The 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. 1st Prize-£5000, 2nd Prize-£1000, 3rd Prize-£500, plus 10 supplementary prizes of £50 each

 

Competition Rules

Closing date for receipt of postal entries: 30th June 2008

Closing date for online entries: 30th June 2008 Midnight GMT

Maximum of 5000 words for short stories

Maximum of 42 lines for poems

Eligibility

• The Prize is open to anyone, including non-UK applicants,over 18 years.
• Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published, self-published, published on any website or broadcast.
• Entries submitted posthumously will not be eligible.

Fees

• Entry fee is £6 per poem or story (you can send as many entries as you like)
• Fees are payable in sterling by credit/debit card, cheque or postal order. Cheques must be from a UK bank and should be payable to The Bridport Prize with the sender's name and address on the back
• Online entries are paid as you submit, using the WorldPay system
• Postal entries from overseas can only be paid by credit/debit card or in cash (notes only, NO coins) - either US dollars (US$12 per entry) or Euros (€10 per entry)
• Overseas cheques, money orders or drafts will not be accepted

Entry Format

• Entries must be in English (preferably typed), single sided, with pages numbered and securely fastened; each entry on a new sheet
• Stories to be double spaced; poems to be single spaced
• Entries must show no name, address or identifying marks other than the title
• Entries are not returned, keep a copy
• No corrections can be made after receipt, nor fees refunded

Receipt of entry

• Enclose a stamped addressed postcard marked 'ACKNOWLEDGEMENT' if you require acknowledgement of receipt of your postal entry
• Online entries are confirmed by the email receipt of your payment to WorldPay
• It is not possible to confirm receipt of entries by phone or email

Results

• To receive the judges' reports (winning entries only) and full results in November 2008 - enclose an A5 stamped addressed envelope marked 'RESULTS'
• Alternatively, check the website for details after mid November 2008

Copyright

• Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but the Bridport Prize will have the unrestricted right to publish the winning poems and stories, (including runners up), in the annual anthology

Judging

• The judges' decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into
• Judges are unable to comment on individual entries
• Judging is fair and independent. Professional and experienced readers select longlists for the named judges

Prizes

• Prizes for both short story and poetry categories are:
• • 1st £5000
  • 2nd £1000
  • 3rd £500
  • plus 10 supplementary prizes of £50 each
    
    
• No competitor may win more than one prize in each category
• The Dorset Award for the highest placed writer resident in Dorset is £100

Prizewinners / prizegiving

• Prizewinners will be notified in writing by beginning of October 2008
• The list of prizewinners will be displayed on the website after the prizegiving ceremony in November
• Prizes will be awarded on 8th November 2008

Poems