Competitions

The competitions offer cash prizes and publication opportunities. Altogether, at least 60 shortlisted writers and illustrators each year will see their work in well-produced, good quality books. The anthologies are promoted online and around the country, giving winning writers a chance to profit from their success. 

Please use the email newsletter to receive competition details and results as they are announced along with news of our publishing and other activities for writers and illustrators.

2011 Short Story competition  Results The Science Fiction Challenge Results.

We are now working on the anthologies of the best from these competitions and from the Memoir and Journalism competition. We're running behind our estimated schedule - sorry about that - but proofs and information will be with the authors concerned soon. 

Please scroll down for entry details of the current 

short story, flash and poetry competitions...

Earlyworks Press Open Competitions 2012

Poetry Competition

£75 first prize, 3 x £10 runners up

Closing May 31st 2012

Quality book publication for best entries

Rules and Conditions

• The competition is open to anyone over 16.
• The best entries will be published, and their authors will receive one complimentary copy of the anthology. 10-20 will be included, depending on length and quality. All winners will be offered further copies at a reduced price.
• Closing date May 31st 2012 Winners will be notified in September 2012.
• Entry fee £3.50 per poem, £12 up to 6 entries.
• Poems must be the work of the entrant, previously unpublished, and not simultaneously entered for other competitions. Any style, any topic. 40 lines max.
• The judges’ decision is final. No discussion will be entered into.
• Entries are not returnable and cannot be acknowledged without SAE marked for that purpose.
• Copyright remains with the author although Earlyworks Press reserves the right to publish winning entries in a competition anthology in 2013.  
• Submission of work will be taken as acceptance of rules and conditions.  

Entry options postal:

• Send paper copy to Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre, 45 Robertson Street, Hastings Sussex TN34 1HL
• Payment in pounds sterling. POs or cheques payable to Kay Green.
• Paper entries must be titled and typed/clearly written on one side of A4 paper. Each entry must have a cover-sheet attached, marked EP2012, giving title(s) of story(s), author’s name, address, and/or telephone number/email address. Please say where you heard about this competition.
• Please ensure that you have weighed your package and applied the correct package. We cannot guarantee that entries will be received or opened if this is not done.

or email:

• Email entries accepted in the body of an email. We don't open attachments from people we don't know. Please choose the £3.50 or £12 Pay button then use the 'click here' email address below to send your story. Please include your contact details and Paypal transaction number at the top of the email, then paste the story in below them.

Email entries

Please  click here to email your entry

________________

Flash Fiction Competition

Very short stories - max 100 words, including title

£75 first prize, 3 x £10 runners up

Closing August 31st 2012

Quality book publication for best entries

Rules and Conditions

• The competition is open to anyone over 16.
• The best entries will be published, and their authors will receive one complimentary copy of the anthology. 10-20 will be included, depending on length and quality. All winners will be offered further copies at a reduced price.
• Closing date August 31st 2012 Winners will be notified in January 2013.
• Entry fee £3.50 per story, £12 up to 6 entries.
• Stories must be the work of the entrant, previously unpublished, and not simultaneously entered for other competitions.
• The judges’ decision is final. No discussion will be entered into.
• Entries are not returnable and cannot be acknowledged without SAE marked for that purpose.
• Copyright remains with the author although Earlyworks Press reserves the right to publish winning entries in a competition anthology in 2013.  
• Submission of work will be taken as acceptance of rules and conditions.  

Entry options postal:

• Send paper copy to Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre, 45 Robertson Street, Hastings Sussex TN34 1HL
• Payment in pounds sterling. POs or cheques payable to Kay Green.
• Paper entries must be titled and typed/clearly written on one side of A4 paper. Each entry must have a cover-sheet attached, marked EF2012, giving title(s) of story(s), author’s name, address, and/or telephone number/email address. Please say where you heard about this competition.
• Please ensure that you have weighed your package and applied the correct package. We cannot guarantee that entries will be received or opened if this is not done.

or email:

• Email entries accepted in the body of an email. We don't open attachments from people we don't know. Please choose the £3.50 or £12 Pay button then use the 'click here' email address below to send your story. Please include your contact details and Paypal transaction number at the top of the email, then paste the story in below them.

Email entries

Please  click here to email your entry

________________________

Short Story Competition

£100 first prize

Closing October 31st 2012

Quality book publication for best entries

Rules and Conditions

• The competition is open to anyone over 16.
• The best entries will be published, and their authors will receive one complimentary copy of the anthology. 10-20 will be included, depending on length and quality. All winners will be offered further copies at a reduced price.
• Closing date October 31st 2012 Winners will be notified in January 2013.
• Entry fee £5 per story up to 4000 words. £10 for over 4000. Maximum 8000 words.
• Stories must be the work of the entrant, previously unpublished, and not simultaneously entered for other competitions.
• The judges’ decision is final. No discussion will be entered into.
• Entries are not returnable and cannot be acknowledged without SAE marked for that purpose.
• Copyright remains with the author although Earlyworks Press reserves the right to publish winning entries in a competition anthology in 2013.  
• Submission of work will be taken as acceptance of rules and conditions.  

Entry options postal:

• Send paper copy to Earlyworks Press, Creative Media Centre, 45 Robertson Street, Hastings Sussex TN34 1HL
• Payment in pounds sterling. POs or cheques payable to Kay Green.
• Paper entries must be titled and typed/clearly written on one side of A4 paper. Each entry must have a cover-sheet attached, marked ES2012, giving title(s) of story(s), author’s name, address, and/or telephone number/email address. Please say where you heard about this competition.
• Please ensure that you have weighed your package and applied the correct package. We cannot guarantee that entries will be received or opened if this is not done.

Or email:

• Email entries accepted in the body of an email. We don't open attachments from people we don't know. Please choose the £5 or £10 Pay button then use the 'click here' email address below to send your story. Please include your contact details and Paypal transaction number at the top of the email, then paste the story in below them.

Email entries

Please  click here to email your entry

__________________________

Nearly New Books

It's easier to win a competition if you read the works that have won before. Earlyworks Press has a selection of nearly-new winners' anthologies available for writers. Click here to choose your three for a fiver.

Competitions 2011 - results 

Stories of St Leonards Competition winners

Memoir and Journalism Competition winners

Flash Fiction 2011 winners

Web Poetry Competition 2011 winners

Competitions 2010 - results   

Short Story 2010 winners

Flash Fiction 2010 winners

Web poetry 2010 winners

Competitions 2009 - results   

 Short Story 2009 winners

Flash Fiction 2009 Winners

Web Poetry 2009 Winners

Old Magic in a New Age competition Winners

Competitions 2008 - results   

Short Story competition Winners

Spring Poetry Competition Winners 

Sixty Word Saga Winners

Gender Genre Winners and Judges Reports

Rhymers' Poetry Competition Results

Competitions 2007 - results

Science Fiction Challenge  Winners

Web Poetry  Winners

Spring Poetry Competition Winners

Short Story Competition Winners

Competitions 2006 - results

November Poetry Competition Winners

November Short Story Competition Winners

High Fantasy Challenge Winners

First Short Story & Poetry Competition Winners