CultureLab Science-Inspired
Flash Fiction Competition
Deadline: 14 November 2012
Works of fiction inspired by science and medicine can provide powerful insights into the forces that drive us - or cause us to despair. Now we’re asking you to explore those issues yourself - to start with the fascinating facts of cutting-edge science and send us your own short works of science-inspired fiction.
Five shortlisted works will be featured on newscientist.com before the end of the year. The winning entry, as selected by our judge and Wellcome Trust prizewinning author Alice LaPlante, will run in our end-of-year issue. In addition, the winning entrant will be awarded a £200 Amazon gift certificate, and the four runners-up will each receive a £50 gift certificate.
Stories should be original works no more than 350 words long. The competition is limited to one entry per person and the closing date is 14 November 2012.
FLASH FICTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
1. This competition is open to anyone aged 13 or over, except for employees of Reed Business Information Limited and any company involved in the sponsorship of the competition. We assume by entering into this competition if you are under 18, your parents have consented to your entry into this competition and these rules, and you warrant you are the appropriate age to enter.
2. How to enter: Entry is open only to subscribers and registered users. You will be entered into the competition by submitting a work of original science-inspired fiction that is 350 words or less, including the title. Entrants warrant that their entry has not been published anywhere previously (either in print or online) and entries found to be in breach of this may be disqualified.
3. The five shortlisted stories will run online at newscientist.com. The four runners-up will be awarded £50 gift certificates to Amazon.com. The winning entry will run in the end of year issue of New Scientist, and the winning entrant will be awarded a £200 gift certificate to Amazon.com. Prizes cannot be exchanged.
4. Only one entry is permitted per person. Entries can be submitted online via the competition page.
5. New Scientist shall not be responsible for technical errors in telecommunication networks, internet access or otherwise, preventing entry at this website.
6. Entries must be received by Wednesday 14 November at 23:59 GMT. No purchase is necessary. Entries will not be returned, nor will they be removed from the website once posted.
7. Every effort will be made to notify the runners-up and overall winner by Monday 3 December 2012.
8. Submitting your entry constitutes your consent for us to use your entry, name and photos for editorial or publicity purposes.
9. Reed Business Information Limited reserves the right to ask for proof of age and evidence to verify the identity of an entrant at any time, and may use any channels and methods available to carry out checks of any details provided. Entrants may only enter the competition in their own name. Entries submitted through agents or third parties will not be accepted.
10. You hereby warrant that your entry will not infringe the intellectual property, privacy or any other rights of any third party, and will not contain anything which is libellous, defamatory, obscene, indecent, harassing or threatening.
11. The five shortlisted stories will be selected by the New Scientist editors, and the winning entry will be chosen by competition judge and writer Alice LaPlante. The selection is final and no correspondence will be entered into. A list of winners is available by writing to "Flash Fiction 2012", Lacon House, 84 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8NS
12. New Scientist reserves the right to change or withdraw the competition and/or prize at any time.
13. By entering the competition, entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For submissions: via the online submission page
Website: http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/