For any short story writers out there – just came across this competition in The Telegraph. It appears to be open to everybody and there’s a chance to get your story published online in The Telegraph, in Louise Doughty’s column, then be shortlisted for an end-of-year prize which involves some dosh as well as meeting literary agents. Basic details below, more on the link above and by moving around the links on the right of their page.
“Short Story Club Monthly Competition
By Louise Doughty
“Entries should be emailed to storycomp@telegraph.co.uk by the last calendar day of each month. The winner will be announced in my column in Telegraph Review as soon as possible after that date. Entries should be no longer than 2,000 words. They can be on any subject but must be your own original work, not breach anyone else’s copyright etc. When you enter your story, you are agreeing to it appearing online here at the Short Story Club for the duration of 2012. You are also agreeing that, if you are that month’s winner, you are automatically on the shortlist for the end-of-year prize of 500 pounds and publication in Telegraph Review.We’re not looking for any particular sort of story or any one style, just good writing – good luck!
Louise”
There’s also an interesting article on how Louise Doughty got her first big break as a writer by winning a short story award.
What was your first writing success? Did it help you to progress your writing career? Did you move on to a longer work because of the difficulty getting story collections published over the last 15 years or so?
Bloomsbury have declared 2012 as the year of the short story. Have you noticed the tide turning in favour of the short story? Have you come across any hopeful signs that the short story is becoming popular again?
Related articles
- Short and sweet (telegraph.co.uk)
Brigid said:
That’s interesting, Valerie, I may give it a go.
I have been trying to work on longer pieces of work as I fear the short story isn’t that marketable although everyone loves reading them.
Do you leave a story exclusively in a competition or do you send it out to various places?
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Valerie said:
Hi Brigid, I have too, but I would really like to get the stories into a collection soon. Fingers crossed things will get easier in that respect, though it may still be easier to get single stories accepted/awarded etc. I tend to send submissions to places that accept simultaneous submissions or tell you that it’s ok to withdraw if you’re successful elsewhere.
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dublindave said:
Interesting post – I love the short story and I think it makes perfect sense for a prose writer to publish a collection first and then a novel.
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Valerie said:
I love it too and I hope it makes the comeback they’re all talking about. I agree it makes sense to publish the shorts first and that’s how it always used to be.
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Susan Condon said:
Sounds like a great place to ‘home’ a short story! I will definitely have to submit. Thanks for posting details. 😮
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Valerie said:
You’re welcome, Sue. Yes, it’s great when the work finds a home. Best of luck.
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niamh said:
My very first published story was in Crannog, it was a brilliant feeling… it helped me progess in a quiet but significant way -I immediately wanted to publish another one in case it was a fluke:)
I haven’t tried to get my story collection published yet, there seems to be a consensus that its difficult, and they(publishers) want the novel. I hope the literary short story will have a comeback, the response of most people when I say I write them is – are they for children’?
Its interesting that it used to be story collection first. I’d forgotten that. .. makes me wonder, perhaps if the climate was right more writers would stick exclusively to stories… its a catch 22 but I think the form needs mutate to survive. Thanks for the link!
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Valerie said:
Hi Niamh, Crannog was a good place to launch your career. I remember my first publication (and cheque!) came from ‘Passages’ by Caldo Publications, Belfast. You never forget the first one. It gave me the confidence to keep going too. You’re right about the form needing to mutate. Congrats again on your Novel Fair shortlisting:)
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Martin J Frankson said:
Hi Valerie! Yourself and Louise Phillips do have a mine of info regarding writing competitions and its fantastic that you both advertise them and spread the word. Writers need all the opportunity and exposure we need from whatever quarter.
As for the short story, some do make the point that short stories in themselves are not profitable nor money-making. I believe that in the main, while this is true, writers should not shy away from writing them. A short is much shorter, obviously, than a novel so one can have more of a bird’s eye view off the narrative as a whole moreso than a novel. In short, one CAN see the wood for the trees.
From this leads a better idea of structure and narrative cohesion. This assists in rewriting, revision and honing. With practice and with more short stories one writes, the fewer drafts one may need to reach the desired point of ‘there, I’m happy with that’.
Since they are shorter, you have more opportunity to practice the iterative process from beginning to end as you will have more short stories written in one space of time than, say novels.
So when it comes to writing your novel, the skills should be already in place for your long-distance marathon.
Also, who’s to say your short stories wont be lucrative in the end but that should not be the driving force behind one’s art although that’s not to say that its important for artists to prosper – definitely not. One can and should lead to the other if done properly
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Valerie said:
Appreciate the comments, Patrick. Yes, Louise is a mine of info alright. I figure there’s room for everyone so I’ve no problem sharing stuff. I’ve found interesting oppportunites from fellow writers’ blogs too. They say this is the year of the short story, so hopefully it might become more profitable. There are some great online opportunites now like Five Stop Story and Ether Books, who want shorts for phones and apps which suits the shorter attention spans of modern readers. They’re great for reading on a commute too.
You’re right – the short story can imply a whole universe and the process of devising shorts and leaving meaningful gaps is not an easy one, and requires many rewrites, but great practice, whether one wants to stick to stories or try longer forms. I really enjoyed your ghost story about the revenge of unread books 🙂
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Hemraj Sheth said:
Thank you so much for this article This was just the thing I needed this morning :
D
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Valerie said:
You’re welcome. Glad it was useful 🙂
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