A BIG announcement!

I've decided to launch a Short Story prize!


The New Rose Prize 2011 is looking for new writing talent and is open to all unpublished writers. To enter, write a short story of any genre, maximum 2,500 words - amaze us, thrill us, make us cry, it's up to you. The closing date for entries is midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 31st August.

So what are you waiting for?

The top prize is wonderful - a place on one of RNA-nominated author Ruth Saberton's writing holidays, plus signed goodies from me and a starring role on my blog. Two runners-up will win a short story critique from competition judge Jamie Guiney (see below), as well as signed goodies and their stories published on my blog. (Please note that the first prize does not include travel - sorry!)

So, why short stories?
I love writing short stories. As an art form they are truly special: the chance to take your readers on a brief journey into someone else's world. I began a short story blog in 2008, before I was discovered by my publisher AVON (HarperCollins) and writing these stories was a great way to learn my craft.

I wanted to run something more than just a writing competition - to celebrate the wealth of writing talent that I know is out there. So, together with wonderful short story master Jamie Guiney (see Judges below) and brilliant author Ruth Saberton, we have created this special competition to celebrate the short story.

THE JUDGES

Jamie Guiney
Jamie Guiney is a literary fiction writer from County Armagh, Northern Ireland. His short stories have been published in literary journals, newspapers and digitally on iPhones and iPads. In 2011, his short story 'A Quarter Yellow Sun' was nominated for 'The Pushcart Prize.'

Jamie is also a graduate of the Faber & Faber Writing Academy and a member of the Newman Writers Group. His work has been backed by the Northern Ireland Arts Council through several Individual Artist Awards.

He is currently working on a short story collection, a novel, and when time permits, a screenplay set during the Belfast Blitz.

Ruth Saberton
Ruth Saberton has written 8 romantic comedy novels in total under the names of Jessie Fox (for Little Black Dress), Ruth Saberton (for Orion) and Georgie Carter (for AVON HarperCollins).

Ruth's first novel for Orion, Katy Carter Wants a Hero was nominated for The Romantic Novelists' Association's Romantic Comedy of the Year award this year.

Ruth runs amazing writing weekends and retreats in her home village of Polperro in Cornwall - and the first prize for this competition is a place on one of her holidays. She has a real eye for pace, comic timing and great characterisation.

Miranda Dickinson
Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times Bestselling novelist. Her first novel, Fairytale of New York was discovered on Authonomy.com and went on to sell over 107,000 copies, become a bestseller in Germany and Turkey and was nominated for the RNA Novel of the Year award 2010. Her second novel, Welcome to My World became her second Sunday Times Bestseller.

Miranda is currently writing her third novel, It Started With a Kiss (published 10th November this year) and is vlogging all year about the writing and publishing process of this novel on her blog.

ENTER NOW!
Send your entries on a Word document (double-spaced and 12 point text) to:
mirandawurdy@gmail.com
to arrive no later than midnight on Wednesday 31st August. Please write 'New Rose Prize entry' in the subject line. Your story must not have been published anywhere before and must be no longer than 2,500 words.

I'll announce the winners on Coffee and Roses and will publish the top three stories there for everyone to see.

Best of luck!

Just to qualify the rules for submission: we are looking for UNPUBLISHED stories by UNPUBLISHED writers. If your stories have been posted on a Facebook page, blog or forum post you MAY enter it for the New Rose Prize. If your stories have been published in a magazine, book, compilation or any other printed matter then they DO NOT qualify for this prize. The New Rose Prize is looking for writers who have previously not been published - as a way of giving an opportunity to those who have not seen their work in print. Hope that clarifies things - and sorry for any confusion!