Five Free to Enter Writing Competitions - short story and feature writing

Often writing competitions can be expensive to enter, or the combined entry fees start to add up to a lot of money. Here are five current competitions that are free to enter. I've ordered them by deadline date as some are closing very soon.

Cork County Library and Arts Service Short Story Competition 2014: Cork County Library are running their annual short story competition with the deadline 14th February 2014 and maximum word count of 2,000. Entrants need to be a public library member.

The judges panel for the 20 shortlisted entries are Dave Lordan, Vincent McDonnell and Billy O'Callaghan. Entry is free and first prize is attendance and accommodation on a week long writing workshop at the West Cork Literary Festival 2014 in Bantry. Entries can be posted, handed into Cork County libraries, or emailed. For entry form and more details see Cork County Council website here


Opening Lines - BBC Radio 4 Showcase for Short Stories: maybe not strictly a competition, but the three chosen stories are broadcast on Radio 4 which is pretty cool. Also, the transcripts of all the best stories will be published on the programme website. The deadline for submissions is 14th February 2014, and maximum word count is 1,900-2,000. To enter you must not have had a short story broadcast on radio before. For further details and some advice on the type of story sought see here

Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2014 Short Story Competition: deadline 15th February 2014 for further details see here Stories must be 2,000 words or less and on the theme of 'the visit'. Prizes are £500, an Arvon residential writing course, and publication on the related website.

17th Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2014: this is run by Waterford County Council Arts Office. It is open now with a deadline of 14th March 2014. The competition is for submissions of short stories of 2,000 words and under. There is a first prize of €500 and no entry fee. More details and the entry form are available here

Thresholds Feature Writing Competition 2014: run by the short story forum Thresholds. There are two categories of entry sought both requiring 1,500 words or less - Author Profile see examples here and We Recommend see here First prize is £500, and the two runners up £100. The winning and shortlisted entires will be published on the Thresholds website. Deadline 02nd April 2014. For more details see  here

So, get writing!

Two new ezines - The Incubator Journal & Silver Apples Magazine

I've come across two new ezines recently looking for submissions. Have a look at their websites for more details.

The Incubator Journal - quarterly - edited by Kelly Creighton and looking for writers from Ireland and Northern Ireland. Submissions open in March 2014. In March, accepts fiction and memoir (3000 words max.) In June, accepts fiction and one act plays (3000 words max.) In  September, accepts fiction and essays (2000 words max.) In December, accepts fiction and poetry (4 poems max.) Website here  and Facebook and on Twitter @IncubatorThe

Silver Apples Magazine - edited by Grainne O'Brien and Alex Dunne, the website is here  and Facebook and on Twitter @silverapplesmag They are seeking submissions of poetry, short story, art and photography by 31st March 2014.

North West Words Arts Night and Poetry from the 2013 Donegal Creameries Competition

Well, you had to arrive early last Thursday night to get a seat in Cafe Blend. The regular monthly NWW night was dedicated to readings of the shortlisted, highly commended, and winning poems from the Donegal Creameries and North West Words Poetry Prize 2013. Congratulations to all the winning entries and particularly to Monica Corish shown in the photo below being presented with her cup.

I always enjoy NWW, but this was definitely a particularly special night. Many of the poets were there to read, one had even travelled from Poland. For those who couldn't be there, a regular participant of NWW read out their poem. So, the audience got to hear all the shortlisted and winning poems. It was a rare treat with such a variety of voices and themes. 

The competition judge, Kate Newman, spoke generally about the competition entries and her judging process. And then, after each poem was read out, she explained why she had picked it, and what made it special for her. It was a pleasure to listen to her comments, and so obvious that she had invested much time and thought in her choices.

The winning entires were:

Winner: Monica Corish, Leitrim, Back Where We Started

2nd place: Eithne Reynolds, Dublin, The Shed

3rd place: Brendan Kinnane, Meath, Hammer

Highly Commended:
Edward O'Dwyer, Limerick, Texting God

Gavan Duffy, Dublin, Breakdown

Bogusia Wardein,  Poland, The First Letters of the Alphabet

Winifred McNulty, Donegal, Lloyd's Lighthouse

Shortlisted:

Anne O'Connell, Sligo, The Reek

Ellen Factor, Derry, Lovebirds

 

Connie Roberts, USA, Pallas Lake

Patrick Hull, Dublin, Windowseat

Guy Stephenson, Donegal, Veldtshoen

Maurice Keady, Dublin, A Centuary of Poppies

Clare O'Reilly, Kildare, Bog Woman

Congratulations to the poets above, the NWW team, and Cafe Blend for a lovely night.

 

TwitterFiction Festival 2014 - can you write a story in 140 characters?

We'll have to get our own Ann Hull working on this one. She's been doing well at twitter stories recently, and winning prizes even. 

If you think you can write a good one within Twitter constraints, here's a story challenge for you -  TwitterFiction Festival 2014. Submit your story before 5th February, and the chosen entries will be be Featured Storytellers on Twitter along with other invited authors of the festival. Or, submit your stories to #twitterfiction where all can participate. See full details here  The festival runs 12-16th March 2014.

North West Words January Readings and Poetry Prize Presentations

Next week is the last week of the month, so Thursday 30th January is NWW Arts Night at Cafe Blend, Letterkenny.  It starts at 8pm and is mainly devoted to readings from the winners and shortlisted poets of the Donegal Creameries and NWW 2013 Poetry Prize. I'm looking forward to hearing all those prize winning poems.

The very talented guitarist Simon McCafferty will also be playing at the event.

Launch of Skylight 47 and Happy Eleventh Anniversary to Over The Edge

This week in Galway is the launch of the latest Skylight 47 poetry magazine at the Over The Edge open reading event.

 

I'm delighted to say that the new issue of Skylight 47 contains a feature article on the Garden Room Writers, and poetry from Garden Roomers Ann Hull and Nick Griffiths - plus many more, of course. Thanks for including us Skylight 47. I'm looking forward to reading the new issue. Some of the Garden Room Writers will be down for the launch, I'm so sorry that I can't be there.

Skylight 47 Issue 3

Congratulations to Susan and Kevin on the anniversary of Over The Edge - that's some acheivement. See interviews here  Galway Advertiser  and Emerging Writer

Short Fiction 2014 International Short Story Prize

This is a good deal from Short Fiction at The University of Plymouth Press. You can enter one short story in their competition for £5, or, enter 2 short stories for £10 plus receive a free copy of the next issue of the excellent Short Fiction. The deadline for entries is 31st March 2014, and the judge is the acclaimed Irish born writer, and lecturer in the University of Plymouth, Gerard Donovan here  Stories must be previously unpublished, and 5,000 words or under - for further details see here

Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2014

Waterford County Council Arts Office are running the 17th Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2014. It is open now with a deadline of 14th March 2014. The competition is for submissions of short stories of 2,000 words and under. There is a first prize of €500 and no entry fee  - hard to beat that deal! More details and the entry form are available here

Cork County Library and Arts Service Short Story Competition 2014

Are you a registered public library member, and a short story writer? Cork County Library are running their annual short story competition with the deadline 14th February 2014 and maximum word count of 2,000.

The judges panel for the 20 shortlisted entries are Dave Lordan, Vincent McDonnell and Billy O'Callaghan. Entry is free which is quite unusual, and it is a very good opportunity. First prize is attendance and accommodation on a week long writing workshop at the West Cork Literary Festival 2014 in Bantry plus accommodation- nice one! 

Entries can be posted, handed into Cork County libraries, or emailed. For entry form and more details see Cork County Council website here

North West Words: Poetry for Spaces

Poetry for Spaces is promoting the work of local poets by displaying it in public places.  Participating sites around Donegal vary, but the following have all taken part at some stage:
Letterkenny:
Café Blend
Public Services Building
Central Library
Courtyard Shopping Centre
Letterkenny General Hospital
Ballybofey:
Library
St. Joseph's Hospital
Athletics Centre
Medical Centre
Ramelton:
Community Centre
Town Hall
Milford:
Public Services Building
Dungloe:
Ionad Teampeall Chroine
SuperValu
Newtoncunningham:
Trinity Court

Poets who have participated so far are: Mary Barr, Eamonn Bonner, Olive Borland, Maureen Curran, Colin Dardis, Kathryn Daily, Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons, Sine Friel, Nick Griffiths, Gréagóir Ó Dúill

If you are from the North West of Ireland and have written a poem, or poems, you would like more people to read, contact us through our facebook page or email:
nwwpoetry-space@yahoo.ie
Poems should be no longer than 22 lines including spaces between verses.  They should also be appropriate for viewing within a public area.
The same contact details apply if you have a suitable "site" and would like to use it to promote poetry in the North West.