Free contest, Franco-British Council Short Story Prize, prize: £100/ return trips to Paris (UK)

Deadline: 1 April 2011

Short Story Prize

Do you have a passion for France? Are you a Francophile with a story to share? The FBC, in conjunction with Prospect magazine and Eurostar, is inviting those aged between 16 and 25 to submit a short story of no more than 1,500 words.

This year we are asking entrants to be inspired by a few choice quotes from French literature in writing a story that touches on some aspect of France or the French. The story does not have to be set in France but should simply possess a French element, however tentative. Particular credit will be given to stories that are well plotted, set in a real rather than abstract world and illuminating unexpected rather than familiar aspects of France or Frenchness. Above all we are looking for writers who dare to take risks! Let one or more of these quotes ignite your imagination:

Words are loaded pistols.
Jean-Paul Sartre

Art must take reality by surprise.
Francoise Sagan

The poet is a madman lost in adventure.
Paul Verlaine

I am an artist...I am here to live out loud.
Emile Zola

The writer of originality, unless dead, is always shocking, scandalous; novelty disturbs and repels.
Simone de Beauvoir

Language is a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity.
Gustav Flaubert

The wining pieces will be published by Prospect and the best contributions will be included in a new collection of work to be published by the FBC.

Entries

Stories should be no longer than 1500 words, should be written in English and signed off by a professional such as a teacher, tutor, doctor or lawyer as a guarantee that it is the sole work of the entrant. They must be emailed to shortstory@francobritishcouncil.org.uk and a hardcopy posted to the Franco-British Council, 16-18 Strutton Ground, London SW1P 2HP. Please write the name and profession of the guarantor in capitals.

Eligibility

There are two categories of entrants: Those aged between 16 and 18 and those aged between 19 and 25. To be eligible you must be between these ages on 31st March 2011. Authors must be resident in the UK. See conditions of entry for further information.

Essays must arrive by 1st April 2011

Prizes

Two return Eurostar tickets to France, £100 prize money and your story published in Prospect for the first prize winners of the 16-18 category and of the 19-25 category. Second prizes of £75 and third prizes of £50 will be awarded in each category. The best entries will be published by the FBC in an exciting new anthology of short stories. The stories will be judged by a jury selected by the Franco-British Council. The names of the winners will be announced by 12th June 2011.

Background

For the past four years, the Franco British Council has administered a this short story prize, and in that time we have seen hundreds of young people be inspired to let their thoughts and feelings about France and the French stimulate their imaginations and inspire them to put pen to paper. This prize aims to target a specific problem, which is the decline of UK students choosing to study French. The number of pupils taking the language at GCSE has been steadily plummeting and we hope that this prize will ignite a deeper interest in France and all things French .

Jury

As well as Michael Morpurgo this year's jury will include Boyd Tonkin, literary editor of the Independant, Baroness Quin, Chair of the Franco British Council, Mary Walsh, director of communications at Eurostar and Tom Chatfield of Prospect magazine.

Download application form >>

More information here.