Writing competitions. Clearly they’re not all made the same.

Some are free, some are costly, some are actually impossible for mere mortals to enter due to their criteria.

The prizes vary too. From small cash prizes, to publishing deals.

Today, we’re asking the question… on the whole, if you’re serious about being a writer… are they actually worth it? Are they worth the money, the - let’s face it – likely disappointment, the effort and most importantly of all… the time?

And the biggest question of all - are there any quantifiable things you can do to help nudge your entry to the top of the pile?

We consider such things as:

Where’s the best place to send your piece? Maybe a competition isn’t the right destination? Maybe it’s a literary journal instead?

We get some top notch insider insight, from Bath Flash Fiction Award past winner and judge - Kathryn Aldridge-Morris to get the skinny on what works and what doesn’t. What will wow the judges, what will make them spit their tea out and what will make them slide you into their shortlist.

https://www.kamwords.com

Plus we hear from fabulous literary agent Joanna Swainson from Hardman & Swainson, for an agent’s eye-view.

https://www.hardmanswainson.com

Finally, the winner of a competition who we suspect is quite glad she entered DFB & Arvon Search for a Storyteller prize, because it won her a publishing deal with David Fickling Books – Miranda Moore.

I can personally recommend her excellent YA book, A Beautiful Terrible Thing.

Yes, devastating & emotional, but also joyful & redemptive.

https://www.mirandamooreauthor.com

And speaking of competitions… look out next week for our BRAND NEW POETRY COMPETITION!

We’re too good to you. Seriously. We are.

Lovely episode art by Katie Rand.

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Come and see us LIVE!

We'll be at Alton Arts Festival on July the 6th, at Goldfinch Books, doing our thing in full colour, 4K, Ultra HD, real life.

There will be laughter. There will be genuine writing tips and insight from Costa Novel Prize Winner Claire Fuller. There will be a ditty or two. There will be give-aways, impromptu poetry and even Tom’s very-very-serious-wordy-writery-quiz-thing!

Get yer tickets here

Little warning, by the way. There are a couple of sweary-type words in this episode. So get ready to clap your hands around your children's ears! (unless you're driving… then maybe just listen on your headphones, eh?)

Our guest writer this week is the brilliant, funny and whip-smart writer & actor Ashley Storrie. We talk about performing stand up at the age of 11, writing fan fiction, her Mum - Janey Godley, autism, writing sitcoms & guest writing on projects, serendipity in art, and giving your characters a tough time. And I don't know if you can tell... but we really blummin enjoyed it.

And when you've heard Ashley, you'll also want to see her sitcom.

Because it's excellent.

Watch 'Dinosaur' here

And just when you thought all the glorious chatterage was over, Geoffrey G.N. Harrison goes and sends us a lovely little sci-fi story about DUST, for our Hypewriter feature.

Check out more of Geoff's stuff here

And if you've got some work you think should be celebrated in HYPEWRITER don't be shy! Send it to failingwriterspodcast@gmail.com and we'll bring it to glorious audio life and tell you why WE like it too!

Go on do it.

Do it now.

Well that's no excuse.

OK, but don't leave it too long, OK?

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