Thank you to everyone who entered our First Lines competition - we were delighted by your response and the high standard of all the entries.
We are now very pleased to announce the winning stories.
Click on the link below to read the prize-winning entries, selected by a judging panel led by Maureen Lee.
Winning entries for the First Lines Competition
Deadline: October 7, 2011
A good first line grabs your attention. It might be shocking, it might be intriguing, it might be funny, but it will leave you with lots of questions...
Winning entries for the Funny Poetry Competition
Deadline: November 1, 2010
We all know that poets like Pam Ayres and Spike Milligan have a funny way of looking at life but we want to know how you see it!
Winning entries for the 'Letter to Myself' Competition
Deadline: November 1, 2010
If you could travel back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say? In this competition we want you to write a letter to yourself at any age.
Winning entries for the My Story Competition
Deadline: March 31, 2010
When we asked our readers to send us a true story from their lives, we had no idea what a torrent of response we would get. The rules...
Winning entries for The Letter I Wish I'd Written
Deadline: March 31, 2010
Is there a letter you wish you had written to someone in your life? In this competition we asked our readers to write that letter and tell us...
My Street promotion
Deadline: April 15, 2010
This promotion has now closed. How well do you know your street and its inhabitants, the history of your village or any secrets your neighbours might harbour? We...
My Life in Books promotion
Deadline: April 15, 2010
This promotion has now closed. Have you ever read a book that made you try something for the first time; see the world with different eyes or brought...
Other writing competitions
There are plenty more writing competitions – open to all ages – on the Short Story website.
Listed below are a selection of short story and poetry competitions that are currently running. These are all external competitions and not administered by Booktrust.
Longworth Editors 2011 Short Story Competition
The theme for this year's competition is 'journey'. Maximum word count is 3,000 words and first prize is £250, with two runner-up prizes of £100. The shortlist will be read by an agent, publisher and author.
Closing date: 31 December 2011
Writers Bureau Poetry Competition
Enter poems on any theme, no longer than 40 lines. Entry is £5 per poem, first prize is £500, second prize £300, third prize £200, fourth prize £100. Judged by poet Alison Chisholm.
Closing date: 31 December 2011
Words with JAM Short Story Competition
Write a story in any genre of up to 2,500 words. Each entry is £6, first prize is £500 and all winning entries will be published in the April 2012 issue of Words with JAM. The winners will be chosen by historical novelist, Douglas Jackson.
Closing date: 27 January 2012
Homestart Bridgewater Short Story Prize
Short stories on any theme, no more than 2,200 words, are invited. Prizes include £500 and entries will be judged by award-winning novelist, Patricia Ferguson. Entry is £7 per story and all proceeds will go towards the work of Homestart.
Closing date: 1 February 2012
Age UK Essex Poetry and Essay Competition
Open to people over 60 born or living in Essex. Titles for both essays and poems are: Roots, The Letter, Celebrations. Essays should be no more than 1,500 words, and poems should be no longer than one side of A4. One copy of every entry is lodged with the Essex Record Office and all winning entries are published in a booklet.
Closing date: 1 March 2012
2012 Bristol Short Story Prize
Open to anyone over 16. Send in short stories on any theme and in any style, no more than 3,000 words. Entry is £7 per story. Twenty shortlisted writers will be invited to an awards ceremony and their stories published in a print and ebook anthology. Prizes include £1,000 and Waterstone's gift cards.
Closing date: 31 March 2012
If you would like to promote your competition on the Bookbite website, email info@Bookbite.org.uk
