What's Best?

This probably makes me sound old, but... It's March tomorrow. How can that be happening so soon? On the plus side, that makes it semi-officially spring now.

Free Entry competition news

Creative Futures have a competition for 'underrepresented writers' with classes for poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. There will be fifteen winners who will share £2,500 and have their work published. The list of people considered underrepresented, including some I wouldn't have expected, so it's worth looking to see if you qualify.

Here's a short story competition for those who want a better world. The main prize is a year of 'writing guidance by a experienced writer / publisher'.

Womag / competition news

If you're thinking of entering Best's crime story competition, and as there's a £500 prize I expect most of have at least considered it, then you might want to take a look at this post by Simon Whaley. Thanks to Alyson for bringing it to my attention. 

btw, Simon is a useful source of information on many aspects of the business side of writing. It's worth signing up for his emails - unless you're one of those weir people who keep going of for months at a time in a campervan with limited data and internet access.

My news

As a very tiny part of Portsmouth Bookfest, I'll be at the Community Kettle in Cosham on Monday, selling books. If you happen to be in the area please pop in and say hello. No hard sell from me, I promise – and there will be cake available.

Three freeebies

Back to coloured sticks this week! 

Free entry writing competition news

Here's a flash fiction competition. In this case, flash means up to 1,000 words. It's for women writers only. The prize is publication and an invitation to join the group who are running the competition. 

On The Premises have a vey short story competition on the theme of circles. With a top prize of $35 you could earn more than a dollar a word! Thanks to Ruth for mentioning this in the comments to last week's post.

Thanks to Sharon Boothroyd for the link to this short story competition on the theme of hidden treasures. The prize is book tokens and possible publication. I may have mentioned this one before. Apologies if I have, but twice seems better than not at all.

My news

I've got two stories in womags this week. There are more details on my website.

Happy Valentine's!

Happy Valentine's! I've picked you some flowers (from my photo archives).

We're away in our campervan for a couple of days – just because we can. Hopefully I'll be surrounded by flowers today, as we're going to Kingston Lacy to look at the snowdrops. I'm becoming a galanthophile! We're doing something for Gary too, which will involve a bracing and character building walk.

Free entry writing competitions

This month, The Scottish Book Trust want 50 words about a fox, and offer an appropriately small prize. Thanks to Alyson for the reminder about that one. I know it's a regular thing, but keep forgetting both to mention it her, and to enter.

The Libraro Prize is somewhat bigger, being valued at £50,000 and including a publishing contract with Hatchette. They do want a whole book though - fiction or crossover YA, and you'd need to have finished it already as it's just about to close. Sorry for the late notice. I'm hoping late is better than never. There are reader prizes too, so it might be worth looking at even if your novel isn't quite ready (or not yet started) as it looks as though this is an annual competition.

The Jay Yes competition is for stories of 2,500 to 4,000 words, by unpublished writers. The prize is publication and publicity. There's plenty of time to get something written for this one.

Here's a romance novel writing competition for UK writers from a Black, Asian, mixed heritage and/or multiple ethnic background. The prize package includes £1,000 cash and help to get your book written and published.

Womag / competition news

Best have a new competition, this time with the theme of cosy crime. Thanks to Hazel (HB) for the picure with the details. Best take all writes for winning and runner up stories.

Dead cheap!

Today's treat (in addition to the bargain book mentioned below) is some coloured sticks. You weren't expecting that, were you?

Free entry writing competition news

I entered the tree to my door Valentine's competition, and got an acknowledgement wishing me luck. Then I got another email thanking me foe entering and spotted the words 'We regret to inform you'. I thought it was going to say I hadn't won, but it actually said they've decided not to run the competition. That's much worse! I'm rather cross, as I wrote something specifically after seeing the competition advertised on their site.

Story Glory has a free monthly fiction competition. You have to create an account with them, but it's free to do that. The prize this month is publication and a book. From next month there will be a choice of a book or Amazon voucher.

Thanks to Sharon Boothroyd for this nice sounding writing competition with eight cash prizes. They're looking for a piece of fiction, non-fiction or 'something in between' of up to 1,000 words on how you see the world. Anyone can enter. Closing date is Easter Sunday. If you've not entered a competition before, on account of feeling a bit apprehensive, this might be a good one to try.

Call for submissions

Thanks to Alyson Hilbourne for passing on this from Bridge House Publishing. The theme is 'Room at the Inn' and you have between 1,000 and 5,000 words to create something for inclusion in the anthology. In theory you could earn royalties, but don't count on it.

My news

My romantic murder mystery Acting Like A Killer is currently on sale for 99p / 99c. I think that's dead cheap! ;-) Anything you can do to help spread the word will be greatly appreciated.