creative writing classes, fiction writing courses, Edinburgh based, Scotland, web based writing classes, writing classes with weekly tutor feedback and peer evaluation

Competition links

Here are a few links to sites which list current writing competitions/awards in the UK and overseas, we are very happy to receive emailed suggestions about any other competitions not listed here.

The Historical Novel Society International Award 2012/13 £5000 ($8000) prize plus e-publication (to include professional copy-editing and cover design) For an unpublished novel that is neither under contract nor option International and open to all (previously published or unpublished authors)

Edge Hill prize for the Short Story.
The Edge Hill Prize is awarded annually by Edge Hill University for excellence in a published single author short story collection.

WritersReign 5th Annual Short Story Competition Opens
'One Moment In Time' is the theme of the fifth Annual Short Story Competition hosted by WritersReign.co.uk. Just weave your story around a moment, an incident, a revelation, in your character's life that dramatically changes things.

Vintage Script - a new writing magazine for all things vintage, historical and retro. Vintage Script is published quarterly with 64 pages packed full of quality writing.
We are always looking for short stories and articles on any historical theme, so please see the Submissions section if you have something to share.

The Inspired? Get writing! competition, now in its seventh year, is a three-way partnership between the National Galleries of Scotland, the English-Speaking Union Scotland and the Scottish Poetry Library and is supported by the Scotsman and The Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust.
Entrants are asked to produce a piece of creative writing inspired by a work in the permanent collection of the National Galleries of Scotland.

The Sitcom Mission 2012 Playwriting competition.
Fee: £10-£15
There's a £5000 script commission for the winner from Hat Trick Productions

The Yeovil Literary Prize has evolved into a highly successful international writing competition.
Competition is extremely keen and, as always, writers of every calibre and covering all genres are welcome to enter. The Yeovil Literary Prize was originally established to, and continues to, stimulate interest in all literary pursuits, as it fundraises for the Yeovil Community Arts Association.

FROME FESTIVAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2012
For stories on any theme
For more information visit the Frome website. Queries can be directed to Frome Library, tel. 01373 462215 or email queries to ffshortstorycomp@yahoo.co.uk.

The spillinginkreview has regular competitions in the flash fiction/ short story/fiction genre. Check the website for 2012 updates.

Welcome to the Yeovil Literary Prize. Now in its seventh year, the Yeovil Literary Prize attracts outstanding entries from across the globe. This is the third year in which we have offered an option to enter online and it has encouraged a significant increase in entries. We look forward to even more this year.

Albedo One
Ireland's Magazine of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, is proud to announce the Aeon Award for short fiction. This short fiction contest has been running since 2004.

An annual poetry competition run by The Plough Arts Centre in Devon. Critiques are offered for a small fee, and all poets who make it to the long or short lists are notified.

Fish Publishing runs the Fish Short Story Prize, one of the largest international short story competitions. They also run poetry, crime, and historical fiction competitions and provide a full editorial consultancy service designed to provide writers with one to one, on-going, constructive feedback on their work, whether it is a complete novel or just the beginnings.

The Bridport Prize is an annual international creative writing competition for poetry and short stories. The closing date for entries which may either be sent by post or online is 30th June. Bridport Prize is one of the top prizes of its kind in terms of both prestige and prize money. It has been the first step in the careers of many established poets and novelists. The prize money totals £14,000 with a first prize of £5000 for both poetry and short stories.

The author-network site provides excellent links to many writing orientated activities including a list of current writing competitions.

theshortstory.org.uk. For all those that like to write short stories, here is a link to the BBC "Story" website with a comprehensive list of excellent short story competitions.

Prizemagic. Interesting website about competitions in general. The "writing competitions" link is regularly updated and is very comprehensive.

The Raymond Carver Short Story Award.

Cinnamon Press has a range of competitions to help writers establish a writing profile. You can find out about their bi-annual writing awards for novelists, short story writers and poets by checking the website.

Writelink, a writers' resource site for creative and freelance writers.

winningwriters.com. This American contest is for poems in traditional verse forms - which is to say any form of poetry that has been in circulation for 50 years or more. There is no line limit, but as an incentive not to ramble on until even your best friend is thinking of breakinga chair over your head, the organisers have decided to charge by the line.

Winter Witch Books is a small, independent publisher. They are running a new winter tales competition, the first prize is GBP100, with runner up prizes of GBP25. Also, the winning entries will be included in an anthology of Winter Tales.