Top writing contest now open to entries

A prestigious writing competition is now open for entries.

The William Soutar Writing Prize is a highly regarded annual writing contest, organised by Culture Perth and Kinross.

It alternates between poetry and short stories and attracts writers from across the globe as well as many local Perth and Kinross entrants.

This year the competition will have five categories: adult, children 9 to 11 years, 12 to 15 years, children 9 to 11 years (in Gaelic medium), and 12 to 15 years (in Gaelic medium).

Adult entries can submit poems in English or Scots, to compete for the first prize of a writing course.

Previous winners have gone on to achieve further writing success with some having work published.

Children can submit poems in English, Scots or Gaelic to compete for the first place prize of an iPad.

All winning and shortlisted entries will be published in eBook format and available to borrow from the Culture Perth and Kinross eBook catalogue.

The competition has always secured a high calibre of judge including poet and former festival director of StAnza, Brian Johnstone, and well-known writer and broadcaster Billy Kay.

This year is no exception with award-winning Scottish writer Samuel Tongue secured to read through all adult entries and select the winners.

For the children and Gaelic competitions Marcas mac an Tuairneir will be judging entries and select the winners.

Samuel has been awarded the Callan Gordon award in 2013 and also won the new writers’award from the Scottish BookTrust.

He is an accomplished poet, co-editor of new writing Scotland and has a keen interest in how language can be used to affect our response to internal and external worlds.

Marcas mac an Tuairneir is a Gaelic poet published in numerous journals and in 2014 was awarded the Highland Literary Salon prize for poetry. He has also been involved in BBC Alba’s Ceitidh Mòrag drama series, for children.

The William Soutar Writing Prize is free to enter with the closing date for entries of Friday , February 1, 2019.

Entry forms and competition rules are available from local libraries or can be downloaded from http://www.culturepk. org.uk/whats-on/soutar-writing-prize