Annual literary competition sends call-out to poets and fiction writers

The competition will be judged by award-winning poet and fiction writer Niamh Boyce and the main sponsor is Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop.

Since its inception in 2007, this event has grown to become a major competition for emerging writers in Ireland and internationally.

It’s open to both poets and fiction writers worldwide and there’s a total prize fund of €1,000. The best fiction entry will win €300. The best poetry entry will win €300. One of the two winners in each category will then be chosen as the overall winner and will receive an additional €400 and the title Over The Edge New Writer of the Year 2016.

The overall winner will be a Featured Reader at the Over The Edge literary reading series in Galway City Library, on a date to be scheduled next winter.

The poetry winner will have one of the poems from her or his winning entry published in the Spring 2017 issue of Skylight47 magazine. In addition, Salmon Poetry will read, without commitment to publish, a manuscript submitted to them by the poetry winner.

Doire Press will read, without commitment to publish, a manuscript of short-stories submitted to them by the fiction winner.

The overall winner will also receive a hamper of books from Kennys’ Bookshop.

Entries should be sent to Over The Edge, New Writer of the Year competition, 3 Carbry Road, Newcastle, Galway City. The fee per entry is €10. The fee for multiple entries is €7.50 each. The fee is payable by cheque or money order to Over The Edge.

Entries will be judged anonymously, so people should not put their name on poem(s) or stories. Contact details should go on a separate sheet.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.