Spread the word, we feel sure from the great short stories over the years that there will be writers here with a very good chance. Read the terms and conditions carefully.

The Sunday Times £25,000 short story competition - view details

Re, the term that entrants must have been previously published (by book/ print magazine/ or broadcast) the new YWO collection of short stories is not due until end 2009/early 2010. It would seem a shame for short story writers to miss out on the opportunity however, who do not meet the publishing requirement, so we could fast-track a book out before the competition deadline of 30th November 2009 for eligible stories. The onus however would be on writers who are eligible working together to provide the book as a whole to YWO according to our submission requirements as YWO is involved in many different deadline projects which require our attention presently. We are however, happy to squeeze this one in to give writers the opportunities they deserve, as long as it is understood that this will be by the authors themselves organising the book submission according to requirements. It would also be on a strict deadline so as authors who have submitted on time are not delayed if a submission for a collection is not submitted in time. Between 10 to 14 days from now at latest, and the group would need to appoint one or two co-ordinators to ensure it was submitted in time and correctly. We will take the book submitted, on the agreed deadline, as the final submission.

We saw the competition in the Times yesterday, so are moving quickly in accordance for those that may be interested. Those eligible from last year's bestseller chart entries for the next collection can state their interest here. Those published in our first short story collection can enter already to the competition. We do not have any further information on the competition beyond that on the link above from the competition organisers.

Ted

I looked at the rules for this quite closely. Be aware it is for 'published writers' only and they specifically exclude self-published/POD as far as I understood it. (I'd be more than happy to be wrong on that I might add.) It's also restricted to writers from UK and Ireland.

Re the self-publishing aspect, this should be fine as our short story collections are not part of our self-publishing, they are awarded on the basis of our book of the year awards and writers are included on this basis for publishing. The eligible entrants for our next collection are the short story bestseller chart entrants from last year. As mentioned, one of the Sunday Times competition terms is that entrants must have been previously published (print/magazine/or broadcast). View their terms and conditions for more details on first post above.

As one of the Sunday Time criteria is that the entrants must have been previously published, putting a short story collection out at short notice aims to give the opportunity for those who wish to enter the Sunday Times competition to meet the qualifying criteria of having previously been published if they do not meet this qualifying criteria in any other way as otherwise defined in the Sunday Times rules.

As mentioned, it's something we'd be willing to fit in at short notice, but would be reliant on eligible authors to be published in the next collection (short story bestseller chart entrants from last year) preparing their submissions themselves with one or two co-ordinators to submit the whole book to us by an agreed deadline. This would basically mean preparing a book interior as follows and a volunteer or two to co-ordinate this and the book's submission to us. Basically any short story collection can be used as a guide for format.

Submission requirements for book submission are as follows:

• File to be supplied as Word (.doc) or PDF (.pdf) file
• Note: due to different systems, supplying in PDF is the only way to ensure the text will appear EXACTLY as supplied.
• If supplying in PDF format, please ensure all fonts are embedded
• Minimum length of book is 48 pages and maximum 720 (min for spine text is 76 pages)
• Books must be set up with page size 6x9inches (approx 15.24x22.84cm) – recommended margins around 2cm all round with 1cm footer and header.
• Ensure title page and first chapter starts on odd numbered pages
• Include copyright page on the back of your title page, example below

Published in 2009 by YouWriteOn.com

Copyright © Your Author Name

First Edition

The author asserts the moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.


All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

British Library C.I.P.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.


• Start all new chapters on new pages, separated by page breaks (usually found in insert/break… in toolbar)
• Include page numbers in footer, preferably with no number on first page (insert/page numbers…)
• Generally recommend using a standard font and size, such as Times New Roman, font size 11
• Recommend ‘justifying’ main body text so lines up evenly at both side (usually format/paragraph/alignment)
• Recommend adding insert to first line of each new paragraph in main body text, for instance 0.5cm (format/paragraph/special/first line)
• Ensure last page of book is blank and total number of pages ends in a multiple of 2 for printing (add extra pages where appropriate to meet this guideline)

This is no reflection of anyone on YWO, but why would someone who has already been professionally published, stand to win £25,000, when unpublished writers need the exposure (if not the money) more?

I just don't understand the rationale behind the "Times'" competition. Seems like it's an old fashioned closed shop or merchant's guild for writers ... "A,B&E", "Not In My Name" and "52FF" (flash fiction anthology) all available on Amazon Kindle

"How a psychopath makes sweet love. I can get you ringside. Royal box even."

Ted I bow to your knowledge of working within the industry. A knowledge that I totally lack.

I did experience a similar legerdemain in playwriting. There, literary managers encouraged submissions but virtually none were ever produced, since they already had their own pet writers (and in a fair few cases, put on their own plays). Their role seemed to be to suggest the theatre was looking for new work without actually seeking it, while covering the bases just in case that one blockbusting script plopped through their letter box and they could not afford to miss out on it. Seems to me literary agents and now "The Times" operate a similar praxis. Thank god for outlets like YWO, Legends and the rest opening up opportunity in a genuine way.

"A,B&E", "Not In My Name" and "52FF" (flash fiction anthology) all available on Amazon Kindle

"How a psychopath makes sweet love. I can get you ringside. Royal box even."