Writing opportunities, as publicised by The New Writer magazine

SUBSCRIBERS of The New Writer magazine receive regular newsletters by email with a round-up of current opportunities. In my current newsletter, received this morning, there are around 30 items, made up of competition news, opportunities and useful resources - it's definitely worth checking out.

The Manchester Poetry Prize 2008
The Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University is launching The Manchester Poetry Prize – a new literary competition celebrating excellence in creative writing. First prize: £10,000. Deadline for entries: 1st August 2008. The Manchester Poetry Prize is open to writers internationally, and will award a cash prize of £10,000 to the writer of the best portfolio of poems submitted. In addition, a bursary for study at MMU will be awarded to an entrant aged 18-25 as part of the Manchester Young Writer of the Year Award. Eligible entrants are asked to indicate on the entry form if they would like to be considered for the Manchester Young Writer of the Year Award in addition to the main prize. Entrants are asked to submit a portfolio of poetry (three to five poems; the total length of the portfolio should not exceed 120 lines). The poems can be on any subject but must be new work, not published elsewhere.

Daily Mail/Transworld First Novel Prize
The competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over who is not already a published novelist, and will be judged by best-selling author Joanne Harris, crime writer Simon Kernick, author and Books Editor of Woman and Home Fanny Blake and Francesca Liversidge, Transworld's Publishing Director. Entrants must submit a complete work in the English language of not less than 80,000 words and no more than 150,000 words, along with a synopsis of no more than 600 words. The full terms and conditions can be viewed at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/books/authors.html?in_article_id=560555&in_page_id=1826
or by sending a stamped addressed envelope to: Daily Mail First Novel competition, Transworld Publishers,
61-63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA. Closing date Wednesday 2 July 2008.

A short story competition with a difference to make a difference
Enter this short story competition and you will definitely help enrich the lives of street children in South Africa. You might win one of the great prizes on offer. Publication in Cambridge Agenda magazine. One to one feedback with a literary agent. An hour's mentoring with a Royal Literary Fund Mentor. The winning short story will be chosen from a shortlist of ten by a prestigious panel of judges: Simon Mayo, radio presenter; Jill Dawson, award-winning novelist; Cathy Moore, director of cambridgewordfest; Helen Taylor, Literature Development Office for Cambridgeshire County Council. Every penny of your £20 fee will go to Umthombo, a charity set up to change the way South African perceives and treats its street children. You will help fund artists to give street kids in Durban the opportunity to be children and playfully explore their creativity. Closing date 16 June. You can download the terms, conditions and entry form at http://www.amostrust.org/news/index.php?pageNo=657&parent=1

Cinnamon Press Writing Awards
Novel/Novella: 1st prize - £400 + publishing contract. Submit 10,000 words. Poetry Collection: 1st prize - £100 & publishing contract. Runners up anthology. Submit 10 poems up to 40 lines. Short Story: (2– 4,000) words 1st prize - £100 & publication + runners up anthology. Fee for all genres - £16 (poetry & story fee includes winners’ anthology). Deadlines 30 June. Entries by post + sae & details - name, address, email, working title, nom de plume - to: Meirion House, Glan yr afon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 3SU.