Free contest, Northwords Now Gaelic Fiction Competition, non-UK writers welcome, top prize: £200

Deadline: 31 January 2011

Northwords Now Gaelic Fiction Competition

Northwords Now is delighted to announce its first Gaelic writing competition. The best story and flash fictions will be published in the magazine and there are cash prizes. The competition is free to enter – just read through the rules and get writing!

Competition Rules

Entries are free of charge

Closing date for receipt of entries: 31st January 2011 Maximum of 2000 words and minimum of 1000 words for short stories Maximum of 300 words for Flash Fiction (no minimum) The title is NOT included in the word count.

Eligibility

 The Prize is open to anyone, including non-UK applicants, over 16 years.
 Entries must be written in Scottish Gaelic
 Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published, self-published, published on any website or public online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition.
 Entries submitted posthumously will not be eligible.

Sending Your Entry

 Post your entry to: Northwords Now, PO Box 15066, Dunblane, Scotland, FK15 5BP. Submissions by e-mail will not be accepted.
 Mark the envelope ‘Competition’.
 You may submit a maximum of 2 full length short stories and five flash fictions.

Entry Format

 Entries must be in Scottish Gaelic, typed, single sided, with pages numbered and securely fastened with a staple. Each entry on a new sheet.
 Stories and flash fiction to be double spaced and a word count noted at the top of the first page.
 Write your name address, telephone number, e-mail address (if you have one) and the title(s) of your story or stories on a separate sheet of paper and include this with your entry. The stories themselves must show no name, address or identifying marks other than the title
 Entries are not returned, keep a copy.
 No corrections can be made after receipt.
 Please ensure that you use the correct postage.

Receipt of entry

 Enclose a stamped addressed postcard marked 'ACKNOWLEDGEMENT' if you require acknowledgement of receipt of your postal entry
 It is not possible to confirm receipt of entries by phone or email
 Overseas entrants : please send an international reply coupon from your Post Office rather than stamps.

Results

 Details of prize-winning entries will be printed in the Spring 2011 issue of Northwords Now.
 Alternatively, check the website for details after February 2011

Copyright

 Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but Northwords Now will have the unrestricted right to publish the first prize short story, and the top five flash fictions, in the magazine and on the Northwords Now website.

Judging

 The judge for the competition is Rody Gorman, Writer in Residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig .
 The judge’s decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into
 The judge is unable to comment on individual entries

Prizes

 Prizes for the short story category are:
o 1st £200
o Two runners-up prizes of £50

 Prizes for the flash fiction category are:
o 1st £50
o Four runners-up prizes of £15

More information here.