We invite you to write a (flash) story or poem of 250 words or under about “Walking Together”.
Our competition theme “Walking Together” has been chosen by our competition theme by our 2023/4 writers-in-residence, Shani Cadwallender (poetry) and Amelia Hodsdon (prose).
You can choose how you wish to interpret the theme in poetry or short prose. Your work must be fiction and must not exceed 250 words (excluding the title).
We will publish an anthology of the best poetry and prose submissions in an illustrated chapbook anthology, as well as an audio locative podcast. Shortlisted pieces will also be showcased during Sound Walk September 2024, including a public online event where shortlisted authors and poets can read their work.
We accept submissions from Sunday May 19, until midnight (UTC) on Monday August 19.
Winning poems and stories will be published in Walking, an illustrated, limited edition chapbook anthology, by Sampson Low Publishers in September, 2024, the net proceeds of which will help fund future Sound Walk Septembers. The anthology will also be made available as an audio locative podcast. You can purchase a copy of the chapbook from our previous competition here.
There’s also an additional cash prize for a poem or story written by a resident of regional New South Wales (excluding Sydney) sponsored by Orana Arts.
Key dates
- Submission deadline: midnight (UTC) on Monday, August 19, 2024.
- August – our judges will draw up a long-list. All poems and stories on the list will be published on the walk · listen · create website from September 1, 2024.
- Mid September – Illustrated, print chapbook anthology of shortlisted pieces published (for public sale) and audio locative podcast.
- Saturday 28 September – Shortlisters’ Writers’ Circle Prize event – exclusive private event – followed by a Shortlisters’ Showcase – public event at which the winners & runners-up are announced.
Prizes
Shortlisted authors will receive 2 complimentary copies of the anthology, be invited to an exclusive Writers’ Circle event on Saturday 28 September, and will be invited to read their work at the Write About Walking Showcase.
The judges will be asked to choose their winner and runner up in both the poetry and prose categories, for which the winners will be invited to be a walk · listen · create on-line Poet- or Writer-in-residence for 2024/5. Each winner will also receive €100 cash prize and Silver Membership to walk · listen · create (worth €50). They will each receive an artwork that illustrates their poem or story, created by Alban Low.
The competition closes at midnight UTC, Monday 19 August 2024
Entry
There is an entry fee (to cover administration costs) of €9 for one flash piece or poem and €15 for two (entrants are limited to 2 entries only – you may submit a poem and a story, two poems or two stories). The entry fee will be waived for those unable to afford it – please complete the contact form you find at the bottom of this page.
Our judges
We are delighted to announce that Shani Cadwallender, R. M. Francis and Lydia Kennaway have volunteered to act as judges for the poetry competition. They join Amelia Hodsdon, Geoff Nicholson and Nick Sayers who are the judges for the prose pieces.
Ann de Forest will edit the anthology, and it will be illustrated by Alban Low. The Write About Walking competition is run by walk · listen · create.
You can get creative writing tips by downloading this audio-guide produced by Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone
If you wish to enter please read the guidelines below.
Terms and Conditions
You need to register on the walk · listen · create website, return to the top of this page to pay the submission fee (a purchase), check that your purchase has been successful on your profile page, and then submit your piece(s).
The Theme
We want to read poems and stories about “Walking Together“. The stories or poems must be fiction and no more than 250 words in length. Judges’ decisions on this matter are final.
Poetry judges
Prose judges
Anthology Editor
Anthology illustrator
Eligibility
- Entrants must be 16 years or over.
- Entry is open to everyone.
- An entry can only be made by the work’s individual author.
- Entries must be fiction.
- Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.
- Entries must not include any defamatory language.
- Entries must clearly respond to the theme, be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Submissions written for children under 13 years are not eligible.
- Simultaneous submission is permitted. Should your writing piece win a prize or be published elsewhere, please let us know so that we may remove your entry from the current competition.
- Authors retain full worldwide copyright throughout.
Format
- Maximum length is 250 words excluding the title (that mustn’t exceed 8 words).
- Entries should be typed in a plain legible font. A sans 12pt font is suggested.
- Entries will be read and judged anonymously so do not put your name, address, email, telephone number or any personally identifying information on any page.
- If the piece has no title, then its first five words must be used as the title.
- Acceptable file types are PDF only.
Submitting
You need to register on the walk · listen · create website and submit your piece(s) at the top of this page. You can check the entry procedure by downloading an illustrated guide.
- Entries will not be returned so please keep a copy.
- Entries can be retracted at any time up to the closure of the competition.
- Entrants are limited to 2 entries each.
- The competition closes at midnight UTC, Monday 19 August 2024.
- No correspondence will be entered into regarding the judges’s decisions and no feedback will be provided.
Payment
The standard fee is €9.00 for one submission and €15.00 for two (which can be either 2 stories, 2 poems or one of each). The entry fee will be waived for those unable to afford the fee – please use the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Editing the longlist and anthology
As the anthology editor may need to make slight editorial changes, long listed authors (this includes those shortlisted) grant access to their email address by the editor.
Audio recording of shortlisted pieces
Authors will be invited to record themselves reading their work, or can choose to be contacted by the organisers, to record them over the Internet, or can choose to have a reader hired by the organisers, to read their work on their behalf.
Time line
- Competition launch – Sunday 19 May 2024
- Submission deadline: midnight (UTC) on Monday 19 August 2024.
- Late August – our judges will draw up a long-list. All poems and stories on the list will be published on the walk · listen · create website from 1 September 2024.
- Early September – Printed illustrated chapbook anthology of shortlisted pieces published (for public sale)and audio locative podcast.
- Saturday 28 September- Shortlisters’ Writers’ Circle Prize event – exclusive private event, followed by a Shortlisters’ Showcase – public event – winners & runners-up announced
Refunds
- Full no quibble refunds are available up to the closing date. Contact us should the need arise.
- Once the closing date has passed, no refunds can be made.
Prizes
- Winners and Runners-up will be announced at the Showcase event on Saturday 28 September. One winner in each category: poetry and prose will be invited to become a walk · listen · create on-line Poet- or Writer-in-residence for 2024/5, and receive a prize of €100. Each receives an artwork illustration by Alban Low and a year’s Silver Membership to walk · listen · create (worth €50). The runner-up in each category will receive €25.
- Judges will also choose a winner for our regional sponsors, Orana Arts who are sponsoring an additional €100 (A$165) for a poem or a story submitted by a resident for regional New South Wales, Australia (excluding Sydney residents).
- All the authors of shortlisted entries will receive 2 copies of Walking the illustrated limited edition chapbook (publishing in September) and be invited to an exclusive Writers’ Circle private event on Saturday 28 September, and to read their work at a live on-line public showcase event on the same day.
- Long-listed entries (includes the shortlist as well) will be published on the walk · listen · create website from 1 September.
- The results of the competition will be announced on the walk · listen · create website.
- Entrants retain copyright.
Entry constitutes acceptance of all rules. Entries that fail to comply with the rules will be disqualified. No correspondence can be entered into, judges’ decisions are final.
Contact us using the form below
Sampson Low Publishers, as an imprint, has existed for over two hundred years. Today it’s still managed by the Low family, and based just outside London. They have published diverse works from Noddy to Jules Verne to sporting heroes like Dennis Compton. One newish interest is in publishing small-scale chapbooks, often combining the work of writers and artists. The format is perfect for pithy written works that can be enjoyed in one sitting.
walk · listen · create is a not for profit art organisation which encourages collaborations between artists, performers and writers and catalogues the publications of artists who walk, and provide a place for walking artists to share their work, thoughts, pieces and events.
Orana Arts is a Regional Arts Development Organisation (RADO) based in Central West NSW. Their work in the regional arts sector of NSW aims to ELEVATE the status of artists and organisations in Regional NSW beyond their local area; EXTEND the practice of regionally-based artists and cultural organisations, and; INCREASE the participation of the artists and cultural organisations in the creative economy.