Write a winning story!
You
could win ￡1,000 in this year’s Fiction Prize and have your story printed
in Keep Writing magazine. Ten other lucky people will win a cheque for ￡100.
Once
again, we need people who can write good stories. The judges, who include Mary
Littlejohn, the novelist, Michael Brown, the television reporter, and Susan
Hitchins, the editor of Keep Writing, are looking for interesting and original
stories. Detective fiction was extremely popular last year, although the
competition winner produced a love story. You can write down about whatever you
want but here’s some advice to start your thinking:
Write
about what you know
This
is the advice which every writer should pay attention to and, last year, nearly
everyone who wrote for us did exactly that. Love, family, problems with friends
---- these were the main subjects of the stories. However, you need to turn
ordinary situations into something interesting that people will want to read
about. Make the reader want to continue reading by writing about ordinary
things in a new and surprising way.
Get
your facts right
It’s
no good giving a description of a town or explaining how a jet engine works if
you get it wrong. So avoid writing anything unless you’re certain about it.
Hold
the reader’s attention
Make
the beginning interesting and the ending a surprise. There is nothing worse
than a poor ending. Develop the story carefully and try to think of something
unusual happening at the end.
Think
about the characters
Try
to bring the people in your story alive for the reader by using well-chosen
words to make them seem real.
Your
story must be your own work, between 2,000 and 2,5000 words and typed,
double-spaced, on one side only of each sheet of paper.
Even
if you’re in danger of missing the closing date, we are unable to accept
stories by fax or email. You must include the application form with your story.
Unfortunately your story cannot be returned, nor can we discuss our decisions.
You
should not have had any fiction printed in any magazine or book in this country
---- a change in the rules by popular request ---- and the story must not have
happened in print or in recorded form, for example on radio or TV, anywhere in
the world.
Your
fee of ￡5 will go to the Writers’ Association. Make
your cheque payable to Keep Writing and send it with the application form and
your story to:
Keep
Writing
75
Broad Street Birmingham
B12
4TG
The
closing date is 30 July and we will inform the winner within one month of this
date. Please note that if you win, you must agree to have your story printed in
our magazine.
1.How should writers deal with ordinary situations
while writing?
A. They should make them appealing to readers.
B. They should copy others’ ideas.
C. They should change some facts to make them
interesting.
D. They should describe them as they are.
2.What shouldn’t a writer do?
A. Making the contents interesting. B.
Getting the facts right.
C. Meeting the deadline. D.
Making the end ordinary.
3.Writers should present their works in the following
ways except that ____________.
A. they should write originally
B. they can type their stories as they like
C. they should follow some rules
D. they should hand in their stories in time
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the
passage?
A. Late stories can be faxed if necessary.
B. Entry needs no fee.
C. Winners can have their stories printed in other
magazines.
D. All stories should be presented by mail.
