The Commonwealth Foundation has announced that registration for the highly anticipated 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Competition will be open for submissions from September 1, 2023, to November 1, 2023.
Aspiring writers and wordsmiths from across the Commonwealth are invited to participate in this literary extravaganza. The competition, which aims to celebrate and promote the richness of short fiction, is free to enter and is available to citizens aged 18 and above from any Commonwealth country.
The challenge is clear: create an original, unpublished short fiction piece with a word count ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 words. Entrants are encouraged to unleash their creativity within this space, as the competition accepts works across various genres, including science fiction, historical fiction, romance, and literary fiction. The only requirement is to craft an engaging story that captivates readers.
To enter, participants are required to submit their work via the online entry form available on the competition’s official page. A comprehensive set of eligibility and entry guidelines can also be found there. The jury, comprised of accomplished international writers, will evaluate the submissions and curate a shortlist of around twenty captivating stories. From this selection, five regional winners will be carefully chosen, representing different parts of the Commonwealth.
The regional winners will not only have their talents acknowledged but will also receive a substantial monetary reward. Each of the regional winners will be awarded £2,500. Among these regional champions, one exceptional story will emerge as the overall winner, securing the coveted £5,000 prize. All five winning stories will also be published on the renowned literary platform, Granta.
In addition to the financial recognition, the winning stories will find their place within the literary world. Granta will publish the stories online, while Paper + Ink will present a special print collection featuring the winning pieces. Moreover, the shortlisted stories will find their way to Adda, the online literary magazine of the Commonwealth Foundation, allowing a wider audience to appreciate the creative brilliance of these writers.
The competition embraces linguistic diversity, accepting submissions in languages such as Bengali, Chinese, Creole, English, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish. Stories originally written in languages other than English are also accepted, and the translators of winning stories will be duly acknowledged and rewarded.
It’s important to note that submitted works must remain unpublished in any print or online medium, except for personal websites. The competition’s rigorous judging process ensures fairness and excellence. Initial evaluations are conducted by a panel of readers, followed by an international judging panel comprised of experts from different Commonwealth regions. These judges, representing Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, will review entries from all corners of the Commonwealth.
In conclusion, this competition is a golden opportunity for writers to showcase their literary prowess, gain recognition, and contribute to the vibrant tapestry of Commonwealth literature. For those with a passion for storytelling, the Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an avenue to be explored.
For inquiries, interested participants can reach out to creatives@commonwealthfoundation.com. The countdown begins: Get ready to pen down your creativity as registration opens on September 1, 2023, at 12 a.m. BST.
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