The National Memory Day Creative Writing Competition

National Memory Day Creative Writing Competition

Guidelines for Entry 2016 (N.B. Updated 8/12/16)

Open for Entries: 9am Monday 1st July 2016
Closing for Entries: 5pm Friday 20th January 2017

We are looking for your poem or short story on the theme of MEMORIES. You can use any form and any subject which relates to our theme. You may enter as many times as you wish.

Each entry must consist of:

• A completed Entry Form
• A copy of your poem or short story on separate sheets for each entry
• The entry fee.

All funds raised will go towards placing Poets-in-Residence in Memory Cafes around the UK to work with people living with memory loss. This project is delivered in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, Plymouth University and the Poetry Archive.

Word Limit for entries:

• Max 100 lines for a poem
• Max 1500 words for your short story

Format for entries:

Type and format your poem and/or short story entry as per the following instructions:

For your Poem please:

• Type your entries to ensure we can clearly read them
• Type in English
• Use a clear easily readable font (e.g. Arial or Helvetica), in minimum 12pt, black
• Use double spaced text
• Number your pages
• Max 100 lines

For your Short Story please:

• Type your entries to ensure we can clearly read them
• Type in English
• Use a clear easily readable font (e.g. Arial or Helvetica), in minimum 12pt, black
• Use double spaced lines
• Number your pages
• Max 1500 words

Please print and send a completed entry form (downloadable below) with each poem or short story you are submitting as we will give each entry a separate code. This is the only place where your name should appear; all entries are judged anonymously so please do not include your name on your poem or short story.

Entries that carry identification apart from on the entry form cover sheet will be disqualified.

Electronic submissions will not be entered into the competition.

Your poems and short stories will be read by a family audience. All genres and forms are welcome. All entries should be suitable for publication on the National Memory Day which has an audience of all ages.

Entry Fees:

All funds raised from entry fees to this competition will be invested in the Memory Café Poetry project which places Poets-in-Residence with Memory Cafes provided by the Alzheimer’s Society. Poets will work with people living with memory loss to recite poetry to stimulate and share memories.

• Entry fee is £3 per first entry and £2 for all subsequent entries which are entered at the same time.
• All fees payable in pounds sterling.

There is no limit to the amount of entries provided the appropriate fees are paid and all entries are clearly stated on a separate Entry Form for each poem or short story entered.

You can pay entry fees in the following ways:

1) By Cheque: Fees are payable by cheque in £ Sterling only. Cheques must be from a UK bank and should be payable to Literature Works with the sender’s name and address on the back.

2) By Direct Bank Transfers: Please add a payment reference to your bank transfer and also add this to your Entry Form so we can tie the two together. Transfers to be made to:

Account Name: Literature Works
Sort Code: 40-52-40
Account Number: 00024882

Remember to add your payment reference to the Entry Form too.

3) Via Online payment at Box Office: Please visit https://peninsula-arts.cloudvenue.co.uk/ and select the National Memory Day Competition link to make your payment online. Once you have made your payment you will receive a confirmation email with a payment reference number. Please ensure you add this number to your entry form.

All Entries (completed entry form + typed poem and/or short story) must be sent to:

Literature Works
National Memory Day Creative Writing Competition
c/o Plymouth University
R1, Roland Levinsky Building
Drake’s Circus
PLYMOUTH
PL4 8AA

Please ensure you use the correct postage. Literature Works is unable to collect submissions that do not have the correct postage and these will be returned to the Post Office.

Entries will not be returned so please keep your own copies. All submissions are shredded at competition closing and recycled.

No corrections can be made after submission, nor fees refunded after entry.

If you require acknowledgement of receipt of your postal entry please enclose a stamped addressed postcard marked ‘My National Memory Day Competition HAS ARRIVED!’ and we will send this back to you.

Eligibility:

The National Memory Day Creative Writing Competition is open to anyone aged 15 and over writing in English.

Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been previously published in print or online, or been placed in any other writing competition.

The poems and short stories submitted must be original, fictional, and entirely the author’s own work and not infringe the copyright or any other rights of any third party and not be defamatory of any living person or corporate body and be suitable for a general audience when published on the National Memory Day website. Entries must be in the entrant’s own name.

The Award is not open to employees or trustees of Alzheimer’s Society, Literature Works, Plymouth University or the Poetry Archive or their direct family members.

Winners:

The winners and runners up will be informed by telephone by Friday 28th April 2017 and the winners will be publicly announced on National Memory Day May 18th 2017.

Winners must agree to publicity of their name and publication of their winning entry. They must be able to provide a photograph and short biography of themselves for inclusion in this announcement.

Please note that winners cannot be paid their expenses to attend any prize giving event.

All entries are guaranteed to be read twice by a dedicated team of readers.

No written feedback will be given on any of the entries other than the 1st Prize winner in any category. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome of the competition by the judges, Alzheimer’s Society, Literature Works, the Poetry Archive or Plymouth University at any time.

Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but Literature Works will retain the right to publish winning entries online and in future promotional material to promote the Nationam Memory Day Creative Writing Competition and the Memory Café Poetry project.

By submitting a story or poem for this Competion the entrant hereby acknowledges and agrees that the winning entries:

• May be reproduced on the National Memory Day website in text and/or audio
• Used in print on any National Memory Day promotional material

If the winners go on to find other outlets to publish their poems or short stories we will be delighted!

The judging:

All entries will be read and judged by an initial team of readers.
A shortlist will be prepared for the final judging.
Judging panels will be made up of professional writers, academics and poets who are leaders in their field.
The winning writer will be contacted personally by email or by telephone.
The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The judging will be fair and independent.
The judges’ decision is final.

The Prizes:

The categories for entry are:

– Best Poem Award – Prize £4000
– Best Short Story Award – Prize £4000
– Best Young Writer aged 15 -18 Award – Prize £2000
– Best Primary Carer Voice Award – Prize £2000

Agreement:

Entrants will be deemed to have accepted to observe these guidelines without reservation and to have agreed to be bound by them when entering this competition. These rules and the entry submitted in accordance with them shall constitute a contract governed by the exclusive laws and the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Entries which contravene these guidelines will be disqualified and fees will not be returned.
DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM (PDF)