This competition is different from the ones we’ve run before because, instead of asking for stories written in 2,000 words, we’re asking for them in no more than 100. Flash fiction has become very popular during the last few years and is an excellent challenge for writers. What does remain the same is that this competition is for new and non-professional writers.
The theme is Wish you Were Here which you can use in any way you like. You could tell a story in the traditional form of a postcard from a beautiful place, or maybe you’d like someone special to be with you at a certain time. It can be happy, sad, dramatic, frightening, scary or horrifying, the choice of genre is yours, and please make it clear who you wish to be where.
First prize £100
Second prize £75
Third prize £50
The entry fee for each story is £5 (Club members can enter three stories for free) and everyone gets a few lines of feedback. Entries will be accepted from 1st to 28th February 2022 either by post or via our website:
Our Judge is Allison Symes
Editor, Multi-published Author (online and print), and Blogger
‘I am passionate about books, both reading and writing them, and I adore fantasy and humour. I write short stories, poems, limericks and novels. I also write flash fiction and my collections, ‘From Light to Dark to Dark and Back Again’ and ‘Tripping the Flash Fantastic’ are published by Chapeltown Books.
I am published online and in print by Cafelit, Bridge House Publishing and Chandler’s Ford Today and I contribute to More than Writers, the Association of Christian Writers’ blog.
You can find out more about my work at allisonsymescollectedworks.com.’
Alison Symes
If you’d like to become a Club Member, you can find out how on the membership page.
This page contains:
Rules of Entry
(Please read all the page carefully)
Short story up to 100 words (not including the title).
Entries can be online via our website (www.nottinghamwritersclub.org.uk) or by post, whichever you prefer.
Fees
Online Entries: £5 each, paid via our website.
Postal Entries: £5 per entry. Fees to be paid by cheque or postal order made payable to ‘Nottingham Writers’ Club’. Please don’t send cash. If you wish to become a member, please send the completed form with the membership form with a single payment of £16. Extra entries will be £5 each.
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit but each one must be accompanied by its own entry form and will cost £5 each. All stories will receive a few lines of feedback.
The competition opens for submissions of entries on 1st February 2022, with the last day for receipt being 28th February 2022.
- The competition is for any resident of the United Kingdom who is over 18 years of age at the time of entry.
- The work must be original and previously unpublished, and the copyright of the author.
- This competition is not for professional writers and if you’ve earned more than £150 from short stories during 2020/21 please don’t enter.
- Entries must not have been previously published, self-published, and/or posted on any website, blog or online forum; broadcast, nor winning or placed (as in 2nd, 3rd runner up, etc.) in any other competition.
- Copyright remains with the author, but the top three winners agree to their stories being published on the Nottingham Writers’ Club website.
Entry Format
- Entries must be in English, typed in an easy to read font size 12, double line spacing on one side of A4 paper, margins set to approximately 2.5 cm.
- Pages must be numbered, have a footer showing the title, and be submitted together with a cover page showing only the title, pseudonym and word count (an example is on Page 6).
- All entries must be accompanied by an entry form (page 4) which gives all the other information required.
- We ask for a pseudonym to ensure fairness in the judging process.
Entries will not be returned but shredded after the judge has made her decision so please make sure you keep a copy.
Online entries: can be submitted via our website between 1st February and 28th February 2022.
Postal entries: Send to NWC, c/o 29 Redwood Avenue, Wollaton, Nottingham, NG8 2SG, between 1st February and 28th February 2022. If insufficient postage is used, the NWC will not pay the difference and please don’t send recorded delivery because we can’t guarantee there will be someone there to sign for it.
If you’re concerned about receipt of your entries, email to
marshill29@hotmail.com
to let us know they’re on the way.
Receipt of all entries will be acknowledged by email but if you prefer a postal confirmation you need to include a stamped, addressed postcard. Last year, several emails weren’t received so please check in your Junk file in case it’s gone there.
The judge’s decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into.
Entrants will receive regular updates when the long list, shortlist and winners are on the website, and winners will be notified by email.
If you don’t hear from us within seven days of sending your entry, get in touch by email or use the Contact Form on our website. Occasionally email addresses don’t work.
If you want help and advice on writing flash fiction, Google ‘Writing flash fiction‘
and choose from the many sites listed.
Entry Form
Online entries: Come back here once entries are open.
Postal entries: You can download an entry form to complete/print out.
Please don’t enter if you’ve earned more than £150 from short story writing during 2020/21 or have received payment for publication of longer works of fiction and/or non-fiction.
In accordance with the Data Protection Act, information given on this form will be used solely by Nottingham Writers’ Club and will not be passed on to any third party.
CHECKLIST
- Entry form completed
- Cheque/postal order attached or internet payment details given
- Pages numbered
- Your real name does not appear on your entry or cover sheet, only on the entry form
- Your story is formatted according to the example below
If using post, please send to:
M Hill, 29 Redwood Avenue, Wollaton, Nottingham, NG8 2SG.
Cover Page
This shows the information we would like you to put on the cover page of your story:
Example of story page format
Here you can see the format you should use for your story: