Other Literary Competitions

The Bridport Prize 2008

The richest open writing prize in the English language

- Poems and Short Stories

- 1st prize: £5000 in each category

- Judges: Helen Simpson and David Harsent

- Patron: Fay Weldon CBE

Order the anthology and enter online: www.bridportprize.org.uk

The Bridport Prize is one of the top open writing prizes worldwide - in both prestige and prize money. Anyone can enter and winning has been a first step in the careers of now-established poets and novelists such as Kate Atkinson, Tobias Hill, Helen Dunmore and Carol Ann Duffy.


STORIES
5000 words max
Judge: Helen Simpson

1st = £5000
2nd = £1000
3rd = £500
10 supplementary prizes
The winning stories & shortlist will be read by leading London literary agents with a view to representing writers.
The top 13 stories (where eligible) are submitted to the National Short Story Prize with 15k.

POEMS
42 lines max
Judge: David Harsent

1st = £5000
2nd = £1000
3rd = £500
10 supplementary prizes
The top 4 poems are submitted to the Forward Prize

BOTH
The top 26 stories and poems will be published in the Bridport Prize 2008 anthology. The Dorset Award - an additional £100 and a perpetual trophy is awarded to the best local (Dorset, UK) winner or runner up.




RULES

Closing date for receipt of postal entries: 30th June 2008

Closing date for online entries: 30th June 2008 Midnight GMT

Maximum of 5000 words for short stories

Maximum of 42 lines for poems

The Prize is open to anyone, including non-UK applicants,over 18 years.

Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published, self-published, published on any website or broadcast.

Entries submitted posthumously will not be eligible.

Fees:
Entry fee is £6 per poem or story (you can send as many entries as you like)
Fees are payable in sterling by credit/debit card, cheque or postal order. Cheques must be from a UK bank and should be payable to The Bridport Prize with the sender’s name and address on the back.

Online entries are paid as you submit, using the WorldPay system.

Postal entries from overseas can only be paid by credit/debit card or in cash (notes only, NO coins) - either US dollars (US$12 per entry) or Euros (€10 per entry).

Overseas cheques, money orders or drafts will not be accepted

Entry Format:
Entries must be in English (preferably typed), single sided, with pages numbered and securely fastened; each entry on a new sheet
Stories to be double spaced; poems to be single spaced.

Entries must show no name, address or identifying marks other than the title.

Entries are not returned, keep a copy.

No corrections can be made after receipt, nor fees refunded.

Receipt of entry:
Enclose a stamped addressed postcard marked ’ACKNOWLEDGEMENT’ if you require acknowledgement of receipt of your postal entry.

Online entries are confirmed by the email receipt of your payment to WorldPay.

It is not possible to confirm receipt of entries by phone or email.

Results:
To receive the judges’ reports (winning entries only) and full results in November 2008 - enclose an A5 stamped addressed envelope marked ’RESULTS’.

Alternatively, check the website for details after mid November 2008
Copyright.

Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but the Bridport Prize will have the unrestricted right to publish the winning poems and stories, (including runners up), in the annual anthology.

Judging:
The judges’ decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into.

Judges are unable to comment on individual entries.

Judging is fair and independent. Professional and experienced readers select longlists for the named judges.

Prizes:
Prizes for both short story and poetry categories are:

1st £5000
2nd £1000
3rd £500
plus 10 supplementary prizes of £50 each

No competitor may win more than one prize in each category.

The Dorset Award for the highest placed writer resident in Dorset is £100
Prizewinners / prizegiving.

Prizewinners will be notified in writing by beginning of October 2008.

The list of prizewinners will be displayed on the website after the prizegiving ceremony in November.

Prizes will be awarded on 8th November 2008.

Entry implies acceptance of all the rules.

Failure to comply with the entry requirements will result in disqualification.

Fill in form online, print out then post

OR

Enter online

Postal entries should be sent to:

The Bridport Prize
PO Box 6910
DORSET
DT6 9BQ

Tel: 01308 428333