Writing Magazine

WRITERS’ NEWS

EXCLUSIVE Doing what we can

Pay tribute to heroes and help raise money for the NHS in our latest exclusive competition. For this competition, there is no prize money, but 100% of entry fees will be donated directly to the NHS.

We’re asking you to write up to 500 words, fiction or nonfiction, or a poem, on the theme ‘hero’. Whether you choose to directly pay homage to our current heroes in the essential services, or prefer to focus on a different type of hero is up to you – you’ll still be helping the cause with your entry fee.

And don’t forget that essential services doesn’t just mean the doctors, nurses and carers on the front lines. There are also all the emergency services, the utilities providers, public transport and lorry drivers ensuring the country doesn’t grind to a halt, charity workers, the shop assistants keeping our shelves stacked, or the teachers and childcare providers looking after all their children.

The closing date for this competition is 30 May. The entry fee is £5, with all proceeds going directly to the NHS.

To enter, go to http://writ.rs/nhs

Strange goings on in Thanet

Thanet Writers Short Story Competition 2020 has a £1,000 first prize for weird or unusual stories with a local connection to Thanet.

To enter, send original, unpublished short fiction between 500 and 5,000 words. All stories must be set in Thanet, and be weird, strange or unusual in some way. Writers entering the competition should have a link to Thanet.

The first prize is £1,000 and the winner and shortlisted entrants will be published in an anthology. Longlisted writers will be published online and will be eligible to receive a payment of £10 for print rights.

Entry is free. Each writer may enter one story only. The closing date is 31 May.

Website: https://thanetwriters.com/competition/

Creating in quarantine

The King Lear Prizes are new national arts competitions for people over seventy in quarantine. There are prizes of £1,000 in each category, including short stories, drama and poetry.

The King Lear Prizes have been launched to encourage people with no professional experience in the arts to create new works of writing, poetry, drama, music and arts during the time they are in quarantine.

The prizes, which are supported by Age UK, take their name from Shakespeare’s King Lear, which was written in 1605/6 when there were outbreaks of plague in London.

There are prizes of £1,000 in each category: short stories, poetry, solo musical compositions, short plays and art. Competition judges include Gyles Brandreth (poetry), Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight (drama) and Julian Lloyd-Webber (music). Shortlisted entries will be performed by eminent actors and musicians and broadcast online.

‘The King Lear Prizes are a great way for people to try their hand at writing,’ said Steven Knight. ‘While people are at home, I would urge them to enter the competition and set themselves a goal that they can work towards over the next few weeks. There is a lot of talent out there amongst people who have simply never tried before. I’m looking forward to seeing the entries and uncovering some hidden talents. Give it a go: what have you got to lose?’

Short story entries may be any length between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Poems must be no longer than forty lines. Short plays should not exceed fiften minutes in length. All entries should be original and unpublished.

Entry is free.

The closing date is 29 May.

Website: www.kinglearprizes.org.uk/

Rewarding ambition

The 2020 Manchester Writing Prize 2020 has £10,000 prizes to be won in each of the fiction and poetry categories.

The Manchester Writing Prize, which is given by the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University, is open to international writers, who may be new or established.

• The Manchester Poetry Prize is given for the best portfolio of three to five poems (maximum total length 120 lines). The prize is £10,000 and this year’s judge is Malika Booker. The entry fee is £18 per portfolio.

• The Manchester Fiction Prize is for the best short story up to 2,500 words. The prize is £10,000 and this year’s judge is Nicholas Royle. The entry fee is £18 per story.

All entries must be original

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