2014 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year Competition - Wednesday, August 6th, 2014

Open to poets and fiction writers worldwide, and now taking online payments, Over The Edge is continuing its exciting annual international creative writing competition in 2014.

Since its inception in 2007, it has grown to become one of the most important competition’s for emerging writers in Ireland and internationally. The competition is open to both poets and fiction writers worldwide. The total prize money is €1,000.

The best fiction entry will win €300.

The best poetry entry will win €300.

One of these will then be chosen as the overall winner and will receive an additional €400, giving the overall winner total prize money of €700 and the title Over The Edge New Writer of The Year 2014.

The 2014 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year will be a Featured Reader at Ireland’s leading literary reading series, the Over The Edge: Open Readings in Galway City Library, on a date to be scheduled in Winter 2014/15.

Salmon Poetry will read, without commitment to publish, a manuscript submitted to them by the winner in the poetry category. Doire Press will read, without commitment to publish, a manuscript of short stories submitted to them by the winner in the fiction category. The winner in the poetry category will have one of the poems from her or his winning entry published in the January 2015 issue of Skylight 47 magazine.

This year’s competition judge is Eleanor Hooker. Eleanor lives in NorthTipperary. She has a BA (Hons 1st) from the Open University, an MA (Hons.) in Cultural History from the University of Northumbria, and an MPhil in Creative Writing (Distinction) from Trinity College, Dublin. She was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series in 2011. Her poetry has been published widely in journals in Ireland and the UK. She is a founding member, Vice-Chairperson and PRO for the Dromineer Literary Festival. She is a helm and Press Officer for the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat. She began her career as a nurse and midwife. The Shadow Owner’s Companion, Eleanor’s debut collection of poems, is published by Dedalus Press and has been very favorably received.

The major sponsor of the competition is Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, and other sponsors to date include ISupply, Quay Street; Ward’s Hotel Lower Salthill; Kenny’s Bookshop & Derek Nolan T.D.

Closing date for entries: Wednesday, August 6th, 2014

Entries should be sent to Over The Edge, New Writer of the Year competition, 3 Carbry Road, Newcastle, Galway, Ireland.

Entries will be judged anonymously, so do not put your name on your poem(s) or stories.

Put your contact details on a separate sheet.

If you live in Ireland and wish to be informed of the results by post, please enclose a stamped addressed envelope. OTHERWISE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO ENCLOSE A STAMPED ADDRESSED ENVELOPE.

Criteria: fiction of up to 3000 words, 3 poems of up to 40 lines, or one poem of up to 100 lines.Any of the aforementioned is one entry.

Multiple entries are acceptable but each must be accompanied by a fee.

The fee for one entry is €10.

The fee for multiple entries is €7.50 per entry e.g. two entries will cost €15, three entries €22.50 and so on.

Fee payable by cheque or money order to Over The Edge. The competition is open to writers worldwide. We accept payment in Dollars, Sterling, Australian Dollars, Canadian Dollars and so on. Writers from outside the Euro area can calculate the payment for their entry here http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Over the Edge are now accepting online payments, scroll down to the end of this page to find the paypal button. If you pay the entry fee online you must still post a hard copy of your entry/entries and enclose with it a note saying ‘entry fee paid online’.

PLEASE INCLUDE THE EXACT NAME IN WHICH THE ONLINE PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE SO THAT WE CAN VERIFY.

To take part you must be at least sixteen years old by September 1st 2014 and not have a book published or accepted for publication in the genre in which you enter. Chapbooks/ pamphlets excepted.

Entries must not have been previously published or be currently entered in any other competition.

A long-list will be announced at the August Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library on Thursday, August 28th, 2014 (6.30-8pm).

THE LONGLIST WILL BE AVAILABLE, BEFORE THAT, AT CHARLIE BYRNE’S BOOKSHOP FROM 5PM ON THURSDAY AUGUST 28TH.

The shortlist will be announced at the September Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 25th, 2014 (6.30-8pm). The winners will be announced at the October Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library on Thursday, October 30th, 2014 (6.30-8pm).
For further details contact Over The Edge on 087-6431748, e-mail over-the-edge-openreadings@hotmail.com , or see http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com