The annual contest, which launches today, is again sponsored by Rathbones Investment Management International and organised in partnership with the Jersey Festival of Words.
Amateur wordsmiths have until the end of August to submit their entries for two categories – short stories and flash fiction. Writers will be split into four age categories for the short-story section (6-8, 9-13, 14-16, and 17 and over) but the flash-fiction category is open to all ages. There is a maximum word limit of 2,000 for short stories and a limit of 127 words in flash fiction – two more than the maximum of 125 in 2015, which coincided with the JEP’s 125th anniversary.
Rathbones are sponsoring prizes of £100 for each category winner, as well as prizes of £50 and £25 for runners-up and third-placed entries. The judging panel for the competition comprises Jersey Festival of Words vice-chairman Paul Bisson, Rathbones director Grant Hamilton, Haute Vallée School head of English Kate Sibcy, author Deborah Carr (who writes as Georgina Troy) and JEP features editor Ramsay Cudlipp.
Mr Bisson said that he hoped to see the excellent standard of recent years maintained.
‘As ever we’re casting the net to find the best in local literary talent. The standard for the past two years has been high, and once more the judges are looking forward to seeing what the Island’s short story writers have to offer. We also have high hopes for the flash-fiction category, which really allows people to show clever creativity.’
All the winning entries will be published in a supplement included with the JEP and an awards ceremony will be held during the Jersey Festival of Words.
The closing date for submissions, which must be sent by email to writingcompetition@jerseyeveningpost.com, is midnight on Thursday 31 August. Entrants must be resident in Jersey.
Entries must include the writer’s name, home address, age at the time of submission, phone number and must be clearly marked for the correct category.
