My word! Our readers are a hit with Archer
JEFFREY Archer’s challenge to Mail on Sunday readers to write a 100-word short story inspired an amazing response – with enough entries to fill the pages of a blockbuster novel.
More than 2,000 short stories were submitted by the November 17 deadline, with murder, mayhem and magical changes of identity among a richly imaginative range of tales. Each story is 100 words – not a word more, not a word less.
The winning story, to be selected by Lord Archer, will be revealed in The Mail on Sunday on December 17.
It will be published along with the other top ten entries and the winning writer will receive £250 of book tokens. The competition was held as the bestselling author released a new collection of short stories, Tell Tale, which includes one of just 100 words. Lord Archer, whose first novel, Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, was published in 1976, hopes the competition will encourage budding writers. He said: ‘Many people think they can write a book. Many would like to write a book. I think it is true that if you can do a 100-word story you can do more.’ Lord Archer said he was ‘delighted and excited’ about the response.