GCWA Short Story 2023 Guidelines

Theme: Must mention a street name.

Launch competition – May GCWA meeting.

First Prize $300 + certificate

Second Prize $150 + certificate

Third Prize $50 + certificate

Special Mention Prize $250 voucher Angela and David Photography

The long list will be created by the GCWA Committee, and our guest judge will read the shortlist and name the three winning entries. Winners are announced at the GCWA October meeting, and the three winners are published on the website.

Special Guest Judge: Dr. Michael Brohier, Artistic Director Somerset Storyfest

Submissions Open: Thursday 1 June 2023 Submissions Close: Thursday 31 August 2023

Word count–Up to 1000 words

RULES 

1. Come up with a creative title. For example, “Sunrise on Jefferson” or “Death on the Esplanade”
2. We’re looking for short FICTION stories. We do not accept stories written for Children, Poetry, Memoir, non-fiction, or Erotica.) Please do not submit stories with gratuitous violence, sexism, racism, abuse, or animal cruelty.
3. Entries exceeding the word limit (1000 words) will be ineligible.
4. Entries must be the author’s original work and must be unpublished. The copyright remains with the author and can be published elsewhere after the competition.
5. All submissions online. No hard-copy entries will be accepted.
6. In the body of your submission email put your name, phone number, and email address, along with the title of your entry. 
7. Your name should not appear anywhere in your story. Applications will be judged anonymously. A story found to have the author’s identifying details will be ineligible.
8. All entries must be in Times New Roman or Courier New 12-point type and double-spaced as an MS Word document. If you do not have Word, please send a PDF.
9. Use 2cm margins all around.
10. Indent each paragraph and dialogue 5mm.
11. The title of the work and a page number should appear on each page.
12. Do not include illustrations or images.
13. GCWA committee and their families are not eligible to enter.
14. The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
15. Winners will be notified via phone call/email, in the GCWA Newsletter and at the October GCWA meeting. The top three entries will be published on the GCWA website.

Entry fee: Members – $10 Non-members -$20

Option to receive a detailed critique – Members only – $25

Unlimited entries can be submitted but each entry must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee.

Judges are looking for the following:

• Writing ability and readability. ‘Is it a good read?’
• Story arc.
• Adherence to the theme.
• Spelling and Grammar.
• The layout conforms to the competition guidelines.