story rules

The author Fiona Walker has kindly agreed to judge the short-listed stories in this year's competition

RULES FOR THE SHORT STORY COMPETITION. Stories should be original and should be between 1800 and 2,000 words in length. They may be on any subject. Lines should be typed double-spaced. There is no limit on the number of stories which may be submitted. All entries must have been received by the Competitions Organiser on or before 31 July 2009.

COMMON RULES FOR BOTH COMPETITIONS. Entries must be the exclusive work of the author. They should be written in English and should not have been published before or be currently entered in any other competition. Each entry must have a title. Entries which exceed the stated length will be disqualified from winning.

They should be legibly written on A4 white paper and, since all entries are judged anonymously, must not include anything but the title and the poem or story. The author’s name, address and telephone number should be attached on an entry form or on a separate sheet of paper, which must include the titles of the entries. Entry fees of £4.00 per poem or story should also be enclosed. Only cash, cheques, UK postal orders or travellers’ cheques can be accepted. Payment must be in UK Sterling. Credit cards cannot be accepted.

No correspondence can be entered into. The Judges’ decisions are final. Entries cannot be returned, so competitors should keep copies of their work.

Competitors who would like a receipt or notification of winning entries should enclose s.a.e.s marked "Receipt" or "Results".

By entering, competitors accept that the Festival Committee may publish winning entries on the Internet for up to one year from the date of Prize-giving and that the winning entries may be read out and or posted during the Festival, and, perhaps, read on the BBC Somerset Sound Programme all without payment of a fee. Copyright remains with the authors.

Results will be announced during the Festival and will then be published on the Website. Winners will be notified in advance and will be invited to attend the Prize-giving during the Festival.

Although an entrant may win more than one prize during the competition no single piece of work will be awarded more than one prize.

The Festival will be held in Wells, Somerset, UK between Friday 16th October 2008 and Friday 23rd October 2009. Details will be published in August 2008 and on the Website. Any changes or alterations may also be published on the Website.

Visit the Festival Website, which contains: useful tips, the text of last year’s winning entries, festival programme, booking form, and a scrapbook.

Pamphlets containing entry forms and rules are distributed in March 2009 to libraries and through writers' magazines in the UK. Printed pamphlets will be sent to individuals who write in and enclose an sae.

Please use the entry forms which can be downloaded and printed from this website whenever possible and save postage.