Competitions

Writing competitions are a great way to get your work noticed by professionals within the publishing industry - they also offer an incentive to keep writing, get experience working to deadlines, and some have great prizes!

We have a constantly updated list of competitions in our Forum - this is the best place to get up to the minute news, but below we have a list of the major competitions that are high profile and run on an annual basis. In all instances check the competition website for detailed submission guidelines.

Writing.ie Tip: If you are entering a competition, do check out who the judges are and research their work. Also look at the type of stories that have been previous winners.

Bridport Prize

Deadline: June 30^th

Entry Requirements: Applicants must be over 16.· Entries must have never been published before in any capacity.· Maximum of 5000 words for short stories, 42 lines for poems, 250 words for flash fiction and the title should be excluded from the word count. There is a fee for entry. Check their website for rates.

For more information visit·www.bridportprize.org.uk/rulesor email· This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Award·

Running: October -··February 5th

Entry Requirements: For unpublished crime writers. For entry submit 3000 words maximum of your opening chapter and a short synopsis of your planned crime novel. Fee for entry but this is an incredibly prestigious award that has set many writers on the path to publication. Visit www.thecwa.co.ukfor details or email· This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fish Short Story Competition

The Fish Short Story Prize welcomes stories on any theme written in English, with a maximum of 5,000 words. The Anthology is launched during the West Cork Literary Festival, in July each yea.·Fish has been running the short story contest since 1995.·Publication in the anthology has been a stepping stone for many into successful writing careers. First prize in the competition is €3,000.

For more information, rules and dates visit·www.fishpublishing.com/short-story-competition

The Lonely Voice: Short Story Introductions

The Lonely Voice is a monthly event for emerging writers run by the Irish Writers Centre.·

The competition takes place on the last Wednesday of every month.··Up to four short story writers are selected and invited to read their work at the event. The aim of the competition is to provide a platform for emerging writers, who previously may not have had the opportunity to read their work in public.

For submission guidelines and more info visit·www.writerscentre.ie/html/events/thelonelyvoice

Michael Hartnett Annual Poetry Award

Deadline: January 14^th

Entry Requirements: The award of €6,500 will be presented to the winning poet on the basis of a third book of poetry and so is for established poets.· The award is given to books of poetry in alternate years in the English and Irish language. To enter an application form and four copies of the book must be sent to County Arts Office,·Limerick County Council,· County Hall,·Dooradoyle , County Limerick.

For more info visit·www.lcc.ie/Arts_Culture/MichaelHartnett·or·email· This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

National Poetry Competition

The National Poetry Competition is an annual competition. Established in 1978, the National Poetry Competition is one of the·longest·running and widely respected·single poem·poetry competitions.·Winning has·given an important boost to a plethora of now widely known poets, including current Poet Laureate·Carol Ann Duffy and 2009 T.S. Eliot·Prize-winner Philip Gross.·It·is·judged anonymously by a new set of judges each year.

To find out more about the competition visit·www.poetrysociety.org.uk

The RTÉ Radio 1 Short Story Competition in memory of Francis McManus

Entry Requirements: Open to all those from and living in Ireland. One entry per person. No previously published·or broadcasted work allowed. Entries between 1,800 and 2,000 words. · Each entry should be in an A4 envelope and with a entry form and sent to : RTE Radio 1 Short Story Competition, RTE Radio Centre, Dublin 4. Check website for deadlines.

For more information visit·www.rte.ie/radio1/francismcmanus

Story?

Story is a new annual online competition hosted by Swords Writers.·Send a story of up to 2,500 words by e-mail to· This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information on the competition visit·www.swordswriters.ie/competitions

Writers and Artists Yearbook Short Story Competition

Deadline: February 14^th

Entry Requirements: Open to all ages and nationalities. Entries submitted by email. Entries must have been previously unpublished and be 2,000 words or less and embody the theme of ‘compulsion’. To enter you must register on the promotional website:http://www.acblack.com/register.aspx. If an entry is shortlisted it could appear on·www.acblack.comand·www.writersandartists.co.uk.

For more information visit·www.writersandartists.co.uk/short-story-competition-2011

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Annual Spirit Writing Award

This competition is open to all nationalities and all genres. Entry fee is €7 per story and €7 per collection of poems (minimum of 4 poems, maximum of 10 poems). The prize winning stories, along with 17 merited stories will be published in an anthology at the end of the competition. The prize winning collections of poems, along with other merited poems will be published in a separate anthology when the competition has concluded.

For more information, competition rules and dates visit·www.writing4all.ie/writing_spirit

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