JUDGE: Jackie Kay
1st Prize: £2,000 plus a week's writing retreat at Chawton House Library* and a day with a Virago editor**
2nd Prize: £500
3rd Prize: £250
Three other finalists win £100 each.
All winning stories will be published in issue 49 of Mslexia, published in April 2011.
CLOSING DATE: 24 January 2011
Please make sure you have read the rules thoroughly before submitting your entry.
ENTRY
* Stories should be a maximum of 2,200 words and can be on any topic or theme.
* Each story should be typed double spaced on A4 paper, single sided and with pages numbered.
* Please do not write your name on the same sheet as your story. Your story will be judged anonymously.
* Enclose a separate cover sheet with your name, address, telephone number, email address, plus the title(s) of your story(ies) and a word count. If submitting more than one entry, there is no need for a separate envelope for each entry. Download a cover sheet in .doc format from here.
* Please mark your envelope ‘Women’s Short Story Competition’.
* The entry fee is £10 per story. You may enter as many times as you like, provided each story is accompanied by the £10 entry fee.
* Entry fees are payable in sterling.
* Entry fees can be paid for online via our website (you must send a copy of your payment confirmation with your stories) or you can phone +44 (0) 191 233 3860 with your credit/debit card details. Cheques should be made payable to Mslexia Publications Ltd.
* Overseas entries may be submitted by post or by email to shortstory@mslexia.co.uk. We regret FREEPOST is not available for entries from overseas.
* Entries will be accepted online.
* Entries will not be returned; please retain your own copy. If you require acknowledgement of receipt of your entries please enclose an SAE marked ‘Acknowledgement’.
* No alterations may be made to a story once it has been submitted.
* No competitor may win more than one prize.
* Winners will be contacted by post in March 2011 and winning stories will be published in the APRMAYJUN 2011 issue of Mslexia.
* Copyright of each entry remains with the author, but Mslexia has the unrestricted right to publish winning stories in its magazine and on its website, as well as retaining unrestricted rights to use the winning stories and any related material for PR purposes.
ELIGIBILITY
* Stories should be in English (or English dialect) and should not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.
* Stories that have won or are under consideration in other short story competitions are not eligible.
* Stories should not be a translation of another author’s work.
* We will accept stories from women of any nationality from any country.
* You do not have to subscribe to Mslexia to be eligible, but you do have to be a woman.
More information here.
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