I received this in my email today and thought it might be of some interest:


Fictionette (www.fictionette.com) are pleased to announce the launch of their Short Story Competitions. Our distinguished judges from the literary world are looking for exceptional work which does real justice to the 'art of the glimpse'. We need your most polished work for which the winner will be rewarded not only with a generous prize, but also a notable accolade to add to their literary CV.

The Fictionette First Short Story Competition will be judged by literary agent Sam Copeland and best-selling author Isabel Losada - remember, they are looking for something really special.

Our huge prize has been generously sponsored by www.AnotherBookshop.com - choose from £500-worth of book vouchers to spend at AnotherBookshop or £300 in cash, the choice is yours. The winning entrant will also receive a Certificate of Merit personally signed by our judges and their winning story will be displayed on Fictionette for visitors to read.

Visit www.fictionette.com for full details - (brief details follow):

Short Story Title: `This Year's Love'
Word Limit: 2500
Deadline: 30 November 2004
Entry Fee: £5 per entry

There is some very promising work among the samples of writing already added to Fictionette by our members and we are looking forward to receiving some really great submissions to our First Short Story Competition.

Good Luck and Kind Regards,

The Fictionette Team

JUDGES: Isabel Losada - Author of For Tibet, With Love: A Beginners Guide to Changing the World, Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment
Sam Copeland - Literary Agent

Thanks Ani - looks very intriguing!

The title given, "This Year's Love" implies that the judges will be looking for Romantic fiction....is this the case?

I'd like to enter the comp. but would be grateful for guidance as to genre....


Ta,

Elizabeth.

I'd say write whatever it inspires you to write. If you avoid romance, you'll certainly get points for originality.

Thanks Ani, you have been a busy bee.

Elspeth

okay - so what's the cost? More and more short story competitions appear to be business ventures.

Colin M


<Added>

ooh, its £5!!!

The prize is gift vouchers for a website, so basically an ad - the website in question could have put that up. Even if they don't, at five quid a story, they only need 100 entries to break even.

Why don't we do a WriteWords comp and share out the winnings - we could abolish the annual fee!

Colin M
(only so cynical because I'm watching that programme on BBC2 about the mediums)

I'm confused - when I went to the website, it said the first short story competition must end in a certain line, and closing date was 30th november; that the second short story was this year's love, and details of closing dates on that had yet to be advised.

i'll e-mail them direct to clarify