There will be three categories, poetry, short stories and flash fiction
Our poetry judge, Brian Whittingham, has very kindly sent us a note of what he will be looking for in the poetry category entries – comments which anyone submitting poems whether to competitions or magazines should take to heart:
Primarily, the main elements that engage me as a reader and writer of poetry are, imagery,
metaphor, the human condition and where the ordinary is written about from an extraordinary viewpoint. Whether the poem is written in a standard form or free-verse I'd look for it to be crafted to suit the subject that is being written about and the structure of the form that has been chosen as the vehicle to say what's being said. Paying close attention to engage the intellect, the imagination and to emote with the reader is all any of us can ask for from a poem. Whether it's written in Scots, English or dialect I would look for consistency and authenticity of voice and close consideration of line breaks. Not looking for chopped up prose - Not looking for an opening that sets the scene - Not looking for an ending that tells us what the poem's about (just in case we didn't get it). Just looking for sparks that light my fire.