OK, so I'm a bit late out of the traps on this one, but has anyone else set themselves writing goals for this year?

Mine are fairly modest: in 2012, I hope to write six or more good quality Short Stories of 3000 words plus, no more than two of which should be rewrites or revisions of existing work. Setting myself targets any more demanding than that will undoubtedly imperil my achievement of them, which is of course so counterproductive for the old morale.

Another of my sub-targets is to enter the stories I write into more competitions and to keep a close track of what I've submitted, and where to. I'm lousy at that at the minute, totally scattergun and disorganised, and it's not rocket surgery. Although I'm no Albert Frankenstein, so maybe it's all just a bit beyond me.

And this moves me onto my next question: there are a million SS comps out there, of varying quality, prizes, conditions of entry etc. But which are the four, five, six biggest SS comps out there - the ones where success, however modest, would be indicative of the author being on the right track at least.

I'll start with a provinicial one - the highest profile one in the North of Ireland is the Michael McLaverty Short Story Prize, which is run by Belfast's Linen Hall Library and held every two years. There should be one this Summer, as the last was 2010.

What other comps should we consider when submitting SSs? And to repeat, I'm more concerned with the gravitas and reputation of the competition - what being shortlisted or longlisted actually says about the quality of the piece submitted - rather than the generosity of the prize.

My thanks in advance as always to the ever co-operative, ever collaborative, ever generous YWO community.

PS Anyone starts a row on this thread, ABOUT ANYTHING, and I'll come round their house and kick their ass. You can take that to the bank.


My story, 'An Encounter' - as improved by YWOers - is available in this anthology:

Speech Bubble Magazine Best Of Issues 1, 2 & 3 ebook

The Bridport Prize is one of the most serious & prestigious of competitions. "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."

Been studying the last years. Yep, I'm behind. I've my first to polish for a presentable draft (6 chapters to go) and my second and third to finish - and a first botched book to review and repackage. I think I overextended, especially with the shit that has been going on while I'm trying to be organised. I wish my lotto numbers would just come up and I could scuttle off and hibernate somewhere out of reach to finish what I want to do.

The big reward is in the afterlife

Oh I caught on to that years ago. Be careful too of the fine print - make sure the copyright remains with you. I just aim at who I'd love to be published by. No point entering competitions by cons offering £50 for a £10 entrance fee. Sod that!

Check those "Christian" comps as well. Lot of scams going on. Buying your way out of purgatory disappeared with Vatican II.

If you've a SciFi one wouldn't you love to be published by a magazine called Asimov?

This fucker just logged me out again. My patience is wearing thin.

Looks inpressive Tony, but then - who's heard of it? On top of that, a lot of the established comps are elitist - wait for it - cliques who centre on their own locality or circle. Subscribed to a well known mag for a while and the same names kept coming up, names which a google revealed as more or less established. When it came to a competition I had entered and they hadn't been interested in - the competition was cancelled, leaving several would be finalists stranded. The explanation was that there were not enough entrants. Since the prize was merely the honour of being published in the magazine plus a token amount, that hardly scanned.

My point - take all the kudos you can get - from whoever. Anyone who reads and enjoys your work enough to praise it in any way is a worthy critic. Stuff the rest.