The annual Portsmouth Short Story Competition is now open for submissions, and there are lots of exciting prizes to be won.
This year, the theme is ‘the circus is coming to town’ and entrants are encouraged to use one of the three images to inspire their literary talents through the magic of circus. There are two categories available for entry, aged 17 and over with a top prize of £500, and aged 11-16 with a top prize of a £75 book voucher.
Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said “We are pleased to see another year of the short story competition encouraging budding writers to showcase their talents to the Portsmouth community. This year’s theme around the circus is an exciting opportunity to learn about the history of circus whilst letting your imagination run wild. If you’ve ever thought about delving into writing, this could be the perfect chance to try something new. We look forward to seeing some new inspired stories.”
How to enter:
If you are aged 11 – 16 – Attach your 500-word story in either Word or PDF format in an email to 500pompeywords@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Title the email ‘500 Pompey Words’ and include your full name, age, and postcode along with the title of your story and word count, in the main body. This category free to enter.
If you are aged 17 and over – Attach your 3000-word story in either Word or PDF formation in an email to bookfest@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Title the email ‘3000 Pompey Words’ and include your full name, age, and postcode along with the title of your story and word count, in the main body. Please note, there is an entry fee of £5.
The Portsmouth Short Story Competition has been running since 2015. It is an opportunity to showcase the amazing literary talent in the city and has become hugely popular, with both writers and judges marking the event in their calendars. Images for this year’s inspiration are all taken from the archives held at the Portsmouth History Centre located on the second floor of the central library.
The winners will be announced in February 2025 at BookFest, Portsmouth’s literary festival and both winning entries will be published on the Portsmouth Libraries and Archives website. To read the full terms and conditions, visit the Portsmouth History Centre website: Portsmouth Short Story Competition 2024 – Public Library Service
