Writing Forge Inaugural Short Story Prize

Open to all, this is an exciting new quarterly short story competition with a tantalising first prize of £700.

Write one or more stories of up to 3000 words on any subject you like.
Make sure your entries are submitted by 30th August 2010.

Full details, entry form and valuable hints

The Writing Forge Short Story Competition

The inaugural Writing Forge Short Story Competition is now open for entries.

Prizes: £700 first prize, £100 runner up, £50 third prize.

The three winning entries will be published online by the Writing Forge. Entries will be judged by novelist and creative writing tutor, CJ Emerson.

Entry Form: Download an entry form here...

Closing Date: 30th August 2010
Length: up to 3000 words
Format: Entries may be emailed to compaugust@writingforge.co.uk (Microsoft Word, Open Office or text files accepted) or posted to :

August Competition
Writing Forge
The Grove
Redbrook
Monmouth
NP25 4LX

Entry Fees

Up to three entries per writer. £6 for one entry, £10 for two and £14 for three.

Pay with a credit/debit card or PayPal below, or send a cheque made payable to ‘C Emerson’ to the address above.

Entry Options


Competition Rules

Entries should preferably be double spaced.

Every entry must be accompanied by an Entry Form which you can get here...

To help the judges please ensure that all pages are numbered.

The information below must be provided on the first page of each entry for it to be valid.

  • Story Title
  • Word Count

You must also comply with and be aware of the following

  • Entries must be the sole work of the competitor and must not have been published in any form
  • Entries must be written in English
  • No correspondence will be entered into about any entries
  • The decision of the judge(s) is final
  • Submissions are non-returnable
  • Copyright remains with the author

Hints & Tips

Want to make the most of your chances? Check our writing tips here

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I have no hesitation in recommending The Writing Forge Courses... more 

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It rewarded the effort I put into each exercise and did not shy away from clearly pointing out areas for improvement. more 

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...probably the best investment you could make in your writing. more 

in 'articles'

...fiction seeks to evoke emotion, non-fiction conveys information. Most of us are used to non-fiction; reports at work, Facebook postings, emails, tweets and texts, maybe even the odd letter from time to time. Tweets and texts demand brevity, official writing (should) value simplicity and clarity. But carry this over to fiction and you can end up with something so dry that a reader soon gives up the struggle ...   close quote

The Writing Forge was founded by CJ Emerson, author of 'Objects of Desire'

(Shortlisted for the 2007 Crime Writers' Association 'New Blood Dagger' Award):

"I started creative writing after after spending years working in offices, staring at computer screens, frustrated at my own lack of motivation to fulfil a promise I'd made to myself at school - that one day I'd be ... more 
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'Beautifully written...with a plot like a nest of seething vipers' Andrew Taylor, author of The American Boy
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