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Here's the details for the Mail on Sunday novel comp
Here are those details for the novel writing comp, which I have copied word for word from Sunday's Mail, so I hope it makes sense!
To enter this year's competition, write the opening lines of a novel - between 50 and 150 words - introducing into the story or setting, the word 'tip': it could be, for example, a tip-off, tiptoeing, the tip of the iceberg - whatever fires your imagination.
The winner will receive £400 in book tokens and a place on an Arvon writing course; the runners-up will get book tokens ranging from £150 to £300. This year's judges are novelists John Mortimer, Michael Ridpath and Faye Weldon.
Send your entry with your name, address, telephone number and email address on the same page to arrive by October 15 2007, to:
The Mail on Sunday Novel Competition,
PO Box 200, Rochester, Kent. ME1 9AH.
Results will be announced next summer.
Luv Kaz
P.S. Just noticed that last line. Bit of a b-long time to wait, isn't it?!!
thanks Kaz, I've sent one off. Had a sudden inspiration on the word 'tip' due to just getting back from Egypt where everyone expects bakhshish.
Did you notice if it said anything in the rules about entries only from unpublished writers? I saw that on the Times/Chickenhouse competition (but think I can still enter that as I haven't had a novel published, only short stories). But some of these comps want only unpublished writers to enter.
In answer to your queries, I've just read through the blurb in the Mail again, but it really doesn't say anything more than I've already included. There's nothing about being published/ unpublished and nothing about whether you can submit multiple entries - so frankly I'd just go ahead.
Thanks for that Kaz, I'm in The Netherlands at the moment and not able to get the papers so it's good to be able to still read about things on Talkback.
Bakhshish is a tip - or it could be giving alms to a begger or a gift to charity. When I was in Egypt you couldn't do anything or go anywhere without giving a tip, even if you'd already paid. Good idea to keep lots of small change on you!
The comment on last year's winning entry was that it had "a plot, a setting, a couple of intriguing characters, a sense of something happening, and we want to know what".
Thanks Jay. Maybe they don't think its summer yet. What's the point of saying 'in the summer'? when the summer is a season. Did they mean June or August. Why can't they be more precise ie the end of August. Did you enter?
That may be misleading. It can be a verb, but then it's clean. I think. Mind you, what follows may be linked to the dodgy version. Confused? You will be. (Anyone remember Soap? Have I got it right? Anyone know what I'm talking about?)
I entered this and I've not heard a peep. I'd actually forgotten about it!
Maybe with British summer the way it is, they're confused as to when summer actually is!
:)
JAY! - Coronation Street must have finished - get out here and explain yourself - I can't believe the word is the one suggested by Carol's last post but I'm totally clueless...and extremely curious ;)
Comments
Here are those details for the novel writing comp, which I have copied word for word from Sunday's Mail, so I hope it makes sense!
To enter this year's competition, write the opening lines of a novel - between 50 and 150 words - introducing into the story or setting, the word 'tip': it could be, for example, a tip-off, tiptoeing, the tip of the iceberg - whatever fires your imagination.
The winner will receive £400 in book tokens and a place on an Arvon writing course; the runners-up will get book tokens ranging from £150 to £300. This year's judges are novelists John Mortimer, Michael Ridpath and Faye Weldon.
Send your entry with your name, address, telephone number and email address on the same page to arrive by October 15 2007, to:
The Mail on Sunday Novel Competition,
PO Box 200, Rochester, Kent. ME1 9AH.
Results will be announced next summer.
Luv Kaz
P.S. Just noticed that last line. Bit of a b-long time to wait, isn't it?!!
Did you notice if it said anything in the rules about entries only from unpublished writers? I saw that on the Times/Chickenhouse competition (but think I can still enter that as I haven't had a novel published, only short stories). But some of these comps want only unpublished writers to enter.
In answer to your queries, I've just read through the blurb in the Mail again, but it really doesn't say anything more than I've already included. There's nothing about being published/ unpublished and nothing about whether you can submit multiple entries - so frankly I'd just go ahead.
Luv Kaz
Bakhshish is a tip - or it could be giving alms to a begger or a gift to charity. When I was in Egypt you couldn't do anything or go anywhere without giving a tip, even if you'd already paid. Good idea to keep lots of small change on you!
Marc, this was the 2007 thread about 'tip' - but I don't remember seeing anything about a winner.
now which definition of tip are you using? to tilt something up, a rubbish tip, a gratuity, a hint as in tip on a horse? :)
Maybe with British summer the way it is, they're confused as to when summer actually is!
:)
;)
And I have to say that even with Jay's clues I would never have got it.
But it can have other meanings when you think about it.
Winner of the competition with the word tip was Isabel Ashdown.
Her story appears in the MoS.
Ill start a new post for this years competition.
Interested as I also entered.