Let music be the food of… writers

Unpublished poems and short stories on the theme of ‘Music’ are invited from adults and under-eighteens for the Elmbridge Literary Competition 2021. There are four age categories for children: 5-7 years, 8-11 years (junior), 11-13 (Secondary) and 14-18 years. The winners in each age group will see their work published in a chapbook and the winning, highly commended and commended entries showcased on the RC Sherriff and Elmbridge Borough Council websites. There is a celebratory event planned for 21 March.

Little rhymes and stories in the 5-7 age category should be a maximum twenty lines for rhymes or 500 words for stories. Short stories should be a maximum 1,000 words for 8-13 year olds or 1,500 words for those above this age. Poems should be a maximum thirty lines.

Legible handwritten entries will be accepted in the 5-7 years age group although it is suggested a typed copy be attached. All other entries should be a doc or pdf document. The first page of all entries should be a cover sheet with the age category entered, the title of the story/poem, author’s name, and age if under eighteen, a daytime telephone number and email address. The cover sheet should not be a separate page or embedded in an email.

Prizes total £500 in both adult categories, with book tokens for children, £30 for 5-7 year olds, £37 for 8-11 year olds, £47 for 11-13 year olds and £60 for 14-18 year olds. There is an additional adult prize for a poem and/or story from an Elmbridge resident.

Only one entry per writer is permitted. Entry is £5 for adults, free for children. Pay through the Paypal link on the website using your name as reference or by a cheque (payable to The RC Sherriff Trust). The closing date is 5pm on 5 February.

To enter by post, submit six copies and mark the envelope ‘MUSIC’ Prizes to: RC Sherriff Trust, Hersham Technology Park, Sterling Suite, Molesey Rd, Hersham, KT12 4RZ

Email submissions to: arts@rcsherrifftrust.org.uk; website: https://writ.rs/elmbridge21