Budding writers seek literary acclaim

CLOSING date for entering this year’s Cheshire Prize for Literature is Thursday, September 1 – and already entries have been received from budding writers from a range of backgrounds.
A fire fighter, a librarian, a railway worker and a mother of five are just some of the early entrants for the competition, sponsored by Bank of America.
The will be awarded for an original and previously unpublished piece of writing for children and the entry may be in prose or verse. The prose entry should not exceed 1,500 words and the verse entry must not exceed 100 lines. The intended readership is seven to 14-year-old children.
Anyone over the age of 18 who lives, works or studies or has lived, worked or studied in Cheshire is eligible to enter.
Competition judge Jaki Brien, senior lecturer at Chester University, said: “We’ve had some excellent entries already but there’s still time for aspiring writers to submit their work.
“It gives an ideal opportunity for budding writers who have a connection to Cheshire to see their work in print. As well as offering substantial prize money, it can offer new opportunities and who knows where that could lead?”
The winner will receive £2,000 with additional prize money of £750 for the runners up, and a selection of the best pieces will feature in an anthology published by the University of Chester Press.
The Cheshire Prize for Literature was inaugurated in 2003 as The High Sheriff’s Cheshire Prize for Literature. It is funded by Bank of America and administered by the University of Chester.
For details on how to enter the competition visit www.chester.ac.uk/literatureprize
Pictured: Jaki Brien with competition entries.