Andy Hayes, who attended ‘Writing Short Stories’ in 2011, came up with the idea of gathering abandoned lists, crumpled doodles, binned post-it notes –  scraps of text that would normally be viewed as litter – and using these a prompts for pieces of creative writing. After talking to other members of  writers’ collective 26, the project Throwaway Lines was born.

Now the work has moved into a new, three-dimensional phase. 15 top designers have been brought in to create frames for the scraps that inspired the pieces of writing. The results will be on display from October 29 onwards at the Free the Word Centre in Farringdon.
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The Bookseller reports that Britain’s first e-Book Festival, held in July in Kidwelly in West Wales, did not attract the numbers hoped for, but the organizers vow to run the event again next year.

At the festival, a £10,000 prize for the best e-book was awarded to the Brixton-based writer and organizer of the Brixton Book Jam, Zelda Rhiando, who won with her self-published novel Caposcripti.  She said: “I’m very happy to win. I’m hoping to use the money to fund a research trip for my next book.” For more information about her book, visit the Caposcripti website. 
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In October 2012, writer Jennifer Matthews of the Munster Literature Centre, Ireland, is launching a new online publication called Long Story Short, which will specialise in short fiction between 4,000 and 9,000 words long.

The Long Story, Short literary journal will publish a short story every month, favouring tales that take their time:  “Longer than flash; fewer strings attached than a novel”, says the website. To submit your story or artwork, please visit the Submissions page of the website.

 
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An international prize, now in its third year, that showcases creative work written specifically for digital media.

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Gerry Byrne (who took part in LWW’s weekend workshop on character and dialogue in 2010)  has organized a series of talks in Oxford this autumn. Between the Lines brings poets and psychotherapists together in conversation, interspersed with readings from the poets’ work.

The first talk on Thursday October 11^th features poet, author and translator David Constantine (pictured left) in conversation with child psychotherapist Gerry Byrne.

On Thursday November 8^th, the poet Bernard O’Donoghue will be in conversation with psychoanalyst David Morgan and on  Thursday November 29^th, the poet Jane Draycott talks to  psychoanalyst Caroline Garland. All events: 7.30 – 9.30pm.

Venue: Friends Meeting House, 43 St. Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LW. Cost:  £10 per talk/£25 for the series of 3 events

Tickets available online or by telephone from OxBoffice.co.uk  /  www.oxboffice.co.uk. Telephone:   0845 680 1926 (Mon to Fri 9 – 5pm, Sat 10 – 1pm).

More information coming soon on Bolam and Byrne website: http://www.bolamandbyrne.co.uk/

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For the first time in its history, the 2012 Costa Prize includes a category for short stories.

This award is for a single, previously unpublished short story of up to 4,000 words by an author of 18 years or over. The story must be written in English.

The closing date for entries is 4pm on Friday 7 September 2012. A shortlist of six entries will be announced in November and the public will be asked to vote for their favourite. The winner will be announced at the Costa Book Awards ceremony in late January 2013 and will receive a cheque for £3,500. Two runners-up will each receive £750.

The author need not have been previously published. Publishers/agents may submit entries on behalf of authors.

To find out more or to enter a story visit the Costa Books website.
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The Royal Society of Literature is holding its second series of Masterclasses in collaboration with the Booker Prize Foundation this year. Their autumn programme includes a day on ‘Bio-Fiction’ with  novelist Adam Foulds (8 September), and Tessa Hadley teaching ‘the Short Story’ (Saturday 10th November). You can book for these and other events through the RSL website.

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Mslexia Magazine has launched a competition to find new writing talent for young readers. The competition is open to children’s novels in any genre by previously unpublished women novelists, as long as they’re written for independent readers or young adults. Crossover fiction (i.e. books aimed at both children and adults) is eligible. To qualify as a novel, your book must total at least 30,000 words.

To enter the competition, send up to 3,000 words – which must be the first 3,000 words of the novel. Any preface is included in your 3,000 words. There is no need to submit a synopsis.

First Prize: £5,000. Juding panel: Malorie Blackman, award-winning children’s author; Julia Churchill, literary agent specialising in children’s books for Greenhouse Literary Agency; Julia Eccleshare, children’s books editor at the Guardian newspaper.

Closing date: 10 September 2012. Entry fee: £25. For more information, visit www.mslexia.co.uk or Email novel@mslexia.co.uk

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Ether Books publishes short fiction by new and established writers – including Hilary Mantel, Lionel Shriver, Paul McCartney, Alexander McCall Smith, Fay Weldon and many more – for reading on iPhones,  iPad or iPod touch.

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Submissions are now OPEN for the Hot Keys Young Writers Prize, running in conjunction with the Guardian. The prize is aimed at young writers between the ages of 18 and 25, who are passionate about writing for children. The prize has two categories: fiction for readers aged 9-12 or 13-19. Entrants should be unpublished talents new to the literary world.

To be considered, send 4,000 words plus a full plot synopsis; the full manuscript should be available by October. The winners, one for each age category, will be selected by a panel of judges who will consult with school children. Each winner will be given editorial support and the chance to be published by Hot Key Books. The closing date for entries is May 31st. Winners will be announced at the 2013 London Bookfair.

More details on the Hot Keys website.

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