The Bridport Prize for Memoirs is open.
The deadline is 30 September 2024.
All entries are judged anonymously. To avoid disqualification, make sure you do not include your name, address, phone number, email, website, twitter handle etc on the document or in the file name.
Memoir extracts must be between 5,000 and 8,000 words.
If you’re longlisted they’ll ask for a total of 15,000 words, including your original word count. Shortlisted writers will be asked to submit a total 30,000 words, again including your original entry and longlisted word count.
The fee is £24.
Kit de Waal is judging memoir entries. Kit began writing in her fifties. She won the Bridport Prize twice for flash fiction. Her recent memoir ‘Without Warning & Only Sometimes’ tells of ‘hunger, hellfire and happiness.’ Her first novel, MY NAME IS LEON was shortlisted for the Costa Book Award and adapted into a BBC drama.
Kit says: “Write what you know is great advice, what better than by writing a memoir. Don’t think you’re too ordinary – there are no ordinary lives – and don’t think you’re too inexperienced. Write from the heart and tell me who you are. I can’t wait to read.”
Top prize is £1,500.
The winner will receive a year’s mentoring from The Literary Consultancy through their Chapter & Verse scheme. You’ll also have the chance to consult with A.M. Heath, a leading London literary agency, plus get valuable advice from an editor at John Murray, part of Hachette publishers. You have the option of a discussion with the University of Exeter’s Creative Writing Department. In addition, the opening chapter/s of your memoir will be published on the Bridport Prize website. You’ll also be championed as part of the Bridport Prize family.
Don’t forget to check out the Writers’ Room on the Bridport Prize website for resources and inspiration.
Find full details of the Bridport Prize Memoir Award.
Find full details and enter your creative works at www.bridportprize.org.uk.
Got an event, challenge, competition or call for submissions you’d like to draw my attention to? Send me an email at judydarley (at) iCloud(dot)com.