The 2012 South African
Writers' Circle
Short Story Competition
(R1,000 top prize)
Deadline: 31 October 2012
The South African Writers’ Circle encourages and assists all writers, new and experienced, and promotes the art of creative writing in general. They hold an annual short story competition that is open to the public. The rules and guidelines are found below. Note that the competition requires entry fees. Please participate with caution.
THEME: Open
GENRE: Short Story (fiction only)
FEE: The entry fee is R45 for members and R55 for non-members. If you would like to receive a critique of your entry an additional R10 is payable. You may submit more than one entry, each with the prescribed fee/s.
REQUIREMENTS:
All competition submissions must be in English.
Entries may not exceed 2 500 words.
Entries must not have been previously published nor been placed in any competitions.
The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.
Entries will be judged on literary merit, use of imagination and ability to enthral.
Entries must be typed in double spacing on one side of each sheet of A4 paper. Number the pages and keep a copy, as we cannot return entries unless a SASE has been supplied.
Provide a cover page for your entry. This must contain the title of the work, your pseudonym, and the number of words. The author’s actual name or address must not appear on the cover page or anywhere in the submitted work. Your name should only appear on the entry form (see below).
Attach an entry form and a cover page to the front of each entry.
For posted entries, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your critique. Critiques will not be sent to entrants, even if they have paid the extra fee, unless a SASE with sufficient postage is provided. Qualifying e-mail entries will receive an e-mailed critique.
Entries may be posted to SAWC Annual Short Story Competition, Competitions Manager, South African Writers' Circle, P O Box 2342, Westville 3630; or e-mailed. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry form.
PRIZES
- EFT payments and direct deposits must include a reference (minimum of the first three letters of your surname plus your first initial and AC (for Annual Competition), for example, SoaJ-AC). Cheques must be made payable to the ‘South African Writers’ Circle’. If payment has been made by direct deposit, please include a photocopy of the deposit slip with your entry.
- Banking details are as follows: SA Writers’ Circle, Standard Bank, Current account, Hillcrest branch: 045726, Account number 250780119.
- Winners will be announced on the website and in the SAWC Newsletter. Prizewinners will receive their prizes at the SAWC Annual Awards Lunch.
Download: entry form
- 1st Prize — The Francis Bond Trophy, R1 000 and your story published in the SAWC Newsletter Write Now!
- 2nd Prize — R500.
- 3rd Prize — R250.
- There are 5 highly commended entries — each win a SAWC pen and a book voucher.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For queries/ submissions: competitions.sawc@gmail.com (subject: Annual Short Story Competition)
Website: http://sawriters.org.za/