One of the most exciting moments of the Winchester Writers' Conference is the posting of the short lists of winners and highly commended entrants to the fifteen writing competitions. Here, those who have submitted their entries to the fifteen writing competitions can recognise their amusing, sometimes frivolous pseudonyms under which the competitions are judged and prepare for the Writers' Awards Reception when the real names of the winners and highly commended writers are announced by the judges and the sponsors of these competitions award their prizes and trophies.

Entering these competitions is an excellent way to test the market with your creative ideas. Although not every entrant can be a winner, every entrant receives a critique that will help that author to further develop their work toward their personal best as well as for publication. Reading some of the adjudications that precede the specific awards will give you the flavour of this Writers' Awards Reception. Maybe you will enter next year, even if you are not able to join us.

To read the complete collection of the fifteen first place winners and the Plenary Address, given by Jacqueline Wilson OBE Children's Laureate, order the 156 page glossy paper back conference anthology, The Best of 2007 price £9.95 including postage and packing. To place an order, please send a cheque made payable to 'The University of Winchester' to me at Winchester Writers' Conference, Faculty of Arts, University of Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire S022 4NR - Note: You can also order back issues of The Best of 1997-2006.

2007 COMPETITION WINNERS:
(Please click on a link below)

POETRY
A PAGE OF PROSE
WRITING FOR CHILDREN
ECHO FEATURE ARTICLE
SLIM VOLUME, SMALL EDITION
LOCAL HISTORY
THE SHORTER SHORT STORY
RETIREMENT, THE DAY I RETIRED AND NOW
FIRST THREE PAGES OF A NOVEL
REACHING OUT
WRITING CAN BE MURDER
LIFEWRITING
SHORT STORIES
HAIKU
YOUNG WRITER'S POETRY
THE HYDE 900 SCRIPTWRITING COMPETITION