The John O’Connor Writing School Short Story Competition 2018

“The world of John O’Connor is a world of the freshly snedded turnip, the new-sawn plank, the sod shining under the plough. His gift is to render the life of the Mill Row in Armagh as deftly and definitively as Steinbeck renders Cannery Row or Bob Dylan Desolate Row”

Paul Muldoon

The festival, sponsored and supported by internationally renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Paul Muldoon, has a two-fold purpose. It aims to to celebrate and commemorate the life and works of John O’Connor as well as offering practical guidance and assistance to aspiring writers through its workshops and master classes in the various literary genres and writing for commercial purposes.

Entries are currently invited from aspiring writers for the third John O’Connor Short Story Competition. It is being held to commemorate the Armagh born writer whose impressive literary legacy includes a collection of short stories which still retain a timeless appeal.

Prize

The prize winner will be awarded a full bursary to attend the John O’ Connor Writing School and Literary Arts Festival which will be held in Armagh from 1^st to 4^th November, 2018, plus a cash prize of £250. The bursary prize allows the recipient to enjoy all events in the John O’Connor Writing School and Literary Festival 2018, and to attend one class in the writing genre of his/her choice. The winner will be notified by 2 October.

The winning entrant will be formally announced at the opening of the Writing school on Friday 2nd November, and will have the opportunity to read at an event on Sunday 4^th November 2018. Single room accommodation will be available free of charge to the winning entrant.

Ts & Cs

The competition is open to those 16 years and over. Short stories must be the original work of the author and not previously published or have received awards in other competitions. Entries must be in English and between 1,800 and 2,000 words in length. 

There is an entry fee of £10. One entry per person. 

Submit your entry online by 12.00 noon on 28 August 2018.

Find full terms and conditions, and online entry form on http://thejohnoconnorwritingschool.com

Bridport Prizes

This is one of the most prestigious writing contests in the British literary calendar.

Do you have a really good poem or short story? Or a few? I mean, really REALLY good?

• poem - no more than 42 lines
• short story - no more than 5,000 words.   
• flash fiction category - stories of up to 250 words 
• First Novel - 5,000 to 8,000 words

This year’s judges are Daljit Nagra, & (poems) Monica Ali (flash fiction and short stories) and Kamila Shamsie (First novel).

    Closing: 31st May (postmarked)

Prizes: 

In each of the main categories (Short Stories, Poems) - £5,000, £1,000, £500.  There are also ten runners-up prizes of £100.  These are called ‘supplementary prizes’ to make you feel less like an also-ran.  The top four poems will be submitted to the Forward Prize. 

Prizes in the Flash Fiction category are £1,000, £500, £250, plus three supplementary awards of £100.

Note: Entries must never have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition.

    Entry Fees have increased:Poems - £9.  Short Stories - £10.  Flash Fiction - £8, Novel - £20
 
    Comp Page: Click Here.

Edgeworthtown Society Competitions

Poetry Competition
Up to 5 entries at €5 each

• 1st Prize - €250 
• 2nd Prize - €100 
• 3rd Prize - €50 

40 lines per poem limit.

Short Story Competition. Entry €5

1st Prize - €250 & Deirdre Purcell Perpetual Cup

2nd Prize - €100 

3rd Prize - €50 

2,000 words max.
Deadline: 9th March

Link to enter here

Doolin Writers’ Competition 2018

Doolin Writers’ Competition 2018 with a prize fund of €2500. Entries are now being accepted for Short Stories, Poetry and Flash Fiction 

Deadline: December 1st 2017. 

This year Doireann Ní Ghríofa will judge the poetry competition, Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen from Tramp Press will judge the Short Story and the Flash Fiction Category.

Meanwhile Hotel Doolin has confirmed the weekend of the 2nd-4th February for the 6th Annual Doolin Writers’ Weekend, County Clare will again play host to some of the country’s leading writers.

‘It’s a great opportunity for aspiring writers as well as literary fans and established authors to get together and mix, as Anne Enright, Irelands Laureate of fiction says, “there is no VIP room in Irish Literature,” and this is true also for the Doolin Writers’ Weekend, one of the key aspects of the festival for us is that it has the feel of a community with people joining  us here every year and just picking up where things left off, audiences and artists feeling at one and enjoying the communal spirit of the weekend.’ Donal Minihane- Event Organiser- Hotel Doolin General Manager

‘Doolin has long been associated with the arts, providing inspiration for musicians, painters & writers. Many of the greats spent time in Doolin, including JM Synge, George Bernard Shaw, Dylan Thomas, Augustus John & Oliver St. Gogarty. Post-crash Ireland is on the cusp of a new literary boom and we look forward to welcoming a new wave of bold and original writers to Doolin.’

Terms and Conditions

Entrants must be aged over 18 years.
No poet/writer may win more than one prize.
8 Shortlisted names in each category will be announced on Doolin Writers’ Facebook page at no less than 1 week prior to Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Shortlisted authors will be contacted by email. 2 winners in each category will be announced on the opening night of Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Winners will read their poem and excerpt from their story on Saturday night of the Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Accommodation and meals will be provide for winners and runners up on the Friday & Saturday night.
Poems, Flash Fiction and Stories must be entered separately.
Currency conversion for the purpose of this competition (subject to change): 10.00 Euro = £8.00 Sterling = US$14.00

POSTAL ENTRIES
For Postal entries please post your submission to Doolin Writers’ Competition Entry with a cover letter to have your name, email address and contact number and with the €10 Fee in a cheque or Postal order form made payable to Hotel Doolin. Your name and contact details must appear only in the cover letter and not the story or poem.

ONLINE ENTRIES
Click on the Submitable button on our website and follow the steps to upload your entry, your name and contact details must not appear on the entry uploaded only on the fields provided online.

Flash Fiction 1st Prize €500
Must be in English, must each be no more than 500 words (that does not include the title).
Must show title & story only, must not show writer’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted stories – Please note stories submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
Must be double spaced.
Must be the original work of the entrant.
Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).

Poems First Prize €1000

Must be in English, must each be no longer than 40 lines (that does not include the title).
Must show title & poem only, must not show poet’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted poems – Please note poems submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
Must be the original work of the entrant.
Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).
Three is the limit on number of poems you can submit; no alterations accepted after submission.

Short Story First Prize €1000

Must be in English, must each be between 1000-3000 words (that does not include the title).
Must show title & story only, must not show writer’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted stories – Please note stories submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
Must be double spaced.
Must be the original work of the entrant.
Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).

Hanna Greally International Literary Awards 2017

Deadline: 10th October 

The Hanna Greally International Literary Awards happen in conjunction with SiarScéal Festival, held in Roscommon every year since its inception in 2007. This year's 10th anniversary festival takes place over two days: Friday and Saturday, 20-21 October at Roscommon County Library in Roscommon Town, from 10am to 4.30pm on each day. The full programme of events has been announced and is posted online (also available to download in handy brochure format).

Winners in this year's Hanna Greally International Literary Awards will be announced and prizes presented as part of the formal proceedings that follow the Official Launch. The Overall Winner will take away the prize of seeing his or her book published professionally and formally launched at the following year's SiarScéal Festival (dates to be announced). The estimated value of this prize, which is sponsored by The Manuscript Publisher, is put at €2000. Full details of what the winning author will receive are outlined here.

In addition to the Overall Prize, there is also a First Prize – a cash prize of €700 – with trophy prizes for Highly Commended entries in the various categories of poetry, prose/short stories. The Ger Hanily Memorial Cup will be awarded to the best local entry received.

Day One of the festival, is entirely devoted to the Student Awards presentation, including a Student of the Year Trophy. This event is sponsored by Allied Irish Bank. The following day, Saturday 21 October, will see the presentation of awards in the other categories, including Overall and First Prize winners.

Mary Melvin Geoghegan, who is the adjudicator of this year's awards, will be the guest speaker. She herself is an award-winning poet. To date, four volumes of her poetry have been published, the most recent being, Say It Like a Paragraph (2012).

Entries may consist of poetry and/or prose compositions, previously unpublished, on the theme of Beneath Western Skies.

Full details of how to enter (including how the facility to enter online), terms and conditions, rules of entry are available from SiarScéal.

Third Annual Metro Éireann Intercultural Writing Competition

Metro Éireann, in collaboration with Duke University’s Kenan Institute of Ethics, invites young writers living in Ireland to submit original works of writing to its third annual intercultural writing competition.

Writers between the ages of 14 and 21 – immigrants and non-immigrants – are encouraged to enter submissions that explore the ethical challenges associated with intercultural diversity in Ireland. There is no submission fee.

Prizes. €3200 will be awarded in three categories during a ceremony on August 4, 2017. There will be: 
- An ages 14-17 winner (€800) and runner-up (€400)
- An ages 18-21 winner (€800) and runner-up (€400)
- An ages 14-21 Spirit of Intercultural Ethics winner (€800)

Winning entries may also be published in Metro Éireann.

Deadline: July 30, 2017, 

All submissions must be previously unpublished. Submissions may take one of three forms: 
- A short story (2,000 words maximum)
- A novel extract (2,000 words maximum)
- A selection of poetry (5 poems maximum)

Submissions must be typed using 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and sent to info@metroeireann.com with the entrant’s full name and the word ‘Submissions’ in the subject line. Submissions should also include a cover page that provides the entrant’s personal information (name, age, address, telephone number) and details about their work (age category, title).

Judges will determine winners according to the following list of criteria:
- Engagement with themes of ethics and intercultural diversity
- Creativity and originality
- Organization and structure
- Impact on the reader
- Initiative of beginning writers

Words By Water competitions

Words By Water: Kinsale Literary Festival is delighted to welcome entries to the Words By Water competitions.

Email your entry to :  wordsbywater@gmail.com

Deadline: 31st August

Short Story Competition
Submit a short story of up to 2000 words, for consideration by judge Sarah Moore Fitzgerald.
​Prize: 1st Prize is €250 plus publication in the Evening Echo.
​Fee: Payment of €12 per entry :

​Seem quite a steep entry fee for a small-ish prize​

Poetry Competition
Submit up to three poems, up to a maximum of 30 lines, for consideration by judge Niall MacMonagle.
Prize: 1st Prize is €150 plus publication in the Evening Echo,
Fee: Payment of €6 per entry (max of 3 per person) :
​
again, quite steep for a small prize​​

Terms and conditions:

• The competition is open to people of 16 years and older.
• Competition is open internationally.
• Entries must be the original work of the author and must not have been previously published either in writing or electronically. Entries which have received awards in other competitions are also ineligible.
• The author’s name and details should only appear on the accompanying e-mail. Please ensure that the title is clearly marked at the top of the entry and each page thereafter. The author’s name must NOT appear on the entry submitted, only on the e-mail accompanying the piece.
• Shortlisted writers will be invited to attend the award ceremony on Thursday October 5, 2017, however all expenses incurred will be the writer’s own.

Link here

Words by Water  Kinsale Literary Festival 5 - 8th Oct 2017 Words by Water The first Kinsale Literary Festival, is taking place in October and promises a host of entertainment for readers and writers. We are running two competitions - short story & poetry for your consideration. Short Story Competition Words By Water: Kinsale Literary Festival is delighted to welcome entries to the Words By Water Short Story Award. Writers are invited to submit a short story of up to 2000 words, for consideration by judge Sarah Moore Fitzgerald. Theme: Open​ 1st Prize is €250 plus publication in the Evening Echo.​ How to Enter: Email your entry to :  wordsbywater@gmail.com Payment of €12 per entry  Poetry Competition​ Words By Water: Kinsale Literary Festival is delighted to welcome entries to the Words By Water Poetry Award. Poets are invited to submit up to three poems, up to a maximum of 30 lines, for consideration by judge Niall MacMonagle. Theme: open 1st Prize is €150 plus publication in the Evening Echo,​ How to Enter: Email your entry to :  wordsbywater@gmail.com Payment of €6 per entry (max of 3 per person) : Full Terms & Conditions are listed www.wordsbywater.ie

Wexford Literary Festival Competition

Wexford Literary Festival 2017 runs from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21 in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, the heart of Ireland’s South-East. The Festival is holding three writing competitions: The Colm Tóibín International Short Story Award, The Wexford Literary Festival International Poetry Award, and The Wexford Literary Festival One-Act Play Competition.


Colm Tóibín International Short Story Award
Wexford Literary Festival welcomes entries to its annual international Colm Tóibín Short Story Award.
1st Prize is €1,000, 2nd Prize €500, 3rd Prize €300
Entries must be between 1,800 and 2,000 words in length.


Wexford Literary Festival International Poetry Award
Poets are invited to submit up to three poems, up to a maximum of 40 lines, for consideration.
1st Prize is €250 plus the Wexford Literary Festival International Poetry crystal award, 2nd €200 and 3rd €100
Entries can be up to and including 40 lines in length


Wexford Literary Festival One-Act Play Competition
Playwrights are invited to submit plays of up to 15 minutes in length and four finalists will have their pieces performed by Enniscorthy Drama Group at this year’s festival.
The play should require no more than four actors.
Four finalists will have their pieces performed by Enniscorthy Drama Group at this year’s festival, with a prize of €300 euro going to the overall winner.


Entry fee: €10
Deadline: 1st April 2017
Shortlisted writers will be invited to attend the award ceremony on Sunday, May 21, 2017, however all expenses incurred will be the writer’s own
Link here

Mslexia Short Fiction Competition 2017

Open to stories up to 3,000 words plus a new category for flash fiction up to 300 words, there’s even more reason to get started on some new prose. Deadline: 20 March 2017 The prize for best Short Story is an amazing £2,000 and includes two optional extras: a week’s writing retreat at Gladstone’s Library and a money-can’t-buy mentoring day with a Virago editor. Three other finalists will receive £100. The new Flash Fiction category has a first prize of £500 with three finalists winning £50. All winning pieces will be published in the June issue of Mslexia. Judging the longer stories this year is twice Booker-shortlisted novelist and short story author Deborah Levy, whose novel Hot Milk came out last year. Our new Flash Fiction category is being judged by award-winning flash fiction writer and novelist Kit de Waal, whose début novel My Name is Leon was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award in 2016. Fee: £10 per story. Short Story category entries can be between 300 and 3,000 words in length and can be on any subject. Flash fiction category entries should be up to 300 words in length and can be on any subject. See the website for full details of how to enter.

Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2017

Waterford City & County Council’s Arts Office is pleased to announce that it is currently accepting entries for the Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2017.

Annually since 1998, to celebrate this rich literary life, the Waterford Arts Office, by kind permission of the Keane family has invited entries for a previously unpublished short story to a maximum of 2000 words.

There is no entry fee, no age limit and no restriction on the subject matter.

A prize of €500 will be awarded to the winner at a special presentation ceremony during the IMMRAMA Literary Festival in Lismore, Co. Waterford on Saturday 17th June 2017.

The closing date for receipt of entries is Tuesday 14th March 2017 at 12 noon.

Full details and an entry form can be downloaded from www.waterfordcouncil.ie or by contacting the Arts Office on 058-41416.

Stories for Homes Volume 2

As a writer, you have to be selective when submitting to charity anthologies. Some are real pie in the sky with only token payments ending up at the charities. So do your homework.

This one is one of the good ones.

Stories for Homes is a project to raise funds for the UK housing charity Shelter and to raise awareness about the housing crisis in London and beyond. The Stories for Homes anthology was published in 2013. A second volume is planned for 2017.

In 2013, known and emerging writers were invited to submit stories of up to 3,000 words on the theme of Home. An amazing team came together to produce Stories for Homes, a world class anthology of short stories e-published 29th July 2013 with the paperback published December 2013.

The book is available from selected bookshops, Amazon and Create Space store.

Within days of publication Stories for Homes Anthology became a best-selling anthology. To date the project has raised money for Shelter and raised the profile of the problem of homelessness across the UK. Read the fantastic reviews for Stories for Homes Anthology here!

The idea of ‘Home’ has been on our minds a lot recently. More than ever, with millions of people driven from their homes all over the world, ‘shelter’ often equates to ‘safety’. Closer to home, at least 120,000 children in the UK were homeless for Christmas 2016. Shelter, the charity that helps the homeless and those in poor housing, needs our help more than ever, and what better way to do that than by bringing our creative minds to consider all that home means?

We are now open for submissions for Stories for Homes Volume 2. The plan is to launch the e-book in September 2017 and a paperback version in November 2017. As before, all profits will go directly to Shelter.

Here are the submission guidelines:

• Stories should be between 100 and 3000 words long (not including the title).
• The theme is HOME.
• Please send your story as a Word document in an attachment to sforh2@gmail.com AND copy in debi.alper@gmail.com. It’s important to send it to both email addresses.
• DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON THE ATTACHMENT. Submissions will be considered anonymously. All writers are welcome to submit – unpublished, previously published and those who were included in Stories for Homes Volume One. Anonymous submissions will give a level playing field to all those submitting.
• The deadline is midnight (UK time) 14th February 2017.

Listowel Writers Week Creative Writing Competitions

Listowel Writers’ Week is an internationally acclaimed literary festival devoted to bringing together writers and audiences at unique and innovative events in the historic and intimate surroundings of Listowel County Kerry. 

31st May to 4th of June 2017

The Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year is generously sponsored by Kerry Group Plc, and with a prize of €15,000 it remains the largest monetary prize for fiction available solely to Irish authors. Novels must be published between 1st February 2016 and 1st February 2017. The 2016 Prize was won by Anne Enright for The Green Road.

The Pigott Poetry Prize, now in its fourth year, is generously sponsored by Mark Pigott KBE and the Pigott Family. The €5,000 Prize is awarded for a published collection of Poetry by an Irish poet. Collection entries must be published between 1st February 2016 and 1st February 2017. The 2016 Prize was won by Eamon Grennan for There Now.

The closing date for entries for the above two awards is 3rd February 2017 and submissions now being accepted for both awards.

All other Creative Writing Competitions are open to entries that are previously unpublished and include: The Bryan MacMahon Short Story Award, The Eamon Keane Full-Length Play in association with Siamsa Tíre, the Single Poem and the Poetry Collection, Listowel Writers’ Week Originals, the Con Houlihan Young Sports Journalist Award and Kerry County Council Creative Writing Competitions for Youth. All of the above include a generous prize fund and many can be entered online through our website.  Closing date for receipt of entries is 3rd March 2017.

Prize-winners of ALL our competitions will receive their awards on the Opening Night of Listowel Writers Week on Wednesday 31st May 2017.

Some are free to enter, some are around €10. Full details and criteria for ALL our Creative Writing Competitions are available here Competitions

Cúirt New Writing Prize 2017

The Cúirt New Writing Prize, in memory of Lena Maguire, is now open for  submissions.


The categories are poetry and fiction.


There is a €500 cash prize for the winner of each category and the opportunity to read at the Cúirt/Over the Edge Showcase event at Cúirt 2017.


The entry fee for each submission is €10, this can be paid via the Paypal button.


This year’s judges are poet Doireann Ní Ghríofa and writer Sarah Maria Griffin.


The youth strand of the prize ‘Young Cúirt’ is for ages 12-17. The winner will receive €100 cash prize and will read at the Cúirt Labs in April.


The closing date for submissions is Tuesday 31st  January 2017 at 5pm.


More information here

Scottish Arts Short Story Competition

The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition is open to writers worldwide aged over 18 years, by 30 September 2017, published and unpublished.
Stories entered for the competition should be 1,500 words or less and can be on any topic.

A team of dedicated readers assists the selection process with the writer Alexander McCall Smith making the final selection of the winner and the runners-up.

The Isobel Lodge Award for New Scottish Writing is open to all unpublished writers over 18 years by 30 September 2017 who were born in Scotland, had their primary residence in Scotland or were studying in Scotland on 1 January 2017.

FEES:

Every story submitted carries an entry fee of £10 payable as a donation to the Scottish Arts Club Charitable Trust via credit/debit card, PayPal or cheque. All funds raised through the competition will be channelled through the Scottish Arts Club Charitable Trust to benefit the arts in Scotland.

FORMAT:

• All stories should be in English, double spaced, 12pt, in Microsoft Word or in a PDF format. The title of the story and page number should appear on every page. This should be inserted using the header format option.
• The total number of words excluding the title should be listed at the end of the story.  

SUBMISSION: Stories are submitted via email with an entry form to shortstory@scottishartsclub.co.uk.

PRIZES:
The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition includes awards for:

• The overall winner – £800
• Two runners-up – £100 each
• The Scottish Arts Club Members Award – Trophy
• The Isobel Lodge Award for New Scottish Writing – £500
• All finalists – signed copies of an Alexander McCall Smith novel

All finalists in the short story competition will be informed personally by email or by telephone by 15 September. Finalists stories will be published on the websites of the Scottish Arts Club and the Scottish Arts Club Charitable Trust.

The awards will be presented on Saturday 14 October 2017 during the Scottish Arts Club Short Story Awards Dinner.

All the stories from 2016 may be read on the web site of the Scottish Arts Club Charitable Trust atwww.sacctrust.org/story – where writers may also enter the 2017 competition.

Deadline: 31st March 2017

Women’s Way Short Story Competition

Woman’s Way is launching a short story competition for the second year. We want all our readers who enjoy writing to enter our competition.

Our theme this year is REINVENTION. This year, we’re narrowing the genres to five and will be picking one winner from each genre. These are:

• Romance
• Horror
• Childrens/Young Adult
• Humour/Comedy
• Crime/Thriller

Our winners’ stories will appear in our Christmas annual, issue 51 (on sale December 27) plus some extra special gifts.

Note: They are not saying what the prize is...but there is no fee

• Stories must be previously unpublished though you can submit more than one story per category. We will not accept poetry, scripts or an opinion piece
• Word count: One page stories of a maximum of 800 words
• Entries should be typed on double line spacing on side of paper only, Times New Roman, 12 point, with wide margins. All stories must be in English and each page numbered
• Please add a cover page to each story which includes: your name, postal address, email address, contact number, name of story, word count and category you’re entering. Also include a 50-word biography
• Stories may edited to Woman’s Way’s house style

More info on writing.ie
Send your completed stories and cover page to atoner@harmonia.ie 

Deadline: 1st December

Doolin Writers Weekend Competition

Doolin Writers Weekend Competition is now open for entries for short stories, poems and flash fiction

Judges Sinéad Gleeson, E.M. Reapy and Rita Ann Higgins. 

This year they've gone “green” and are asking for submissions online if possible.

In 2017 it'll be the 5th year of Doolin Writers’ Weekend, at Hotel Doolin Ireland from 3rd to 5th of February 2017. Some names on the programme so far: Sara Baume, Mike McCormack, Claire-Louise Bennett, Alan McMonagle, Declan Meade, Elaine Feeney with many more to be announced. 

I'm hoping they're going to ask me, TBH. It has a great reputation for fun.

For more information on the competitions please follow this link http://www.hotel Doolin.ie/doolin-writers-festival.html

Deadline 13th January 2017

Doolin Writers’ Weekend Competition

Deadline: Friday 13th January 2017

The 5th annual Doolin Writers’ Weekend taking place at Hotel Doolin from 3rd to 5th of February 2017. Participants confirmed for this year so far include Sara Baume, Mike McCormack, Claire- Louise Bennett, Alan McMonagle, Declan Meade, Rita Ann Higgins, Elaine Feeney and many more to be announced.

The Doolin Writers competition runs in conjunction with the weekend and includes prizes for poetry (€1000), flash fiction (€500) and short stories (€1000).

General rules:

• Submissions accepted from poets/writers of any nationality, from any country.
• Must show title & story only, must not show writer’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted stories – Please note stories submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
• Poems, Flash Fiction and Stories must be entered separately.
• Must be double spaced.
• Must be the original work of the entrant.
• Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).

• 8 Shortlisted names in each category will be announced on Doolin Writers’ Facebook page at no less than 1 week prior to Doolin Writers’ Weekend.
• 2 winners in each category will be announced on the opening night of Doolin Writers’ Weekend.
• Winners will read their poem and excerpt from their story on Saturday night of the Doolin Writers’ Weekend.
• Accommodation and meals will be provide for winners and runners up on the Friday & Saturday night. 

Postal Entries
For Postal entries please post your submission to Doolin Writers’ Competition Entry with a cover letter to have your name, email address and contact number and with the €10 Fee in a cheque or Postal order form made payable to Hotel Doolin.

Here is the link to the website http://www.hoteldoolin.ie/doolin-writers-festival.html for online entries.

Flash Fiction 1st Prize €500
Must be in English, must each be no more than 500 words (that does not include the title).

Poems First Prize €1000
Must be in English, must each be no longer than 40 lines (that does not include the title).

Short Story First Prize €1000
Must be in English, must each be between 1000-3000 words (that does not include the title).

Unbound Short Story Prize

Unbound is crowdfunding, a relatively new way of published so please enter eyes open.

To celebrate the fifth birthday of Unbound, the founders are delighted to announce the first Unbound Short Story Prize.

Deadline 31st October 2016

The competition is open to writers from all over the world, writing in any style or genre, and there is a prize fund of £5,000. The top 20 stories will be published in the Unbound Short Story Prize Anthology.

The author of the winning story will receive £2,000 and be offered a book deal with Unbound.

Like all Unbound books, this one is being crowdfunded. Our hope is that we will find short story enthusiasts, both writers and readers, who want to help us make this anthology a reality.
The book will be published once we hit 100% and the closing date has passed, with everyone who helped to crowdfund it getting a special Unbound edition, and another edition appearing later in bookshops

Rules

1. The maximum length per story submitted is 5,000 words but there is no minimum length. Flash fiction will be accepted. Stories can be in any style or genre and tackle any theme or subject.

2. The prize is open to all published and unpublished writers from anywhere in the world but all entries should be in English and entrants must be over 16 years old on the closing date, 31st October 2016.

3. Submitted stories should not have previously been published in print or online. There is no need to submit at the time of pledging.

4. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant. No plagiarism or copying. We cannot accept simultaneous submissions.

5. All entrants must agree that, if shortlisted, their work will be published in the Unbound Short Story Prize Anthology book and ebook. Authors retain copyright of their work at all times but Unbound has first publication rights.

6. Each of the shortlisted authors will receive one free copy of the Unbound Short Story Prize Anthology, in addition to the copy they receive as part of their pledge, and will be able to purchase further copies at a discount of 50%.

7. No entrant may win more than one prize. The prize will be judged by the Unbound editorial team who will select a longlist of 50 titles before selecting 20 prize winners. The judges decision is final and no individual correspondence will be entered into regarding the selection.

8. Prizes are: 1st prize-£2000, 2nd prize -£800, 3rd prize -£500. Each of the 17 remaining shortlisted writers will receive £100.

9. Entrants who have paid for critiques and feedback will be contacted once the longlist has been announced.

10. This competition, like all projects at Unbound, is crowdfunded. In the unlikely event that the book does not hit its target all entrants will be offered a full refund.

To enter visit this page to make your pledge.

Bare Fiction Prize

International awards for Poetry, Flash Fiction, and Short Story.

Now in its third year, the Bare Fiction Prize has given new and old writers alike an equal chance to win big cash prizes and publication within each of the three categories offered. In 2015’s Bare Fiction Prize, first place in the poetry competition (judged by Jo Bell) went to Astra Bloom – a complete newcomer to the UK literary scene. Each entry is judged anonymously by our judges, with the poetry and flash fiction category judges reading every single entry and our short story judge reading a longlist selected by magazine editor, Robert Harper.

POETRY JUDGE: Helen Mort

FLASH FICTION JUDGE: David Gaffney 

SHORT STORY JUDGE: Courttia Newland 

PRIZES (IN EACH CATEGORY)

1st Prize: £500 

2nd Prize: £200 

3rd Prize: £100 

2 x Highly Commended Award: £25

1st, 2nd & 3rd prize winners will be published in the Spring 2017 issue of Bare Fiction Magazine and on the website, with the prizes to be awarded at the launch reading in London in Spring 2017

FEE

Poetry (max 40 lines):

Flash Fiction (max 500 words):

Short Story (max 3000 words):

£5 / £3 for subscribers

£6 / £4 for subscribers

£8 / £6 for subscribers

You can subscribe during the submission process if you wish.

Payment can be made by Credit/Debit Card, PayPal or by Cheque (GBP Sterling).

Link here

Deadline 31st October