There is still time for aspiring poets, novelists and creative writers of all kinds to enter the popular University of Winchester Writers' Festival 2018 writing competitions which are open until Friday 11 April 2018.
There are ten competitions in total, including one for poetry, three for writing for children and young people, flash fiction, short story, crime, memoir and the first three pages of a novel.
This year's poetry competition is sponsored by Guildford-based Dempsey and Windle. The publishing house has recently released the debut collections of University of Winchester MA Creative Writing graduates Wendy Falla (The Venus Pool) and Marc Brightside (Keep it in the Family).
A competition for young writers aged 5-16 with the theme 'The View from Here' will be judged by Isabel Rogers, Hampshire Poet 2016-2017, who lives in Cheriton, Hampshire. Prizes include tickets to Marwell Wildlife, which is sponsoring the competition, and books.
"Success in the Festival competitions can open doors in the literary world for writers of all ages," said Judith Heneghan, Festival Director and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing.
"Winning a writing competition is a significant endorsement for any writer and agents and publishers take note of this kind of success. Competitions also provide opportunities for publishers to discover exciting new writing talent in a variety of genres."
Competition prizes are designed to help winners achieve their writing goals by providing consultations with literary agents and commissioning editors, as well as book prizes and subscriptions. All first prize winning work is published in the Festival's anthology The Best of 2018.
Competitions are open to all writers across the UK and around the world regardless of whether or not they attend the Festival in June. All entries must be original, previously unpublished, in English, written by one author, and not have won an award in any previous competition. Competitions close on Friday 13 April 2018.
For full details of how to enter, entry fees, prizes and terms and conditions visit: www.writersfestival.co.uk
The Best of 2017 anthology of the first place winners and adjudications is available to purchase from the Winchester Writers' Festival website for £7.95, including postage and packing. To purchase, please click here.
The University of Winchester Writers' Festival 2018 writing competitions are listed below. For full details of how to enter, prizes and terms and conditions visit www.writersfestival.co.uk
Poetry
Entrants are invited to submit poems on any subject up to a maximum of 40 lines for each entry.
1st prize: £125
2nd prize: £75
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicator: Joan McGavin, poet and lecturer
Sponsor: Dempsey and Windle Publishers
Writing Can Be Murder
Entrants are invited to submit the first 500 words of a short story or novel with a murder thriller theme.
1st prize: Books to the value of £60
2nd prize: Books to the value of £40
3rd prize: Books to the value of £20
Adjudicator: Simon Hall, Author
Sponsor: P&G Wells Ltd, Booksellers
Memoir
Entrants are invited to submit a memoir of up to 2500 words. This may be a self-contained piece, or it may be the first chapter of a full-length memoir.
1st prize: Attendance at one of the Writers' & Artists' popular 'How to Hook an Agent' lunches (value £175)
2nd prize: A copy of either the 2018 Writers' & Artists' Yearbook or the 2018 Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook plus two other writing advice books
3rd prize: A copy of the 2018 Writers' & Artists' Yearbook and the 2018 Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook
Adjudicator: TBA
Sponsor: Writers' & Artists' Yearbook
Picture Book
For readers aged 3-6. Entrants are invited to submit a text of no more than 600 words in prose or verse for children aged 3-6.
1st prize: Editorial meeting with Little Tiger to discuss the winning submission
2nd prize: Book prize and constructive written feedback
3rd prize: Book prize and constructive written feedback
Adjudicators: Editorial Department, Little Tiger Press
Sponsor: Little Tiger Press Group
Children's Funny Fiction
For readers aged 8-12. Entrants are invited to submit the opening chapter or section (maximum 1000 words) of a humorous work for children and a one-page synopsis of the remainder.
1st prize: Editorial meeting with Stripes Publishing to discuss the winning submission
2nd prize: Book prize and constructive written feedback
3rd prize: Book prize and constructive written feedback
Adjudicators: Editorial Department, Stripes Publishing
Sponsor: Little Tiger Press Group
Skylark Soaring Stories
For writers of middle grade and young adult fiction. Skylark is looking for an instantly intriguing concept coupled with a remarkable writing voice. Entrants are invited to submit the first 2000 words of a work of fiction for readers aged 8-12 or 12+.
1st prize: One-to-one consultation with a literary agent at Skylark Literary on story development (based on the sample and synopsis entered) of at least one hour
2nd prize: One-to-one telephone consultation on sample and synopsis of 30 minutes, plus £50
3rd prize: One-to-one telephone consultation on sample and synopsis of 20 minutes, plus £25
Three runners-up: One or two paragraphs of written feedback on their sample and synopsis
Sponsor and adjudicator: Skylark Literary
Flash Fiction
In 500 words, send us a flash fiction which will intrigue, excite and entertain, and which will linger in the mind long after reading.
1st prize: Writing Magazine one-year digital subscription
2nd prize: Writing Magazine one-year digital subscription
3rd prize: Writing Magazine one-year digital subscription
Adjudicator: Claire Fuller, award-winning author of novels, short stories and flash fiction
Sponsor: Writing Magazine
First Three Pages of a Novel
Entrants are invited to send the first three pages of their novel plus a 600 word max synopsis. Any theme or period.
1st prize: Editorial meeting with Little, Brown to discuss the winning submission
2nd prize: Books to the value of £70
3rd prize: Books to the value of £30
Adjudicator: Anna Boatman, Little, Brown Book Group
Sponsor: Little, Brown Book Group
Short Stories
Entrants are invited to submit quality short stories on any subject, theme or period (no children's stories). Length 1500 to 3000 words for each entry.
1st Prize: Telephone consultation with literary agent at Janklow & Nesbit UK
2nd Prize: Book prize
3rd Prize: Book prize
Adjudicator: Susmita Bhattacharya, author and lecturer
Sponsor: Janklow & Nesbit UK
Young Writers' Competition
This year's theme is 'The View from Here'. Entrants are invited to send prose (no more than one page) or a poem (no more than 30 lines) about your view ... of the world, of your surroundings, of your life or you can write about an imaginary view. Two categories: School Years 1-6 and School Years 7-11.
Each of the categories offers prizes of National Book Tokens for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, plus tickets to Marwell Wildlife and a framed certificate.
Adjudicator: Isabel Rogers, Hampshire Poet 2016-17
Sponsors: University of Winchester, Marwell Wildlife