'THEMED' FLASH FICTION COMPETITION 2014
with Maggie Cobbett
Free entry
Please scroll down to read the Rules of Entry
We invite you to write a story in no more than 500 words, theme:
Seize the day, but don't be surprised if it bites back!
First Prize is Maggie Cobbett’s book
Anyone For Murder / Had We But World Enough /
Swings & Roundabouts
and one free entry - Open Short Story Competition
Second prize is one free entry - Open Short Story Competition
Winners will be published on EWG's website and blog
http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/blog.html
EWG's Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Writing-Workshops-and-Competitions/182306558595298?fref=ts
Debbie's blog
http://www.writingworkshopsandcompetitions.blogspot.co.uk/
and these links will be tweeted
@EWGCompetition
We are delighted our judge is Maggie Cobbett
Living and writing in North Yorkshire, I’m a member of Ripon Writers’ Group and regularly
contribute short stories, articles and reviews to local and national publications. In 2013, three themed story collections of mine appeared on Amazon, first as eBooks and then in print.
Competition successes include twice winning a free place at the Writers' Summer School in
Swanwick and a Weekend Rover pass to the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.
After writing, my main passion is salsa (dancing, not the sauce) and I also work as a
television extra, currently appearing as a 'village regular' on Emmerdale. Both these activities give me considerable inspiration for my stories.
I can be contacted through my website www.maggiecobbett.co.uk
contribute short stories, articles and reviews to local and national publications. In 2013, three themed story collections of mine appeared on Amazon, first as eBooks and then in print.
Competition successes include twice winning a free place at the Writers' Summer School in
Swanwick and a Weekend Rover pass to the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.
After writing, my main passion is salsa (dancing, not the sauce) and I also work as a
television extra, currently appearing as a 'village regular' on Emmerdale. Both these activities give me considerable inspiration for my stories.
I can be contacted through my website www.maggiecobbett.co.uk
Details of Maggie's book can be found through this Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anyone-Murder-Enough-Swings-Roundabouts/dp/1490998349/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377265903&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anyone-Murder-Enough-Swings-Roundabouts/dp/1490998349/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377265903&sr=1-1
RULES OF ENTRY
1 READ THE RULES OF ENTRY. Please copy these Rules of Entry and the Entry Form from the website before submitting an entry. When you're ready to send your entry, read through these rules again to ensure you have not missed anything for example, an entry form. Please contact us for them only if you're unable to copy them. Follow this link for Entry Form
http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2014-entry-form-flash-fiction-with-maggie-cobbett.html
2 Competition open to submissions as from JANUARY 1st 2014 to (12 noon GMT) Thursday June 5th inclusive. Entries sent before or after these dates will not be accepted.
3 All entries must be in English. Double line spacing is preferable. As entries will be judged anonymously please ensure the entry form is completed. Entries received without an entry form will not be accepted. Follow this link for Entry Form
http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2014-entry-form-flash-fiction-with-maggie-cobbett.html
4 Entries can be sent either by email or post. We prefer to receive entries via email to ease our administration process. We are happy to accept postal entries if email is not an option for you.
4 (i) Entry by EMAIL:
a) Send your completed entry form in the body of an email. Send it to Debbie at erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk
subject title: ENTRY - FLASH FICTION (and your name)
eg ENTRY - FLASH FICTION (Debbie Wilkinson).
b) Send your entry either in the body of the same email as your entry form or in the body of a second email with the subject title: FLASH FICTION COMP (and your name).
ATTACHMENTS:
IF YOU HAVE NOT ENTERED ANY OF OUR OPEN COMPETITIONS, THEN YOUR ENTRY MUST BE IN THE BODY OF AN EMAIL. ATTACHMENTS FROM NEW ENTRANTS WILL NOT BE OPENED. Any such entries with an attachment will be deleted. This means your entry will not be accepted if you are a new entrant and you send an attachment.
If you have entered any of our OPEN competitions, you are welcome to send your entry by attachment (attached to your entry form). Please send your entry form in the body of an email. 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.
4 (ii) Entry by POST: Complete the entry form and enclose it with your entry. 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. You can find the entry form using this link http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2014-entry-form-flash-fiction-with-maggie-cobbett.html
Ensure correct postage is paid otherwise your entry will remain at the sorting office. Our postal address is:
EWG Competition, Parklands Connexion, Stanhope Street, 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-addressed stamped postcard, we will use that to acknowledge your entry. Entries received in the last week will be acknowledged after the close date.
6 Theme is 'Seize the day, but don't be surprised if it bites back!' and whatever you choose to write using this theme is entirely up to you. Do not use this theme as your title.
7 No minimum word count, maximum 500 words, not including title.
8 FREE ENTRY Two entries per entrant permitted. Only one entry per entrant can win a prize.
9 Entrants can be any age. All entries will be judged anonymously and no allowance made for age.
10 We will publish the winning entry 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. We require a few words of bio to accompany the winning entry.
11 Copyright remains with author.
12 Entries cannot have been previously published and must be the original work of the entrant. We do not want to read work that can be 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.
14 Closing date for the competition is noon (GMT) Thursday June 5th 2014. Winners will be announced on this site, on or before Monday 4th August 2014.
15 Prizes awarded to two winners as follows: First Prize - publication on this website, associated blogs, Facebook and Twitter links, copy of Maggie's book and one free entry to our Open Competition 2014 or 2015. Second Prize is one free entry to our Open Competition 2014 or 2015.
16 The judge's decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
17 No corrections will be accepted.
18 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.
19 Entry implies acceptance of the rules.
20 Competition open to submissions as from JANUARY 1st 2014 to Thursday 5th June. Entries sent before or after these dates will not be accepted.
21 READ THE RULES again to ensure you have not missed anything for example have you completed an entry form?
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Critique service: A basic critique for your entry can be provided 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 Street, Long Eaton, NG10 4QN or request Paypal details with your entry.
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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 six-module course is £36 and this fee is discounted to £33 for those who enter the Open Competition 2014, and for those who entered the Open Competition in previous years. Please contact Debbie erewashwriterscomps(at)hotmail.co.uk to find out more or if you wish to
enrol on the course.
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TIPS FOR WRITING FLASH FICTION
Earlier this year, Dan Purdue judged one of our flash fiction competitions. In his blog post
http://lies-ink.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/a-free-flash-fiction-competition.html Dan highlights a few of the factors involved to make the difference between a contender and an also-ran. Keep these in mind when you're penning your entry:
: