Of course this rule doesn't apply to photos of our next trip, or the garden, interesting things I spot on a walk, cakes...
Free entry writing competition news
This competition from Exisle Academy is for "any genre, fiction or fact - that helped or would have helped you at a pivotal moment in your life" the prize is "up to $2000 worth of training and coaching with Exisle Academy", including the opportunity to discuss developing a book with our editors" plus optional publication on their website. You have up to 1,500 words and the closing date is 28th August.
The Morley prize is for 'unpublished writers of colour'. This can be a novel or creative non-fiction book. The prize is £500, plus a consultation with a literary agent.
I'm not eligible to enter this one. If I was, and had a suitable book to submit, then I definitely would.
The Daily Mail are running a novel writing competition with a £20,000 prize and agent representation. "The contest is for first-time authors who have not had any work of fiction published before."
That's another I can't enter, but if I could I would.
Globe Soup run free writing challenges with £500 prizes. All those registered will be sent a genre and a secret challenge, and given a week to come up with a story of up to 2,000 words. That sounds as though it could be fun, so I've registered.
My news
Womag stuff
There are some writing tips on The People's Friend website. They're written with that magazine in mind, but are also good general advice.
Would you be interested in more specific tips and advice about writing for this market?
13 comments:
Hi Patsy, thanks for all the latest competition info - always appreciated.
I had a lovely email this morning and it’s thanks to one of your competition tip-offs, the George Floyd Earth 2.0 short story competition from Nottingham Writers’ Studio. My story, (which I wrote for the BBC Short Story Competition and which really has done the rounds!) is now one of the finalists and will be published in the anthology.
It’s really great news as this week I had the disappointment of not making the final 20 in the Bristol Short Story Prize. Trying to tell myself being in the longlist of 40 out of over 2,000 entries is great, but….
Does anyone else enter paid competitions as well as free ones? I really consider each one carefully before parting with my money. So I’ll look at who is judging, if it’s just one big prize or several runners-up and a big factor is whether they will publish an anthology. That to me makes me feel there are better odds for getting my work read.
Anyway, now looking for somewhere else to send my story and it will definitely be a red wine evening tonight!
I was also longlisted in the Nottingham comp, so thanks Patsy!
Anon (in case I jinx it.)
Congratulations on the Nottingham competition results! I used to enter paid competitions, but now enter free ones only. I'm open to changing my mind on this though, with careful consideration, as Fiona describes.
Thanks for the PF writing tips. I would appreciate more of these please, as however many times I read their general guidelines and try to follow them, I still haven't succeeded in getting a story accepted by them.
Thanks for all the competition updates Patsy. I love all the photos very inspirational for a writer especially if you can't be there yourself...Oh hey wait
Congratulations to all those who have been long or short listed for competitions, fantastic achievements & definitely to be celebrated. Just read the TPF writing tips which are really interesting & useful especially in light of the fact that I have never had an acceptance from TPF. Yes I think such specific & concise writing tips are to be welcomed & personally I would be delighted to read more
Many thanks for these opportunities, Patsy - might have a look at the Globe Soup one again (I didn't sign up before).
Globe Soup sounds interesting... Well done to all the successes. Fiona, I regularly do Writing Magazine - partly becuase subscribers get a free entry every other month and partly self-discipline - makes me do a short story to completion. A bit randomly I have just entered (paying) Faversham Literary Festival for a short listed one from WM, so a fair chance of 'being good?' The rubric said 'not one that has won'. I used to live about a mile from Faversham as the crow flies, but that was the only real link ;) Generally, I, too, stick to the free ones nowadays.
Loving the wisteria, Patsy!
@ Fiona and Anon - Well done! And thank you for letting me know. It's always good to hear people found a link I posted interesting enough that they had a go, and even better when they had success!
@ Fiona – I've nothing against paid for competitions. I've entered a few in the past and wouldn't rule out doing so again. I do agree that it's best to consider them carefully before going ahead.
@ New Girl - If it's any consolation it took me a long time to get on their wavelength and have stories accepted.
@ Sheelagh – The next lot will be further from home – for you, if not for me.
@ Rosemary – Seems worth a go. We can always drop out again if we decide it's not for us.
@ Marguerite – I think the closing dates on competitions which forces us to get something finished is a big benefit of entering.
The wisteria is lovely. I spotted it in Sheelagh's garden when I visited towards the start of the trip, and couldn't resist taking a picture. Isn't it nice the way it ones in with the greenhouse door behind?
Thanks for the the competition info, Patsy, which is always useful. I also enjoy looking at your photos. Whenever I see one which shows a ruined church, I often feel there’s the potential for some creepy story to germinate. (If only my thinking cap would stay on my head). Yes. I agree that any writing tips are useful - from any editor. Like a few others, I’ve not been able to fathom out TPF’s secret formula. Here’s hoping that someday...
Michael D
Thanx as always for competitions, Patsy.
Alan's writing tips are good - not always things that you think of...
Alyson
You can litter your posts with photos like those anytime!
https://www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk/2022/08/02/fiction-eds-blog-faster-fiction-feedback/
@ Michael – I sometimes get inspired by the photos I post, but it's often quite a while before a vague idea matures into a finished story.
@ Alyson – I agree, they're good tips.
@ Alex – Don't worry, I will!
@ Anonymous - Hmm, interesting ... Thanks for sharing that as I hadn't spotted it.
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