The Return of the Great Clarendon House Writing Challenge

As announced in the just-released Issue # 14 of the Inner Circle Writers' Magazine: It’s back!

Are you ready for one of the most exciting and challenging writers’ competitions in the world?

The idea is to find TEN CONTESTANTS who then undertake a series of specialised tasks, month by month, in each issue of the Inner Circle Writers’ Magazine. There is NO FEE to enter the challenge. As each month goes by, the number of contestants reduces, based on votes from the magazine’s readers who judge how each of them accomplishes each task.

By the end of the competition, ONE CONTESTANT will be crowned the WINNER of the Great Clarendon House Writing Challenge.

The winner will be entitled to:

the offer of a book publishing contract with Clarendon House Publications

a free webpage on the Clarendon House website through which to feature their works (whether published by Clarendon House or not)

a free full-page ad in the Inner Circle Writers’ Magazine for a whole year free marketing advice, including cover design, blurb, author platform tips and so on

a free Lifestyle Consultancy to address any issues that might be getting in the way of their success as a writer. Last year’s winner, PETER ASTLE, is currently working on his book. If you would like to apply, please read on...

FIRST STEP

Write a flash fiction story, 500 words in length. Any genre, any style, any subject. I will select TEN CONTESTANTS from all the applicants, and the ten pieces of flash fiction will appear in the May magazine. DEADLINE: April 5th.

Why 500 words?

To give writers a chance to show what they can do while allowing enough space in the magazine for ten pieces to appear.

What am I looking for?

The ability to grab, guide and move readers in a limited number of words.

There won’t be any pictures or decorations accompanying the accepted pieces so as not to give anyone any kind of unfair advantage.

Those ten flash fiction stories will then be judged by magazine readers, who will email me throughout the following month with their choices.

Based on those choices, FIVE CONTESTANTS will be chosen to continue the competition.

What should readers look for?

Are they grabbed? Are they moved? Did the story leave a powerful overall impression? Did they feel in competent hands?

The winning five pieces will then be re-printed with images and/or decorations.

SECOND STEP

The FIVE REMAINING CONTESTANTS will be set the same technical challenge, visible to all readers: a chance to develop a 1,000 word short story from a given set of parameters, to be published in the magazine.

Why a technical challenge?

While the first task gave writers free rein, this challenges them to produce an attractive piece of work within particular guidelines. Last year, contestants had to pen a Western — this year’s challenge will be equally daunting.

What am I looking for?

The ability to adapt quickly to the requirements of a particular genre or sub- genre without much advanced warning, while still retaining the skill of grabbing, guiding and moving readers.

Five short stories based on the technical challenge will be published and then judged by magazine readers, who will email me throughout the following month with their choices.

Based on those choices, THREE CONTESTANTS will be chosen to continue the competition.

What should readers look for?

As before, are they grabbed? Are they moved? Did the story leave a powerful overall impression? Did they feel that the author had grasped the basics and perhaps even the nuances of an unusual sub-genre?

THIRD STEP

The THREE REMAINING CONTESTANTS will be interviewed about their writing lives and asked to write a 1,500 word short story in a particular style, to be submitted for the FINAL CONTEST in the following month’s magazine.

By this point, contestants will have demonstrated adaptability to genre, deadlines and the basic skills of attracting and interesting readers — but now they have to do it in a writing style foreign to them. This means that the winner is truly a mighty writer!

THREE FINAL STORIES, one from each of the remaining contestants, will be published. Magazine readers will then vote for the overall WINNER for 2020!

BE A WINNER! SEND IN YOUR 500 WORD FLASH FICTION STORY NOW! Any questions? Please email me at grant@clarendonhousebooks.com