2009 Competitions

2009 General Rules for Submitting Entries to all Competitions

The General Competition Rules, listed below, apply to all competitions. The shortlists for all the competitions will be posted at 13.00 on Saturday 4 July on the bulletin board in the Foyer of The Stripe. All the writing competition prizes will be awarded and the adjudications announced at the Writers’ Awards Reception commencing at 18.30 in The Stripe Auditorium.

You do not need to complete the conference application form in order to to submit your competition entries.

Simply complete and attach each competition entry form to your manuscript(s) attach your cheque payable to the University of Winchester, stamped s.a.e for return and post by the closing date to: Barbara Large, Centre for esearch and Knowledge Exchange, The University of Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 4NR.

Entry Conditions
1. The closing date for competition entries is Friday 5 June 2009, except for Retirement, First Three Pages of a Novel, Short Story and Shorter Short Story Friday, 29 May
2. The competition fee is £7 per entry if you are attending the conference or £9 per entry for those not attending the conference
3. All entries must be in English, be original and unpublished work, written by one author and must not have won an award in any previous competition
4. Each entrant must provide one pseudonym that is new this year to identify all competition entries. Record your pseudonym on the application form
5. Entries must be typed double-spaced (poetry single spaced), with the writer’s pseudonym on the bottom right-hand corner of every page. Do not include your name on the manuscript
6. Entrants may submit up to five entries for each competition unless otherwise stated
7. The competition entry forms may be photocopied
8. Copyright remains with the author
9. Conference speakers may not enter the competitions

Return of your manuscript(s)
1 0. Please send a large adequately stamped-addressed envelope for each category of competition that you enter, not one envelope for all competitions, if you wish your entries to be returned. Adjudications will be returned with each submission
11. Write your pseudonym on the bottom left-hand side of each envelope in which your work will be returned
12. No responsibility can be taken by the Conference Director or the University of Winchester for entries mislaid; competitors should retain copies

Adjudication and Prizes
13. The decisions of the adjudicators are final and the adjudicators reserve the right to withhold awards if no entry reaches an appropriate standard
14. The first place winning entry of each competition will be published in The Best of 2009. The winners are asked to send their unaltered manuscript in electronic format within 10 days following the conference to Una.Dowling@winchester.ac.uk. The editor reserves the right to limit the number of words and illustrations and to correct manuscripts in accordance with the size and quality standard of The Best of 2009.

Hampshire Chronicle Writing Competition
'Revenge is Sweet'
AUTHORS: IF YOU ARE BENT ON REVENGE, THIS COMPETITION IS FOR YOU
You could win a free place at the Winchester Writers' Conference, Festival And Bookfair 3-5 July, University of Winchester
See here for more information

*New Competition for 2009*
Sustaining Your Environment
Write an article or a short story, no more than 1000 words,
on either or both, of the following:
1. A Moment of Illumination: Describe the time when you saw climate change in a different light and how this experience has changed your life.
2. Extreme Climate Events: Picture a place that you know well. Imagine stepping into the future and visiting this place in 2039. Describe how the impact of extreme climate change has altered this place.
1st prize: £100
2nd prize: £75
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicator: Robert Hutchinson, Chairman, Winchester Action on Climate Change
Sponsor: The University of Winchester

Poetry
Competitors are invited to submit poems on any subject up to a maximum of 40 lines for each entry.
1st prize: £125 and Echo Poetry Trophy
2nd prize: £75
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicators: Phil Carradice
Sponsor: The Southern Daily Echo

Writing for Children
Competitors are invited to submit the 500 opening words of a work for children and a synopsis of the remainder, either fiction or non-fiction. Alternatively up to three pages of poetry or light verse may be submitted. Entries must state the intended age range.
4-7, 8-11 or 12 and over. Maximum length per entry 500 words.
1st prize: Book prizes for each of the three age ranges
2nd prize: Book prizes for each of the three age ranges
Adjudicators: Editorial Department
Sponsor: Little Tiger Press (Magi)

Echo Feature Article
Competitors are invited to write a 450 word feature article on any or all of the following topics, written as if it were a double-page spread in a newspaper or magazine. Submit or suggest images, graphics, pictures, photos that would enhance this feature.
1. Survival of the Fittest, in celebration of Darwin’s anniversary
2. Beating the Credit Crunch
3. The Day I’ll Always Remember.
1st prize: £125 and Echo Features Trophy
2nd prize: £75
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicator: Mr David Brine
Sponsor: The Southern Daily Echo

Slim Volume, Small Edition
Competitors are invited to send a maximum of one page synopsis, indicate the total number of words, include three pages of text only, which can be random or consecutive, together with copies of any illustrations and rough cover ideas. Do not send original
illustrations.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
New Sponsor and Adjudicator
1st Prize: 60 copies of your book printed and bound (to the value of £300)
2nd Prize: Book prizes
3rd Prize: Book prizes
Adjudicator: Geoffrey Fisher
Sponsors: CPI Anthony Rowe Ltd

Local History
Competitors are invited to submit well documented and referenced manuscripts describing any aspect of local history in Hampshire. They may include photographs, sketches, maps and other illustrations. Minimum of 1,000 words, maximum 10,000 words.
1st prize: £250 and Margaret Kryle Trophy
2nd prize: £75
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicator: Dr James Thomas, School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies, University of Portsmouth
Sponsors: The University of Winchester & The Hampshire Field Club & Archaeological Society

The Shorter Short Story
Competitors are invited to enter compact, illuminating and entertaining short stories up to a strict maximum of 1,500 words.
1st prize: £100
2nd prize: £75
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicator: Richard Bell, Editorial Department
Sponsor: Writers’ News-The Writing Magazine

Writing Can Be Murder
Competitors are invited to submit the first 500 words of a short story or novel with a murder thriller theme.
1st prize: Books to the value of £100
2nd prize: Books to the value of £75
3rd prize: Books to the value of £50
Adjudicator: Lesley Horton, Author,
Sponsor: Orion Publishing (provisionally)

A Page of Prose
This competition invites writers to submit a one page, 250 word maximum manuscript to end with ‘stirring a sullen fire’. Manuscripts to be submitted in 12pt double spaced text.
1st prize: £50 in book prizes
2nd prize: £30 in book prizes
3rd prize: £20 in book prizes
Adjudicator: Chandlers Ford Writers
Sponsor: HODDER & STOUGHTON PUBLISHERS

Lifewriting
This competition is offered in fond remembrance of the late Joan Worth, biographer, keen supporter of effective literacy education for all and devoted delegate to the Annual Writers’ Conference. Competitors are invited to send the first page of writing and an outline of a biographical account. The style of writing will be an important consideration in the awarding of the prizes.
1st prize: £150
2nd prize: £100
3rd prize: £50
Adjudicator: Dr Joyce Morris & Dr Bernard Lamb
Sponsors: THE QUEEN’S ENGLISH SOCIETY & THE JOYCE MORRIS LITERACY FOUNDATION

Retirement
Competitors are invited to submit autobiographical prose, or fiction or poetry entries on the theme Retirement, The Day I Retired And Now. Illustrations, photographs, sketches and maps are welcomed. Maximum. 2,000 words per entry. Winning manuscripts will be published in Age Concern Hampshire’s quarterly newspaper, There’s more to Life and in the Conference Anthology The Best of 2009.
1st prize: £75
2nd prize: £35
3rd prize: £25
Adjudicator: Mr. Chris J Perry, Director, Age Concern Hampshire
Sponsor: AGE CONCERN HAMPSHIRE (Registered Charity No. 290874)

First Three Pages of a Novel
Competitors are invited to send the first three pages of their novel plus a two page synopsis. Any theme or period.
1st prize: Nancy Smith Memorial Trophy and books to the value of £100 to be chosen by the winner from Piatkus Books, a new addition to the little, brown book group
2nd prize: Books to the value of £75
3rd prize: Books to the value of £25
Adjudicator: Donna Condon, Little Brown Book Group
Sponsor: Little Brown Book Group

Reaching Out Poetry/Short Story
Especially and only for those writers who would like to attend this conference but are prevented by distance, age or disablement. Competitors are invited to write on any theme or period. Entrants may submit up to five poems or five short stories.
1st prize: Books to the value of £60
2nd prize: Books to the value of £30
3rd prize: Books to the value of £20
Adjudicator: Penguin UK
Sponsor: PENGUIN UK

Short Stories
Competitors are invited to submit quality short stories on any subject, theme or period (no children’s stories). Length 1,500 to 3,000 words for each entry. Entries will be judged on their
originality, entertainment value and excellent story telling qualities. A general, not specific, adjudication will be sent to each entrant.
First Prize: Five days/4 nights full-board accommodation at the Centro Mallorca country retreat in Sineu, Mallorca, including up to £100 travel expenses (www.centromallorca.com).
All winners and highly commendeds will be presented with an unique ceramic plaque, specially commissioned by Centro Mallorca, and produced by studio of the celebrated Mallorcan artist Ricardo Gago (www.ricardogago.com).
Adjudicator: Academic team
Sponsors: Centro Mallorca

Haiku
Competitors are invited to submit quality haiku structured to either 5-7-5 syllables or the more frequent “free form”, which limits words and syllablet to what is most appropriate. The inclusion of a season word (but not the season itself) is advised but certainly not compulsory. Other unwelcome charecteristics and devices include pretentious poesy, anthropomorphism, rhyme, simile, clichés, moralising, philosophising, past tense.
1st prize: The Stanley Pelter Trophy and book prizes
2nd prize: Book prizes
3rd prize: Book prizes
Adjudicator: A member of The British Haiku Society, Management Committee
Sponsor: Stanley Pelter

Young Writers' Poetry
Competitors are invited to send funny, happy, sad or dramatic poems about Happy Eating that are no more than 30 lines as follows. Age group 6-11 write about the value of happy eating your favourite foods with members of your family, a special friend, a neighbour. Age group 12-15 write about the benefit of happy eating your favourite foods with your brother, sister, friends, grandparents, other relatives, someone at school or in the community. Age group 16-18 write about the production and
social issues surrounding good nutrition and happy eating within your community, nationally or internationally, in the past, present or future.
Exciting prizes will be offered for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
place winners in each age category.
Adjudicator: Keith Bennett, Founder of The New Forest Poetry Society
Sponsor: Riverford Home Delivery

All entry forms available here