Fancy a creative challenge in the New Year? Look no further than this collection of writing competitions picked out by NCW Communications Intern, Hannah Jarman. Varying from poetry to non-fiction to short-form writing, there is something for everyone on the list!
Fiction Factory Short Story Competition
Closing date: 7 January 2018
Write a 3,000 word (maximum) short story, with a prize pool of £150, £50 and two merit prizes of £25. Winning stories will be published on the website as well as in the Fiction Factory anthology. Judging the competition is the author of five published novels, Tim Symonds.
Magma Poetry Competition
Closing date: 15 January 2018
Submit a poem to the Magma Poetry magazine, and in turn, have it read by award-winning poet Mona Arshi! Prizes of £1000, £300 and £150 are also included, alongside a feature in the Magma magazine itself.
Young Romantics Prize 2018
Closing date: 15 January 2018
Are you aged 16-18 and have a love for the Romantics? Look no further than the Young Romantics Prize, with the opportunity to write a poem (no more than 20 lines) or essay (no more than 2,000 words) in relation to the theme of liberty. There is a cash prize of £2,000.
Short Forms Writing Contest by Room Magazine
Closing date: 18 January 2018
Are you a fan of short-form writing? Room Magazine is running a competition solely for this genre! Each entry can consist of one or two prose poems, flash fictions, or flash creative non-fiction works of up to 500 words. First prize is $500.
The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize
Closing date: 9 February 2018
This competition is for female writers aged 21 years and over. Submit the opening of your novel (the first 40-50 pages) plus a synopsis (5-10 pages). Shortlisted applicants will be invited to the Annual Fiction Prize dinner at Lucy Cavendish College, the University of Cambridge.
Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook Short Story Competition
Closing date: Midnight, 13 February 2018
For this competition, you can write a short story of no more than 2,000 words on anything you like! This year’s judge is Alyson Owen, a publisher with over 20 years’ experience. She has been the Editor of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook and the Children’s Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook for five years.
Spotlight First Novel Competition 2018
Closing date: 14 February 2018
Put a spotlight on your first novel with Adventures in Fiction! Submit a one-page synopsis alongside the first page of your novel, with a mentoring package worth £990 up for grabs.
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