Search underway for next generation of Welsh writers
Budding writers from across Wales are being invited to enter a competition to have their work published in a new anthology of the nations’ most talented young scribes.
The Welsh Writers’ Trust is teaming up with Parthian Books to publish an anthology which will include work by the winners of the Trust’s second Robin Reeves Prize for Young Writers.
The competition is open to writers between the ages of 17 and 24, who are asked to submit poetry, fiction, drama or non-fiction, either complete works or excerpts on the theme of Out of the Ashes: Overcoming Adversity. Within this topic, writers can explore the subject of moving beyond trauma, difficulties, or hardship which might be personal, social or cultural.
The winner will receive £500 and have their work published in the anthology.There will be prizes of £100 and £50 for the runners-ups who will also have their piecesincluded, along with a selection of shortlisted work.
The closing date for entries is 15 June, 2015 and the winners will be announced in September 2015.The launch event will be held in November 2015. Full details and rules can be found on the Welsh Writers’ Trust website.
Welsh Writers’ Trust board member, Christina Thatcher, who is a writer and Creative Writing tutor at Cardiff University, said:“We have a long and proud tradition of English language writing in Wales and there is a wealth of new, young talent out there waiting to be discovered. The Welsh Writers’ Trust is always looking for ways to promote and nurture that talent. So we are delighted to announce this partnership with Parthian Books which will give the Robin Reeves Prize winner and some of our most exciting young writers the chance to bring their work to a wider audience.”
Publishing Editor at Parthian Books, Susie Wild, said: “Parthian Books are proud to be working with the Welsh Writers’ Trust on this new anthology of young Welsh writers. We are always excited to work with new talent and we hope this project will help launch some new careers and generate fresh interest in Welsh writers.”
Additional Notes
The Robin Reeves Prize for Young Writers
The Welsh Writers’ Trust was established in December 1986 to help nurture new and well-established English-language writing talent in Wales. Robin Reeves was a founder member and chairman of the Trust for many years, a journalist, and Editor of TheNew Welsh Review (1991-2001). This is the second competition to be held in his memory. The 2008 winner Anna Lewis has gone on to win other competitions and publish a collection of poetry:http://www.annalewis.org.uk/
Details of the competition are available on the Welsh Writers’ Trust website.
http://www.welshwriterstrust.wordpress.com
Parthian Books
Based in Cardigan, Parthian Books was established in 1993 by Publishing Director Richard Lewis Davies to publish his first novel, Work, Sex and Rugby. Since then it has published over two hundred titles.
Sponsorship
The Welsh Writers Trust would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Richard Thomas Solicitors whose generous sponsorship will make the prizes and publication associated with this competition possible.
Competition Guidelines:
- Writers should be between the ages of 17 and 24 on the closing date for entries
- Born or currently living in Wales
- Writers should submit a single prose piece of up to 1,500 words in length or up to 3 poems of their own, unpublished work
- The entry fee for each submission is £5. You may submit up to 3 poems or one piece of up to 1,500 words per entry
- Payment for each submission must be using Paypal or a debit or credit card. Please visit the Welsh Writers’ Trust website to pay for this.
- One genre per entry fee though there is no limit to the number of submissions
- Submissions should be emailed to welshwriterstrust@gmail.com. These should be in DOC, DOCX, or PDF format and included in one single file along with a short writer’s bio
- The closing date is June 15th 2015.
- The prize winner will be selected by a jury made up of the Trustees. Their decision will be final
Welsh Writers’ Trust 
Reblogged this on collecting words and commented:
I cannot wait to start reading submissions for this Welsh Writers’ Trust competition for young people! We all face adversity in different ways and writing about this can be so powerful.
Reblogged this on Herstory.
Reblogged this on Phil Clement and commented:
This is a great opportunity for anyone aged between 17 and 24 currently in Wales. Submit, submit, submit!!