comp pits & hits

[Geoff_N]

In mid August I am to be recorded in a conversation with Dave Haslett, who runs Ideas4writers, on how to win short story competitions. Both of us have been judges and competitors and both have won comps. However, I'd really like to lighten the heaviness of the talk. I have boxfiles of advice but need anecdotes of anything really bad or especially anything amusing that happened to you or friends with respect to short story competitions.

Anonimity is guaranteed. Unless you want to be named.

Delph has already helped me in another forum on this, so thanks

Geoff

[Ed]

I'd love to help you out, Geoff, but nothing springs to mind

[desertwomble]

Not one that will translate well on radio, Geoff, but:

Writers' Forum have a feedback form on competition entries which pompously urges you to read the short stories of such luminaries as  O'Henry before submitting again.

Er, could O'Henry in any way be related to O. Henry, the famous American short story writer?  Or perhaps it's his Irish cousin!

Just goes to show that the people judging have probably never read anything by O. Henry.

And if you're not familiar with O.Henry, check out 'The Last Leaf' - a fantastic story, way ahead of its time, about a lesbian couple living in Greenwich Village, circa. 1904!

http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/1303/

DW