of an email with the subject title: OPEN COMP 2013 ENTRY (and your name)
or
b) send it as an attachment, with the subject title of the email: OPEN COMP 2013 ENTRY (and your name).
If you send an attachment, please send each entry as a separate attachment in WORD and make
sure the title of the attachment or file is exactly the same as the story title you put on the entry form.
Attachments will be opened when your payment has cleared so expect a slight delay between sending your entry and confirmation of receipt. For this reason, I would suggest the earlier you send your entry, the better it will be for your peace of mind.
If you wish to enter by email, you will need to send your entry fee in a cheque separately by post. Please send a cheque payable to D Wilkinson. Paypal is an available means of payment for this competition. Please contact Debbie if you would like to pay by this method. erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
4 Entry by POST: Complete the entry form and enclose it with your entry/fee. Make sure you do not put anything on the entry to identify yourself. All entries are judged anonymously and any identifying marks will mean we cannot forward your entry to the judging process, yet we will retain the fee.
Ensure correct postage is paid otherwise your entry will remain at the sorting office. Our postal address is:
EWG Competition, Parklands Connexion, Stanhope St, Long Eaton, NG10 4QN.
You can enclose entries to more than one competition in one envelope if you wish as long as each entry is accompanied by the correct entry form. It is acceptable to fold your entry once only if you wish to use a smaller size envelope.
5 Entries will be acknowledged by email so please ensure your email address is clearly stated. If you don’t have email and wish to send a self stamped addressed postcard, we will use that to acknowledge your entry.
6 The theme for this competition is OPEN and you can write about anything you want.
7 No minimum word count, maximum 2,000 words, not including title.
8 FEE £3.00 for one entry, £5.00 for two entries, £2.50 per entry thereon.
You can enter as many times as you wish but only one entry per entrant can win a prize and every entry must be accompanied by the appropriate payment. Please send a cheque payable to D Wilkinson.
9 Entrants can be any age. All entries will be judged anonymously and no allowance made for age.
10 We are happy to publish your story on this website and remove it at a later date if you require us to do so. You are welcome to put a link to your blog, website or email with your winning entry if you wish.
11 Copyright remains with author.
12 Entries cannot have been previously published and must be the original work of the entrant. Entries will be disqualified if found to be in print or online anywhere, including blogs.
13 Please do not send us entries that have received an award from a previous competition, or anywhere else. Please do not send us entries currently waiting to be judged in other competitions, or that have been submitted for publication and are awaiting response will be disqualified.
14 Closing date for the competition is noon (GMT) Thursday 26th September 2013. Winners will be announced on this site, on or before 7th November 2013.
15 Prizes awarded to six winners as follows:
New Writer: First Prize - £60, Second Prize - £40, Third Prize - £10.
Open: First Prize - £60, Second Prize - £40, Third Prize - £10
16 The judge's decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
17 No corrections will be accepted.
18 Critique service: A basic critique for your entry can be provided, with notes on opening, ending, characterisation, etc for £3.00. A detailed critique service is also available, which includes advice
about how to improve any weak areas in your story, a rewrite and more feedback for £10.00. We accept non-competition submissions and will consider works with a high word count. Please email Debbie for more information at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
If you would like to receive a critique, please send a cheque payable to D Wilkinson for the correct amount to EWG Competition, Parklands Connexion, Stanhope St, Long Eaton, NG10 4QN.
19 There are things we do not expect to have to read. Unless it's intrinsic to the plot or motivation of the characters do not send us stories containing overt cruelty to children.
20 Entry implies acceptance of the rules.
21 No refunds given. Only exception to this rule will be if the organisers cancel the competition (eg if not enough entries have been received to cover the prize fund).
22 We are providing a donation with this competition and currently have £25. As with our Open Competition 2012, if we receive a good response we will increase and update this amount as the competition progresses.
With every entry you can nominate your favourite UK charity or voluntary group to receive this cash from us.
See page headed 'more' then click on 'donation' for information about how a good cause of your choosing could benefit from our competition.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHORT STORY WRITING COURSE: We are pleased to offer a Short Story writing course. This course is suitable for beginners and for those who have been writing for a while yet would appreciate a helping hand.
Our online six-module course is £36 and this fee is discounted to £30 for those who entered the Open Competition 2012, and for those who enter the Open Competition 2013.
Please contact Debbie erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk if you’d like to find out more or to enrol on the
course.
As we thoroughly enjoy the variety found in entries from both novice and experienced writers we have decided this year 'New Writer' and 'Open' will be our two categories of entry. Please see Rules of Entry below to determine which category you should enter.
We're delighted Maria Smith is our judge. Maria has won several Short Story and Flash Fiction competitions including The 2009 Bloody Brits Crime Short Story Competition, Writers' Den Flash Fiction and Ten Day 250 Words a Day Challenge along with taking second place in the prestigious Writers' Forum Jamie Medhurst Fundraising Story Competition. Maria is currently working on a supernatural novel, and enjoys blogging over at www.firstdraftcafe.blogspot.co.uk.
Those of you who entered our Open Competition 2012 may remember we raised £100 for charity. We gave £60 to Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in Sheffield and £40 to a charity in Notts/Derbys (see our Blog for more information and photos). We have organised another donation to be made with this competition, the amount we have to give is currently £25. Provided we receive a good response, this amount will increase as the competition progresses. When you send in an entry you can nominate your favourite UK charity or voluntary organisation for the donation. At the close date we will put all nominations into a hat and one will be drawn to win the cash donation. Any UK charity or voluntary organisation is eligible to be nominated.
Please make sure you read the Rules of Entry below which explain whether you should enter the 'New Writer' category or 'Open' category. If you've any doubt, please contact Debbie at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
RULES OF ENTRY
If you would like a copy of these Rules of Entry and the Entry Form, please email Debbie at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
1 Decide if you're to enter the 'New Writer' or 'Open' category.
You're a new writer if you’ve never had a paid article or story published in a magazine, newspaper or on-line and if you’ve never won a competition or been runner-up (regardless of whether it was published or not).
You will still be counted as a ‘New Writer’ if you’ve done none of the above but you’ve written (or posted work on) a blog; had letters published in a magazine or if you’ve written for a non-profit making publication and not been paid (eg: an article for the local parish magazine or a school magazine).
If you’re in any doubt, email Debbie who will tell you whether you qualify as a ‘New Writer’. If you think you might be ‘borderline’ then please avoid the ‘New Writer’ category.
2 All entries must be in English. Double line spacing is preferable. As entries will be judged anonymously please ensure the entry form is completed.
3 Entry by EMAIL: Send your completed entry form in the body of an email to Debbie at
e[email protected] subject title: ENTRY OPEN 2013 (and your name) eg ENTRY OPEN 2013 (Debbie Wilkinson).
Your entry can be sent with your entry form (above) or can be sent in a second email. You can choose to send it either
a) in the body of an email with the subject title: OPEN COMP 2013 ENTRY (and your name)
or
b) send it as an attachment, with the subject title of the email: OPEN COMP 2013 ENTRY (and your name).
If you send an attachment, please send each entry as a separate attachment in WORD and make
sure the title of the attachment or file is exactly the same as the story title you put on the entry form.
Attachments will be opened when your payment has cleared so expect a slight delay between sending your entry and confirmation of receipt. For this reason, I would suggest the earlier you send your entry, the better it will be for your peace of mind.
If you wish to enter by email, you will need to send your entry fee in a cheque separately by post. Please send a cheque payable to D Wilkinson. Paypal is an available means of payment for this competition. Please contact Debbie if you would like to pay by this method. erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
4 Entry by POST: Complete the entry form and enclose it with your entry/fee. Make sure you do not put anything on the entry to identify yourself. All entries are judged anonymously and any identifying marks will mean we cannot forward your entry to the judging process, yet we will retain the fee.
Ensure correct postage is paid otherwise your entry will remain at the sorting office. Our postal address is:
EWG Competition, Parklands Connexion, Stanhope St, Long Eaton, NG10 4QN.
You can enclose entries to more than one competition in one envelope if you wish as long as each entry is accompanied by the correct entry form. It is acceptable to fold your entry once only if you wish to use a smaller size envelope.
5 Entries will be acknowledged by email so please ensure your email address is clearly stated. If you don’t have email and wish to send a self stamped addressed postcard, we will use that to acknowledge your entry.
6 The theme for this competition is OPEN and you can write about anything you want.
7 No minimum word count, maximum 2,000 words, not including title.
8 FEE £3.00 for one entry, £5.00 for two entries, £2.50 per entry thereon.
You can enter as many times as you wish but only one entry per entrant can win a prize and every entry must be accompanied by the appropriate payment. Please send a cheque payable to D Wilkinson.
9 Entrants can be any age. All entries will be judged anonymously and no allowance made for age.
10 We are happy to publish your story on this website and remove it at a later date if you require us to do so. You are welcome to put a link to your blog, website or email with your winning entry if you wish.
11 Copyright remains with author.
12 Entries cannot have been previously published and must be the original work of the entrant. Entries will be disqualified if found to be in print or online anywhere, including blogs.
13 Please do not send us entries that have received an award from a previous competition, or anywhere else. Please do not send us entries currently waiting to be judged in other competitions, or that have been submitted for publication and are awaiting response will be disqualified.
14 Closing date for the competition is noon (GMT) Thursday 26th September 2013. Winners will be announced on this site, on or before 7th November 2013.
15 Prizes awarded to six winners as follows:
New Writer: First Prize - £60, Second Prize - £40, Third Prize - £10.
Open: First Prize - £60, Second Prize - £40, Third Prize - £10
16 The judge's decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
17 No corrections will be accepted.
18 Critique service: A basic critique for your entry can be provided, with notes on opening, ending, characterisation, etc for £3.00. A detailed critique service is also available, which includes advice
about how to improve any weak areas in your story, a rewrite and more feedback for £10.00. We accept non-competition submissions and will consider works with a high word count. Please email Debbie for more information at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
If you would like to receive a critique, please send a cheque payable to D Wilkinson for the correct amount to EWG Competition, Parklands Connexion, Stanhope St, Long Eaton, NG10 4QN.
19 There are things we do not expect to have to read. Unless it's intrinsic to the plot or motivation of the characters do not send us stories containing overt cruelty to children.
20 Entry implies acceptance of the rules.
21 No refunds given. Only exception to this rule will be if the organisers cancel the competition (eg if not enough entries have been received to cover the prize fund).
22 We are providing a donation with this competition and currently have £25. As with our Open Competition 2012, if we receive a good response we will increase and update this amount as the competition progresses.
With every entry you can nominate your favourite UK charity or voluntary group to receive this cash from us.
See page headed 'more' then click on 'donation' for information about how a good cause of your choosing could benefit from our competition.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHORT STORY WRITING COURSE: We are pleased to offer a Short Story writing course. This course is suitable for beginners and for those who have been writing for a while yet would appreciate a helping hand.
Our online six-module course is £36 and this fee is discounted to £30 for those who entered the Open Competition 2012, and for those who enter the Open Competition 2013.
Please contact Debbie erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk if you’d like to find out more or to enrol on the
course.