Competitions for April

After totting up the amount of money I have spent so far this year on Competition Entry fees versus the amount of money I have received from writing, I have decided to limit the number of competition fees I pay to two per month. Therefore, for the month of April, I have selected 2 comps with entry fees and 2 without to try my hand at.

FIRST THE PAYING ONES

1. Writers Inc Writers of the Year Competition

Closing date: 14th April 2008

Entry fee: £6 per short story

Prizes: Prize fund of £3,500

Word Limit: 50 - 3000 words

Guidelines: This competition has various different categories including poetry, children's and journalism as well as short story and the entry fees vary accordingly. It accepts stories in any genre and style. The winning poem will be submitted to the Forward Poetry Prize and the winning children's story will be sent to a Literary Agency. Accepts email submissions

2. Momaya Short Story Competition 2008

Closing date: 30th April 2008

Entry Fee: £6

Prizes: Ist £110, 2nd £55, 3rd £30, 7 hon mentions, publication for ten stories

Word Limit: 2,500

Guidelines: This competition accepts stories in any style or genre. Judges include leading journalists and literary agents.

SECOND THE FREE ONES

3. Permuted Press' Robots Beyond Anthology

Closing Date: 4th April 2008

Entry Fee: 0

Prizes: Payment of 1c per word and publication in the anthology

Word limit: 3000 - 7500

Guidelines: This isn't really a competition but after failing to enter their giant creatures competition on time, I am entering this as a contest to delude myself into thinking it is one. They are looking for stories about robots which boldly takes the man machines into territory they have never gone before.

4. Molly Keane Memorial Creative Writing Award

Closing date: 4th April 2008

Entry Fee: 0

Prizes: €650

Word Limit: 2000

Guidelines: This competition is run by Waterford County Council. No age limit or restriction in subject matter. The prize will be awarded at the Waterford Literary Festival in June.