The mission of the Bridport Prize is to encourage emerging writers and promote literary excellence through its competition structure. The Bridport Prize was founded by Bridport Arts Centre in 1973 and has steadily grown in stature and prestige. Right from the start the competition attracted entries from all parts of the UK and from overseas.
Entry Dates
Submissions for the Bridport Prize 2016 will be accepted from 15th November 2015.
The deadline for receipt of entries is Midnight (BST) on Sunday 31st May 2016.
How to Enter
Applicants are encouraged to make their submission online as early as possible before the deadline. Postal copies are also accepted.
First, read the Competition Rules thoroughly to make sure you comply with them. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
Submission of an entry is taken as acceptance of the Competition Rules and the Terms and Conditions.
Prize money
One of the richest writing competitions in the UK, the Bridport Prize is open to all nationalities aged 16 years and over.
The poem and short story categories each have a first prize of £5,000, second prize £1,000 and third prize £500. An additional 10 supplementary prizes (for each category) of £100 each are awarded.
A new category for flash fiction with a prize of £1,000 was launched in 2010. There is a second prize of £500, 3rd prize of £250 and 3 supplementary prizes of £100.
In 2014 the Peggy Chapman-Andrews first novel award, named after the Prize’s founder, was launched. The first prize is £1,000 plus a up to a year’s mentoring from The Literary Consultancy through their Chapter & Verse scheme. A runner-up prize of £500 is also offered. Three shortlisted writers will receive £100.
The Dorset Award is a prize specifically for Dorset writers. Thanks to the sponsorship of The Book Shop of Bridport, £100 is awarded to the highest placed Dorset writer in the Bridport Prize each year.
Instructions for Entering ONLINE
DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME OR ANY IDENTIFYING MARKS ON THE MANUSCRIPT.
Entry Fees are payable online, in £ sterling, via the payment providers PayPal or WorldPay, using a credit or debit card. Overseas entrants will be charged the equivalent amount in their own currency according to the rate of exchange on the day of entry.
Poem
Type and format the poem as per the following instructions:
• Written in English, translation into English of your own work is accepted
• A maximum of 42 lines, no minimum.
• Add the line count to the top right of the first page. The title is not included in the line count
• Font: any font, 12pt, black
• Single line spaced, except between stanzas
• Number the pages in the footer/centre bottom of the pages if the poem runs to two pages
• Save as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx. We also accept file types .rtf, .pdf, .txt. Maximum allowed file size is 2Mb) with the poem title in the file name (typed exactly the same as on the document), for example: I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
• If the poem is untitled, save the document with the first line of the poem instead.
Short Story
Type and format the short story as per the following instructions:
• Written in English, translation into English of your own work is accepted
• A maximum of 5,000 words, no minimum
• Add the word count to the top right of the first page. The title is not included in the word count
• Font: any font, 12pt, black
• Double line spaced (ie: a blank line space between each line)
• Number the pages in the footer/centre bottom of the pages
• Save as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx. We also accept file types .rtf, .pdf, .txt. Maximum allowed file size is 2Mb) with the short story title in the file name (typed exactly the same as on the document), for example: Pride and Prejudice
• If the short story is untitled, save the document with the first line of the story instead.
Flash Fiction
Type and format the flash fiction as per the following instructions:
• Written in English, translation into English of your own work is accepted
• A maximum of 250 words, no minimum
• Add the word count to the top right of the first page. The title is not included in the word count
• Font: any font, 12pt, black
• Double line spaced (ie: a blank line space between each line)
• Number the pages in the footer/centre bottom of the pages, if the flash fiction runs to two pages
• Save as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx. We also accept file types .rtf, .pdf, .txt. Maximum allowed file size is 2Mb) with the flash fiction title in the file name (typed exactly the same as on the document), for example: A Christmas Carol
• If the flash fiction is untitled, save the document with the first line of the story instead.
Instructions for Entering by POST
DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME OR ANY IDENTIFYING MARKS ON THE MANUSCRIPT.
First, read the Competition Rules thoroughly to make sure you comply with them. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
Submission of an entry is taken as acceptance of the Competition Rules and the Terms and Conditions.
Download the Entry Form and fill it in, including titles of your entries. Or send a stamped self-addressed envelope, marked ‘Entry Form Request’ to the Bridport Prize, address below.
Entry Fees are payable in £ sterling only - cash, postal order, UK cheque or credit/debit card. Overseas cheques, bankers drafts etc are not accepted.
Poem
Type and format the poem as per the following instructions:
• Written in English, translation into English of your own work is accepted
• A maximum of 42 lines, no minimum.
• Add the line count to the top right of the first page. The title is not included in the line count
• Font: any font, 12pt, black
• Single line spaced, except between stanzas
• Number the pages in the footer/centre bottom of the pages, if the poem runs to two pages
• Staple the pages together if the poem runs to two pages
Short Story
Type and format the short story as per the following instructions:
• Written in English, translation into English of your own work is accepted
• A maximum of 5,000 words, no minimum
• Add the word count to the top right of the first page. The title is not included in the word count
• Font: any font, 12pt, black
• Double line spaced (ie: a blank line space between each line)
• Number the pages in the footer/centre bottom of the pages
• Staple the pages together
Flash Fiction
Type and format the flash fiction as per the following instructions:
• Written in English, translation into English of your own work is accepted
• A maximum of 250 words, no minimum
• Add the word count to the top left of the first page. The title is not included in the word count
• Font: any font, 12pt, black
• Double line spaced (ie: a blank line space between each line)
• Number the pages in the footer/centre bottom of the pages, if the flash fiction runs to two pages
• Staple the pages together if the flash fiction runs to two pages
Send all documents together:
• Entries, entry form and entry fees (but do not staple the cheque to the entry form)
• Plus, if you require acknowledgement for receipt of your entry, add a stamped self-addressed postcard, and an A5 stamped self-addressed envelope for the results
• Use the correct postage! We will not accept and pay for mail that has insufficient postage
in the post to:
The Bridport Prize
PO Box 6910
Bridport
Dorset
DT6 9BQ
UK
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.bridportprize.org.uk/