Off the Beaten Track Writing Competition

Free To Enter 
prize of £100 
Judged by the Editorial Staff of SeniorTravelExpert.com.

SeniorTravelExpert.com are seeking aspiring or established travel writers to send us interesting, original writing relating to the competition theme: Off the Beaten Track. Your article may be about a fascinating, relatively unknown place near to where you live or that you came across by chance when travelling around, or it may be a totally fictional place. It’s entirely up to you.

The winning entry will be the one that is judged to most effectively persuade readers of theSenior Travel Expert website that the place you describe is somewhere they would very much like to visit.

(So no horror stories about delhi belly or street muggings I guess)

Although this website is aimed at seniors (meaning anyone 55 years old or above), you most certainly don’t need to be a senior yourself to submit an entry – far from it! Anyone 16 years old and above is invited to submit an entry.

Entries should be no more than 750 words in length, but could be much less, and should be written in English. Entries can be factual or fictional.

Please read the full Terms and Conditions before entering. The closing date for entries is midnight UK time on Friday, September 30th, 2016.

High Life New Talent Awards

In my constant search to bring you some out of the ordinary places to which you can submit your writing, I flew with British Airways last month and saw this in their rather excellent High Life Magazine.

Celebrating 500 issues of High Life, this exciting new competition is aimed at finding the best young talent in writing, photography and film

Don't know why they restrict it to "young" though. Seems rather short-sighted. Most people who can afford to travel regularly are not "young."

As part of the celebrations for our milestone 500th issue this month, the inaugural High Life New Talent Awards has been conceived to find — and reward — the best young writers, photographers and filmmakers aged between 18-30. 

The first prize for each category of the competition will be undertaking an international commission for High Life. 

The overarching theme of the competition this year will be simply ‘cities’. Writers entering the awards will be asked to submit a well-structured, original and captivating 500-word travel feature about a city of their choice. Photographers should submit up to three images that capture the essence of their chosen city, in a way that is imaginative and astute. Film-makers should submit an evocative film about their city that is up to three minutes long, demonstrating both technical and creative ability. 

The judging panel will include BBC world affairs editor John Simpson, the renowned photographer, Rankin, and director, scriptwriter and punk pioneer, Viv Albertine. Joining them will be High Life editor, Kerry Smith, and other senior members of the magazine’s staff.

On 3 February 2016, finalists will be invited to an exclusive exhibition opening at the Strand Gallery, in association with Proud Galleries, where their work will be showcased and the winners will be revealed. The winners will also be announced in High Life magazine and on highlife.ba.com.

The competition is open to UK residents, and will close at 23:59 GMT on 3 January 2016. 

Link here 

Irish Times Travel Writing Competition

Fancy turning your hand to a 600 word feature on travel for the Irish Times? Fancy no more.

The Irish Times is inviting aspiring writers to have a go at penning a feature for the Travel section online. The author of the best entry, selected by our judges, will win the title of Irish Times Amateur Travel Writer of the Year, along with a travel writing assignment abroad for The Irish Times Magazine.

Your article could focus on a particular encounter with a person or place, or a big adventure or journey to somewhere wild or exotic. It could be a trip in Ireland or thousands of kilometres away, alone or with friends or family; the destination doesn’t matter, but the more unusual your angle, the better your chances of winning. They are looking for are engaging, entertaining, original and well-written stories.

Articles should be 600 words or under and submitted using this form. 

A selection of the best contributions will be published on irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel, or in the Saturday Magazine travel section.

Link here

Deadline 26 September 2015

West Cork Literary Festival Workshops

West Cork in the summer. Mmm

Ever since West Cork Literary Festival’s inception in the late 1990s, workshops for adults have been at the heart of the programme.  Encouraging both novice and experienced writers, they cover many areas of the discipline, from how to get published to how to get past page one. Our five-day workshops, still quite unique among Irish literary festivals, provide week-long opportunities for development and intensive learning not possible in one sitting. Three-day workshops are also programmed to allow for a shorter but no less intensive learning experience. Yet another highlight is the Editor-in-Residence whose one-to-one sessions were tremendously popular in 2012, selling out in record time.

Fees: €160 (5-day); €100 (3-day)
*There will be an additional fee for the ferry to/from Whiddy Island for the Travel Writing Workshop.
Dates & Times: All workshops run concurrently 9.30am-12.30pm
Mon-Fri, 8-12 July 2013 (5-day) & Mon-Wed, 8-10 July 2013 (3-day)


5-DAY WORKSHOPS

 POETRY WORKSHOP (ALL LEVELS) with James Harpur
SONGWRITING with Jimmy Crowley
WHERE DO STORIES COME FROM? THE SHORT STORY with John MacKenna
THE NOVEL - HOW TO GET STARTED … AND HOW TO KEEP GOING with Richard Skinner
POETRY WORKSHOP (ADVANCED) with Ruth Padel
BECOMING A TRAVEL WRITER IN FIVE EASY STEPS with Kevin Rushby
MEMOIR AND NON FICTION with Carol Drinkwater
A PROFESSIONAL FINISH with Hazel Orme
      
5-DAY WORKSHOP FOR TEENAGE WRITERS

WORDS ALLOWED - Workshop for Teenage Writers with Dave Lordan 

3-DAY WORKSHOPS
HOW TO CREATE AND MANAGE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE with Ellyssa Kroski
I SEE A VOICE...* with Thomas Conway
WILD WOMEN WRITING with Magi Gibson
3-day or 5-day workshop optional

EDITOR-IN-RESIDENCE SESSIONS with Francesca Main
Fee: €40 per 50-min session (available times below)

Lots more details here

Uniquely Dublin International Competition

This is an all encompassing competition but includes an entry of up to 100 words. So get writing!

People from all over the world are invited to celebrate Dublin in a way that is compelling, innovative and popular. From a few simple words to short films, the competition is open to everyone, amateurs and professionals alike.

We're looking for entries that celebrate Dublin today. If you have something original to say, we want to hear it. Show us something that surprises or delights us. It could be a cartoon of your favourite character or a poem on Sandymount Strand. It could be a poster for the new Dublin or a piece of local slang as we've never seen or heard it before. It could be a painting, a slogan, a piece of propaganda or even a song. Make us look at Dublin with fresh eyes. Your eyes.

All you have to do is make a piece of work in one of the competition categories and send it to us. Works will be shortlisted by our distinguished panel of judges and then the public will decide the overall winner.

Why Enter?Not only will you have a say in Dublin's identity, but your work could be seen by thousands of people, and there are loads of prizes to be won.

There will be an exhibition of the winning entries in the Little Museum of Dublin in April 2013, submissions will be shown on billboards all over Dublin City, and prizes for the best work, including €10,000 for the overall winner and €1,000 for each of the category winners!

How to EnterThere are seven categories in which work can be entered; Film, Animation, Photography, Graphic Design, Written Word, Visual Arts and Music.

Entries must be sent by email. Please see the relevant category page for entry requirements and how to submit a work.
Entries will be accepted until January 28th 2013

Category Guidelines

Film
Entries must be no longer than two minutes in length, of broadcast quality, and ideally in widescreen (16:9) ratio. All film entries must possess model release forms where applicable. Entries may be submitted by Dropbox only, and in both full HD and web optimised formats - contact film@uniquelydublin.ie for access.

Animation
Entries must be no longer than two minutes in length, of broadcast quality, and ideally in widescreen (16:9) ratio. Animation of any kind (digital, stop-motion, hand drawn) is accepted. Entries may be submitted by Dropbox only, and in both full HD and web optimised formats - contact animation@uniquelydublin.ie for access.

Photography
Photographs may be colour or black and white, digital or film, and must be 300 DPI A3 portrait or landscape format. Entries must be submitted via email to photography@uniquelydublin.ie

Graphic Design
Entries must be in hi-res pdf format, with all fonts outlined, CMYK, or hi resolution TIFF files - A3 landscape or portrait. If chosen for exhibition, entrant may be asked to provide artwork for display size larger than A3. Entries can be submitted via email only to design@uniquelydublin.ie

Written Word
Each entry must be no longer than 100 words long. Entries must be submitted via email to write@uniquelydublin.ie

Visual Arts
One single piece of painting, drawing, sculpture or handcraft. Work must be documented thoroughly. That documentation will form the basis of initial appraisal of the work. If chosen for exhibition, entrant will be required to deliver actual artwork to the Little Museum of Dublin on a pre-arranged date. In the first instance photos of work must be submitted via email to visualarts@uniquelydublin.ie

Music
One single piece of music, must be no longer than four minutes in length. Entrants must provide a high-quality audio recording (stereo 44khz minimum). Entries must be submitted by email only to music@uniquelydublin.ie

All entries must be submitted as per the category instructions. All entries will be acknowledged by email: if you do not receive an acknowledgement your entry has not been received. No entries posted or delivered to any of the competition patrons will be accepted.
For more information, visit http://www.uniquelydublin.ie/

Creative Writing Courses in Belfast

These sound inviting, great prices too. More of this please.

Open Learning, Queen’s University, Belfast have weekly courses starting at the end of September. See the website for more details. 10 sessions for £33 to £58? Bargain!

includes:

• Citizen Journalist
• Creative Thinking and Writing: Visual Paths
• Creative Writing for Enthusiasts
• Poetry
• Developing Your Writing Skills
• Guided Autobiography Workshop
• How to make a short film
• Memoir Writing group
• Short Film Script Writing: Introduction
• Short Film Script Writing and Beyond
•  The Writer's Journey
• Travel Writing
• Ways Into Writing
• Writing About Nature
• Fiction
• Writing for Profit and Pleasure
• Writing for Profit: Practical 2-Day Workshop

There are also courses in Literature and Media Studies

Travel Writing - Just Back

If you are interested in travel writing and can make the most mundane trip sound wonderful, enter this Just Back from The Daily Telegraph pay £200 each
week for the best 500 word article.

Although most of the destinations written about are fairly exotic. Peru, Palestine, Arizona, Laos, Tanzania, the Himalayas, Edinburgh...

Interview with writer and blogger Nuala Ni Chonchor

This interview first published on writing.ie

Nuala Ní Chonchúir is a full-time fiction writer and poet. She has published three collections of short fiction, the most recent being Nude by Salt Publishing and three poetry collections, including the bi-lingual Tattoo: Tatu by Arlen House, and most recently one novel, You published by New Island.

Welcome to writing.ie. Could you introduce yourself to the readers please?
I’m a full-time writer from Dublin living in County Galway. I write both fiction and poetry but my heart lies in fiction really. I have three kids and ten hours a week to write so I stuff a lot into those precious ten hours. At the moment I am writing a novel and am at the ‘enjoying it’ stage of that.

How did you get into writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a child, it grew from my love of reading. I came second in a national poetry competition when I was ten and that gave me a boost and a special interest in writing. Michael Hartnett was the judge of that comp and I remember my mother’s awe and reverence when we met him; it rubbed off.

What do you consider the highlights so far?

Winning the Francis MacManus Award in 2003 was brilliant – the money was great and it was just an all round positive experience. My first novel You coming out last year with New Island, after 5 years of schlepping it around publishers, was also a highlight.

Which came first, poetry or fiction?
Poetry came first for me, but I fell in love with short fiction after taking a course with Mike McCormack in Galway Arts Centre in the mid nineties. I still love short stories, as both reader and writer.

How do you change from one form to another? Do you feel the poetry helps the fiction and vice versa?

I write everything at the same time, I don’t totally neglect one form for another. So even though I am in the thick of a novel, if a poem or short story occurs to me, I will abandon the novel to write that.

I think poetry and fiction complement each other. Poets pay very close attention to language and individual word choices – that then becomes important in the fiction.

What have you got coming up?
My third full poetry collection The Juno Charm is due out from Salmon Poetry in November, so I am putting the finishing touches to the manuscript at the moment.

Which Irish poets, living or dead, do you recommend people search out and read?

Too many to mention but here are a few: Patrick Cotter, Mary O’Donnell, Cherry Smyth, Paul Durcan, Matthew Sweeney, Grace Wells.

You can find out more about Nuala at ·http://www.nualanichonchuir.com/·and her lovely blog http://womenrulewriter.blogspot.com

Call for Papers

Past Imperfect, Present Tense: Creative Writing in contemporary Ireland

The Open University is seeking paper submissions for a one-day conference investigating contemporary writing in Ireland/Northern Ireland. Submissions are sought from writers, postgraduate and undergraduate creative writing students, and teachers of creative writing.

Papers should be no more than 20 minutes in length. Please send a 300 word abstract to H.Richardson@open.ac.uk
Deadline: 14th May 2011

General enquiries should be sent to L.McEwan@open.ac.uk

They don't say when the conference is though...

Guardian Travel Writing Competition

Ever fancied yourself as a travel writer?

Guardian third annual Readers' Travel Writing Competition invite you to write a 500-word feature about your 2010 holiday.

There are 8 categories:
A big adventure;
City break;
Action/activities;
Our family holiday;
Green/responsible travel;
UK holiday;
Hotel review;
Relaxation/beach

The 8 winning stories will be published in a special issue of Travel in November, along with some runners-up. The eight winners will also receive a fantastic holiday, which you will get to write up as a feature to be published in Travel next year. The judges will be looking for lively, personal stories that evoke a sense of place, reveal something new, and contain useful details, such as accommodation, attractions, restaurants and so on.

Your feature must not have been published before in any other printed publication or website. You can only enter one story per category.

Entries should be emailed to travelwritingcomp@guardian.co.uk, specifying the category you are entering and your name in the subject bar. Your email must include your address and phone number.

The deadline is 23.59pm on 24 October 2010.

Unfortunately you need a UK address: open to UK residents aged 18 and over

Travel Writing Competition

Want to try travel writing but never been published and paid? This one's for you.

The British Guild of Travel Writers has announced that as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, it is launching a new travel writing competition for unpublished travel writers in partnership with Traveller magazine.

The competition is open to all writers aged over 18, both UK and non-UK residents, who have not been published [paid work] in the travel field. Entrants should submit an 800-word article with the theme: A Very Special Place.

Deadline: 31 December 2009.

The prizes:

First prize comes courtesy of Travellers' Tales, the training agency for travel writing and travel photography, and the winner will enjoy a four-day travel writing holiday in the intoxicating city of Istanbul.

More on the website.

You will discover the city while practising your writing skills with a small group of fellow writers under the expert tuition of tutors such as Anthony Sattin, the distinguished Middle East expert, and Jonathan Lorie, former editor of Traveller and founder of the Travellers' Tales Festival (the next one takes place in London on 19-21 February 2010). See www.travellerstales.org

Second prize is a trip to Berlin courtesy of WEXAS, The Traveller's Club, in association with Hotel Berlin and Lufthansa. The prizewinner will enjoy a two-night stay in a double or twin room at the Hotel Berlin on a B&B basis, plus two return economy flights from the UK with Lufthansa.

Third prize is the winner's selection of 10 travel guides from award-winning publisher Bradt.

How to Write the Perfect Travel Article

I've been researching travel writing, an ambition of mine since I was in school. How come I've never tried to write one since last month? I don't know.

I stumbled upon a website called simonseeks that publishes travel articles and shares the profits from any advertising with the writers. Has anyone tried this? The owner is Simon Nixon, founder of lucrative websites Moneysupermarket and Travelsupermarket. Their how to write page is a good summary.

Anyway, here are some useful links, somewhat US biased:

ehow How to Write Travel Articles

How To Write the Perfect Travel Article by Martin Lee, a London based traveller.

One from Creative Non Fiction

The Crafty Writer has a good post.

and lastly How to Write a Bad Travel Article which covers all the bases, and some.

Summary:
Give a glimpse of life and culture in that place.
Give a detailed account, don’t generalise. Bring the place to life.
Create atmosphere.
Check and double check your facts
Be descriptive but don’t use cliches or too many adjectives.
Write a good hook to get your reader into the article.
A facts panel, how to get there, where to stay, where to eat is useful.
Pictures are vital - take lots.

Guess who's in the Irish Times?

Yes, it's me. No, not the news section with a scary report of a woman gone wild around Ronaldo (although it's not beyond the realms of impossibility) nor in the business section about a woman gone stony broke so her children are looking desparately for work so they can eat (anyone know of a temporary bar staff job or security or general casual labour? There's nothing going that we can find - completely demoralising)

No I'm in the Go section (Travel). Hidden Gems. Buy one today and read it and then write your own, why not?

I've loads more ideas from when I used to travel places. Maybe they'd be interested in a piece about travelling when you've no money...

BTW - they pay. 300 words. Give it a go.

Travel Acts of Kindness

Write in 100 words about a time when travelling in a developing country, you experienced an act of kindness. Read some of the entries to get an idea the type of story. Try not avoid saccharine.

Free

Deadline: 22 July 2009
The competition from Global Giving I think is more to raise awareness.

Enter the 'Acts of Kindness' Travel Competition

To enter, simply spend five minutes telling us about an 'Act of Kindness' that you have experienced whilst travelling by adding your story below (in no more than 100 words).

Prizes: A lucky winner will win a trip for two to visit a GlobalGiving project in a country of their choice. 10 runners up will win goody bags containing a selection of prizes including travel gear.

8 out of 10 Brits have experienced an 'Act of Kindness' whilst travelling. Tell us your story below.


Were you lost and someone gave you directions?
Were you invited to a local event or festivity?
Did you receive a gift?
Did your vehicle break down and someone helped you?
Did you receive an impromptu local tour?

Immrama Festival of Travel Writing

When: Thursday 11 - Sunday 14 June

Where: Lismore, Co Waterford

If you're in Waterford, you should check out the travel writing festival.
Immrama presents a host of events and readings over the weekend including a poetry workshop for primary schools with Áine Uí Fhoglú. Other readings and speakers include Dervla Murphy, Dermot Somers, Kate Adie, Rory Maclean, Manchán Magan and Annie Rogers amongst many others.

Travel Writing

Itchy feet? Take your pen with you and write an 800 word article on travel. 1st prize a trip to Colombia. 2nd prize is a travel writing course in Spain. 8 shortlisted pieces will also be published.

Bradt Travel Guide and the Independent on Sunday have a competition here. Looks like they are looking for authentic traveller stories rather than touristy anecdotes. Meeting the locals and eating their food, not visiting churches and lounging on beaches.

You should read the winning entries for the last two years to get an idea of what they are looking for. In 2007 there were only 340 entries.

Deadline: 15th May 2009

There are two categories, published and unpublished (as in never have been paid for any piece of writing published on paper or on the internet - fairly wide reaching this one)