Ten Top Tips to Competition Glory

If you want to do well in competitions, remember these ten key points:

1 Read the rules – and obey them!

2 Give yourself time to hone and polish your work. Don’t knock it out in a panic a few days before the closing date.

3 Neat presentation is crucial. Tatty entries never win.

4 Write an entry specially for that competition – don’t just recycle old war-horses. And have any set theme firmly in your mind throughout.

5 Don’t think you can enter a story that was originally written for a magazine and have any chance of winning.

6 Don’t send in multiple entries on the same day. Aim to have your stories spread through the pile.

7 Tell a simple, powerful, moving story and keep it economical and tight. Don’t show off with florid, pretentious, self consciously clever word play.

8 Never forget it’s a story, not a character sketch or vignette – plot is vital.

9 Have a stunning, attention-grabbing opening and a knockout ending.

10 Don’t be dull and ordinary – be original. Dare to explore dark themes, emotions and taboos.