Dragon’s Pen Writing Competition: Illuminate

Ignite your imagination with stories and poems…

Due to the success of last year’s wonderful Dragon’s Pen event held as part of Book Week Scotland, we have decided to make the competition an annual event.

We want your stories and poems on the theme of ‘Illuminate’ for our Dragon’s Pen event on Wednesday 27th November.

Interpret the theme in any way you want and submit your poems and short stories (up to 1000 words) to info@womenslibrary.org.uk with ‘Illuminate – Competition Entry’ as the subject line.

Submissions will be accepted from Thursday, 3rd October to Friday 15th November. Writers may submit a maximum of one short story and one poem.

Four short stories and four poems will be shortlisted and the chosen writers will be invited along to our Dragon’s Pen event on Wednesday 27th November to read their work in front of an audience and get helpful feedback from our panel of tame and supportive dragons: Elizabeth Reeder (award-winning author of novels, short stories, poetry and non-fiction and creative writing tutor on the prestigious Creative Writing Programme at the University of Glasgow), Valerie Thornton (creative writing teacher, editor, prize-winning author of short fiction, poetry and creative writing textbooks and current Fellow at the University of Glasgow), Morag Smith (Glasgow Women’s Library’s National Lifelong Learning Development Worker, published short story writer and creative writing tutor) and Wendy Kirk (GWL Librarian).

One short story and one poem will be chosen from the shortlisted entries to be published on our website and made into a free downloadable audio podcast. The winning writers will also receive a free pass with a value of around £250 to CrimeFest, the International Crime Fiction Convention, which also includes a crime writing workshop (subject to confirmation) and a goodie bag of books and other items.

So get writing and send us your Illuminating entries.