H.E. Bates Short Story Competition

** THE 2013 COMPETITION IS NOW OPEN **

The long-running H.E. Bates Short Story Competition is back and has a new judge! I’m delighted to announce that short story / ‘how to’ author and novelist Della Galton is our Head Judge for 2013.

Herbert Ernest Bates, CBE (1905–74), better known as H. E. Bates, was an English writer and author. His best-known works include Love for Lydia, The Darling Buds of May, (starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Pam Ferris amongst others) and My Uncle Silas. Bates was born on May 16, 1905 in Rushden, Northamptonshire, and educated at Kettering Grammar School. After leaving school, he worked as a reporter and a warehouse clerk.

Run by the Northampton Writers Group (of which I am Chair and therefore a competition panelist ), the details of the H.E. Bates competition will be updated shortly at http://www.hebatescompetition.org.uk (with the rules / entry details at http://www.hebatescompetition.org.uk/index3.asp) but the following is an advanced summary:

• Write us a short story on any theme or genre of your choice.
• Entries must be no longer than 2,000 words in length.
• Email / postal entries accepted.
• The competition is open to all writers, from anywhere in the world.
• 1st Prize £150; 2nd Prize £100; 3rd Prize £50
• Special prize for the best story written by a Northamptonshire writer £50 (not awarded if the story has won 1st, 2nd or 3rd Prize).
• In addition, a prize of £50 will be awarded for the best story by a writer who is under 18 years old on the closing date for entries.
• The entry fee is £4 for each story submitted or 3 stories for £10 (£1 for each story submitted by an Under 18 writer). Entrants are invited to submit as many stories as they wish.
• The initial judging panel will comprise members of the Northampton Writers’ Group.
• The Head Judge is short story / ‘how to’ author and novelist Della Galton (see below).
• Closing date for entries is midnight (UK time) on Sunday 3rd November 2013.
• Prizes will be awarded at a prize-giving ceremony in December 2013 / January 2014 (date t.b.a.) at The Moulton Theatre, Northampton.

Della Galton is a novelist, short story writer, and journalist.She is also the agony aunt for Writers’ Forum and has been writing and getting published for over twenty-five years.

When she is not writing she enjoys walking her dogs in the beautiful Dorset countryside where she lives.

Her hobby is repairing old cottages, which is lucky as hers is falling down.

* * *

I have to say (well, I don’t have to but I’m being kind) that one of the stories I read last year didn’t have a beginning or end (only a middle) so lost points for that (I start at 10 and work downwards). Nick, our competition organiser, let it go through to the panel which I wouldn’t have done as to me it wasn’t a short story so he’s clearly kinder than me.

So there you have it. Nick (who gets your stories first, removes the names then distributes them), myself and the other group members look forward to reading your stories. I always say I’m firm but fair (you can hear how I critique in one of my red pen podcasts) and whilst I can’t be bribed (unless it’s with banoffee pie), if you have any questions feel free to email me.

The Northampton Writers’ Group (critique group) meets every other Thursday night in central Northampton, England – do email me if you’re local and are interested in joining.