Aim high, but remember your breathing apparatus

Travel posts from bloggers provide us with unique experiences of different parts of the world from individual points of view, and this I love.   However, I found a site today while perusing short story competitions – about which I would like to start thinking – and must share the link with you.

By Friday I want to have sent my two short stories out to a handful of competitions to truly test the thickness of my skin when I will quite probably not receive a word back from any of the organisers!   (Good, that’s a goal and far more effective than a vague ‘thinking about it’ statement)

This link will take you to Wilbur Smith’s Adventure Writing Prize. It is an annual competition with two categories:

1. A prize for the best published adventure novel.
2. A prize for the best unpublished manuscript by a debut author submitted for consideration.

A grant of £7,500 awaits the winner of the second category aimed at travel for that author’s subsequent research for their next book!  They will also win a mentoring advisor from Wilbur Smith’s agents at Tabor Jones & Associates.

Wilbur Smith has written enough books to fill the walls of my reading room upstairs, so he knows what he is talking about.

I have an inkling that this competition is way out of my league, but may well be interesting to you.  Right now in my writing journey, entering a competition of that magnitude would be like jumping out of a Hercules without breathing equipment.  However, reading about it I found exciting and inspiring so I went on to research many more relevant competitions for someone at my stage.

Blog followers represent a true representation of readers across the globe and all genres.  I feel I have had enough positive feedback to send some pieces for critical debate.  I know ‘judges’ are human and will have their own favourite genres, opinions, pre-conceived ideas about how short stories should unfold, but I also trust that these judges are chosen for their fairness and ability to keep open minds.  Why not take a look at a few yourself?

The White Review

American Short Fiction

ABR Elizabeth Short Story Prize

Reader’s Digest 100-word story competition

What are you waiting for?   I’ll see you there!

Inkling