Now’s the time to take advantage of all your free time and start writing! Of the thousands of competitions currently open around the globe, here are some of the most local, plus a couple of others that might be of interest.
1. Love The Words
What: poetry up to 25 lines on the theme of hope
Why: to celebrate International Dylan Thomas Day, Thurs 14 May
When: enter by Fri 1 May
Who: anyone, any age, anywhere
Win: publication in an ebook and small prizes to winners in each age category
How: email your poem to [email protected]
Write a poem on the theme of hope for this free to enter competition. It will be co-judged by Dylan’s own grand-daughter Hannah Ellis as well as, well, me! The competition isn’t necessarily looking for uplifting poems, but poems that are true, honest, and heartfelt at this time. You may enter this competition more than once!
Info: https://www.discoverdylanthomas.com/love-the-words-competition-2020
2. Welsh Poetry Competition
What: poetry any length or style
Why: this is an annual competition
When: enter by Sun 31 May
Who: anyone, any age, anywhere
Win: £500 / £250 / £100, plus 17 runners-up, specially commended entries and publication in a future anthology.
How: download an entry form on the website below and email it and your poem to [email protected] Entry fee is £6 per poem.
Judged by Sally Spedding, this competition is open to all styles and forms of poetry. As always, though, make sure to do your research – read some of Sally’s poems, and poems by past winners, to get a feel for what the comp might be interested in and most likely to choose as their winners.
Info: http://www.welshpoetry.co.uk
3. Wales Writer in Residence
What: a complete original English language script, written for any medium (e.g. Stage, TV, Radio, Film, Online) at least 30 minutes/pages in length and no longer than 70 pages
Why: this is an annual competition
When: enter by Mon 11 May
Who: anyone over the age of 18 who can represent the culture of Wales with authenticity (for example you may be from, or have lived or worked in Wales)
Win: The winner will receive from BBC Wales a £6,000 bursary and six months residency, and from National Theatre Wales a £6,000 bursary and further six months residency.
How: apply via the link on BBC Writersroom below, including a brief biography.
This prestigious competition aims to find a Writer in Residence for the whole of Wales, set up between BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Writersroom and National Theatre Wales. So, sharpen your pencil and submit your best work. It’s hard to say what the judges would like best, but look at last year’s winner and research into script and theatre trends right now as a start. It’s all about the narrative arc with scripts and stories, so work on your story outline and develop your characters before you begin.
Info: https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunities/wales-writer-in-residence
4. Cymru Euro 2020 Poetry Competition
What: poems of up to 25 lines and 150 words on the theme of identity
Why: one-off football celebration
When: enter by Thurs 2 April
Who: children in school year 6 and under
Win: All 8 winners will receive:
- a Cymru football shirt signed by the Euro 2020 squad;
- a framed version of their poem signed by the Euro 2020 squad;
- a workshop for their school class by Eloise Williams or Gruffudd Owen.
How: send to [email protected] with the details outlined on the website below.
A one-off celebratory competition because Wales did something good in the football (don’t ask me!). Organised by the ever wonderful Literature Wales, it is free to enter. Again, the key to poetry is honesty, so let your passion in this one shine through! Note: your entry does not have to be on the topic of football(s).
Info: https://www.literaturewales.org/euro2020/
5. Lucent Dreaming 2020 Short Story and Poetry Contests
What: poems up to 56 lines long, short stories between 2,000 and 7,500 words
Why: a tie-in with the magazine of the same name
When: enter by Thurs 30 April at 10pm
Who: anyone, anywhere over 18
Win: £100 / £50 / £25 plus merchandise, bundles, and more
How: send to [email protected] with the details outlined on the website below.
Wales-based magazine Lucent Dreaming is a beauty of a publication and the people who run it lovely. They say that, for stories, they’ll be looking at its premise; the quality of writing; whether we feel for your character and your story’s overall coherence, whilst for poems they are looking for the quality of writing; whether we respond emotionally and/or intellectually and your poem’s overall coherence/style.
Info: https://lucentdreaming.com/lucent-dreaming-2020-short-story-and-poetry-contests/
6. Eisteddfodau
What: various literary competitions for writers in Welsh
Why: these are the national festivals of Wales
When: various
Who: anyone, any age, depending on category
Win: various
How: please see the deadlines on the website below
These competitions are part of the various local Eisteddfodau taking place around Wales. We hope that some of them are still open, please check the list below for further details.
Info: https://www.literaturewales.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Dyddiadau-Cau-Mawrth-2020.pdf
7. Gwobr Esyllt Prize 2020
What: storytelling
Why: in honour of storyteller Esyllt Harker
When: please ask for details
Who: female storytellers of Wales – please check eligibility with organiser
Win: unknown
How: please contact the organiser for details [email protected]
No website for this one – storytellers are not a technical bunch! – but if you email the above address you will receive details of the award. Feel free to apply in Welsh or English.
8. The Phoenix Project: Wales-Namibia Children’s Short Story Competition
What: short stories in English for children age 7-15 up to 3,000 words
Why: a joint venture by Cardiff University and the University of Namibia
When: enter by Thurs 30 April
Who: anyone resident in Namibia and Wales
Win: three small monetary prizes
How: please submit your story to [email protected]
This competition is being run by the Phoenix Project, a collaboration between the two universities to improve health, reduce poverty and develop a sensitive and sustainable approach to the environment. These could be some appropriate themes for your creative response. The instigators of the competition have also mentioned reading as a gateway to ‘inspiration’ and ‘education’, in the article below.
9. Creative Futures Writers Award
What: poetry and fiction on the theme of tomorrow
Why: to support under-represented writers
When: enter by Sun 31 May
Who: This competition is for under-represented writers in the UK only. See eligibility criteria for more details.
Win: cash, development, publication
How: please submit via the website below
Check to make sure you are an under-represented writer by looking at the list on the organiser’s website. And then, think about ‘tomorrow’ and what this means to you. There could be some very interesting answers at this time!
Info: https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/for-writers/creative-future-writers-award/how-to-enter/
10. Author of Tomorrow
What: short adventure stories
Why: part of the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize
When: enter by 5 May
Who: under 21s, in three age categories:
- 11 and Under | 500 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school
- 12-15 years | 1,500 – 5,000 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school
- 16-21 years | 1,500 – 5,000 words | Prize: £1,000
Win: cash, book tokens for schools, publication by Worldreader
How: please submit at https://wilburnisosmithfoundation.submittable.com/submit
The Author of Tomorrow is designed to find the adventure writers of the future. For this one, think about what makes a story exciting and interesting for a reader. Give your characters some challenges, and let them work hard to overcome them! Setting is also important in an adventure story – think about where you will take your reader.
Info: https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org/awards/author-of-tomorrow-2019
words MAB JONES (@mabjones)
