'THE CHANGING FACE' Newham Borough Writing Competition 2009

Interested in writing poetry or short stories?
Live, work, study or go to school in Newham?
Want to win a prize and have your work published?

Then why not enter the Newham Borough Writing Competition?

With prizes totaling well over £1000 Newham Libraries and Arts & Festivals Service in association with London’s leading writing organisation, Spread the Word, launches its first borough-wide writing competition for poetry, short stories and stage-plays.

In recognition of dramatic changes taking place in Newham today the theme for the competition is ‘The Changing Face’ and the submitted work, in some way, should reflect this in its content. The deadline for entries is 29 May 2009.

Aimed at writers of all ages and abilities the competition seeks to capture the essence of London’s most diverse borough with additional awards for under-represented groups such as schoolchildren, the Under 21’s, the Over 60’s and those with English as a Second Language.

Don’t worry if you’ve never written before, Spread the Word will be hosting a series of Free creative writing workshops in Newham Libraries to help you get the most from your work.

The workshops will cover poetry, short stories and writing for the stage and will be tutored by playwright and novelist, Laura Bridgeman (left, seen here teaching at Beckton Globe) Laura, who has a PH.D in Creative & Critical Writing teaches at the London Metropolitan University and was recently shortlisted for the Charles Pick Fellowship for her latest novel, Raphael Coombs.

The second workshop tutor is poet Vincent De Souza (below right). An experienced tutor and experimental poet, Vincent ran the central London based experimental workshop Physical Poets and in 2007 he launched his first collection
Weightless Road. He currently co-hosts Ride the Word a poetry and prose reading series and his second collection of poetry Resurrecting Knives published by Salt Publishing is due out in March 2009.

The Workshops will be taking place at these venues and at these times and do call the numbers below to book your place:

Saturday 14 February 2pm - 4pm
Canning Town Library Barking Road, Canning Town E16 4HQ
Tel: 020 7476 2696

Thursday 19 February 6pm – 7.45pm
Custom House Library
Prince Regent Lane, Custom House E16 3JJ
Tel: 020 7476 1565

Saturday 28 February 2pm – 4pm
East Ham Library
High Street South, East Ham E6 6EL
Tel: 020 8430 3648

Thursday 5th March 6pm – 7.45pm
Green Street Library 337-341 Green Street, Upton park E13 9AR
Tel: 020 8472 4101

Thursday 12 March 6pm – 7.45pm
Manor Park Library
Romford Road, Manor Park E12 5JY
Tel 020 8430 2207

Thursday 19 March 6pm – 7.45pm
North Woolwich Library
5 Pier Parade, North Woolwich E16 2LJ
Tel: 020 8430 5900

* Special Teenagers’ Creative Writing Workshop
Saturday 21 March 2pm - 4pm
Canning Town Library
Barking Road, Canning Town E16 4HQ
Tel: 020 7476 2696

Thursday 26 March 6pm – 7.45pm
Plaistow Library North Street, Plaistow E13 9HL
Tel: 020 8472 0420

Saturday 4th April 2pm – 4pm
Stratford Library
3 The Grove, Stratford E15 1EL
Tel: 020 8430 6890

Saturday 11th April 2pm – 4pm
Library @ The Gate
4-20 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate E7 0QH
Tel: 020 8430 3838

The Competition Judges are:

Maureen Duffy – Short Story
Maureen was born in 1933 in Worthing, Sussex but lived for a large part of her life in Newham. After a career as a schoolteacher she made her debut as a novelist with That’s How It Was, published to wide acclaim in 1962. Duffy has published around 30 other books, including five volumes of poetry. Her latest collection of Poetry, her first in almost twenty years is called Family Values and was published by Enitharmon Press in 2008.

Charlie Dark – Poetry
Charlie Dark is a London-based poet, writer, producer and DJ. He makes up one third of the hip-hop inspired trio Attica Blues and is the founder of Blacktronica, a monthly club night featuring the best acts currently working the black electronic music scene in the UK. He makes regular appearances on the performance poetry circuit, is an experienced tutor and was a Poet Coach for the London Teenage Poetry SLAM for three consecutive years.

Georgia Fitch – Playwriting
Georgia was born in Plaistow. Her plays for the stage include adrenalin …heart, I like Mine With A Kiss, The Footballer’s Wife (Old Red Lion), Come Dancing, Arrivals and Dirty Dirty Princess for the RNT/Connections 2008 Season. Georgia also writes for radio and television.

‘The Changing Face’ Rules

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
1. The theme for this competition is ‘The Changing Face’
2. There is one entry per person.
3. Poetry, short stories and short plays can be submitted
4. There is one award category for Short Plays.
5. There are five award categories for poetry and Short Stories:
(i) General – for all entrants
(ii) Entrants aged under 20
(iii) Entrants aged Over 60
(iv) Entrants who have English as a second language
(v) Entrants attending School
6. Each Entry must be the undisputed work of the Entrant
7. No covering letter or other material should be enclosed with your entry. 8. Once submitted, entries cannot be withdrawn from the competition or alterations made.
9. Entries will not be returned so please do not send your only copy. 10. Acknowledgement of receipt of entry will only be given if a stamped, self-addressed envelope marked ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is enclosed.

ELIGIBILITY
11. Entries will be accepted from writers of any nationality provided that: (i) they live, work, study or attend school in the borough of Newham (ii) they are written or translated into English (iii) they have not previously been published in any form (including appearing on the internet) (iv) they are not translations of another author’s work 12. Employees of Spread the Word and members of its Committees and Management Board and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.

GUIDELINES
13. Stories must be no longer than 1,000 words.
14. Poems must be no more than 42 lines in length
15. Entries must be typed or clearly written on one side of the paper only.
16. Plays must be maximum 30 minutes (As a guide: 1 page per minute, double-spaced) with a maximum cast of five characters.
JUDGING
17. Winners will be decided by professional judges.
18. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into. 19. The closing date for receipt of entries is 6pm Friday 29 May 2009. All entries must reach us by this date.
20. Shortlisted entries will be notified in writing by end of June 2009. 21. Competitors who want to receive a printed list of prizewinners must enclose a separate stamped, self-addressed envelope marked “prizewinners”

PRIZEWINNERS
22. The list of prizewinners will be available after the prize giving ceremony in August 2009
23. Prizes for short story and poetry are:
£100 for 1st Prize, £50 for 2nd Prize and £25 for 3rd Prize.
In addition there will be supplementary prizes for commended work as well as prizes for winners currently attending school.
24. Prizes for Short Plays will be rehearsed, public readings with professional actors, staged at Theatre Royal Stratford East.
25. All winners will agree to participate in any reasonable request by the Organisers to fulfill marketing obligations relating to the Competition and their own Entry.
26. Winning and commended poems and short stories will be published in an anthology and the authors offered mentoring and professional advice. The authors of the winning plays will be offered future dramaturgical support with their writing.

COPYRIGHT
27. Copyright will remain with the author, but Spread the Word and Newham Writing Competition reserves the right to arrange the first publication in an anthology.
28. Submission of a poem, short story or play implies the competitor’s acceptance of the conditions set out above.

COMPETITION RULES
29. These terms and conditions are the Competition Rules (‘Rules’) and by entering the competition, all entrants agree to be bound by them.
30. You can enter online by requesting a submission form from writingcompetition@newham.gov.uk

Postal entries can be sent to: Newham Writing Competition, Library at The Gate, 4-20 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, London E7 0QH

THE CHANGING FACE of a dream...

We're well and truly into the throes of 2009 and it's already proving to be quite a momentous month, not least because on a freezing cold January 20th the United States of America inaugurated its 44th President.

Americans preened, danced and cried whilst basking in the glory of deservedly being crowned the greatest nation on the earth. Various media outlets reported over a billion people worldwide tuning into the event, the rest of the world looking on somewhat perplexed, possibly shamed as they cast a glance into the fractured mirror of their own stagnant societies, where they would see merely a dream. Americans peered beyond the dream...

Tuesday 27th January saw the official launch of 'The Changing Face' Newham Borough Writing Competition to a standing room only crowd at Stratford Library. There was a lovely turnout from local writers, press and Newham Council staff and it was particularly pleasing to be able to welcome a contingent of schoolchildren from Keir Hardie Primary School, whom I must say were exemplary in their attitude to the event. I will be returning the favour by arranging a visit to the school.

The Competition Judges, all with a connection to Newham, poet Charlie Dark, playwright Georgia Fitch and poet, novelist and playwright Maureen Duffy each expressed their vision for writing in the borough and we were blessed with a wonderful poetry performance from eighteen year old Samuel Jima with his very moving and rhythmic poems. He is definitely one for the future with his relaxed, yet poignant style. Local author Sarah Hiorn read a characterful short story from a recent publication and poet, Vincent De Souza read from his new collection of hard-hitting experimental poetry Resurrecting Knives, which is due to be launched in March 2009.

The competition is open to everyone who lives, works or studies in Newham and it is designed to reach everybody. Posters and leaflets will be displayed in all Newham's libraries and front offices as well as in various community and resource centres.

There are cash prizes and book tokens as well as writing development and mentoring support from Spread the Word, London's leading writer development agency on offer to winners and commendable entrants with the chance of being published in an anthology.

I'm also very pleased to reiterate the competition's aims to reach as many people as possible by offering additional award categories such as for Schoolchildren, Under 21's, Over 60's and for those who speak English with a 2nd language.

Furthermore the winning three plays in the short play section will each receive public rehearsed readings performed by professional actors and directors at our partner organisation Theatre Royal Stratford East as well as qualifying for dramaturgical support in their writing from Spread the Word.

Don't be coy if you've never written before because Spread the Word will be hosting a series of FREE creative writing workshops across Newham's libraries starting with the Beckton Globe on Saturday 31st January. The workshop is being tutored by playwright and published novelist, Laura Bridgeman who boasts a Phd. in Critical Writing from the University of East Anglia. So pick up a leaflet from any library in Newham and book yourself a place.

For further information check out the Newham website on http://www.newham.gv.uk/ or email writingcompetition@newham.gov.uk

While the competition is running its easy to forget the other work taking place almost simultaneously, such as the 'Picture Paints a Thousand Words'. Working in partnership with Age Concern Newham, this project will work with residents aged over 60, collating their work into an exhibition this autumn. There is also the added possibility of publishing some of the work and I am really excited about the outcome.

Veering tangentially, I went to an event on 28th January hosted by Salt Publishing at Borders Bookshop in Oxford Street, called Ride the Word. Poets and novelists give readings of some of their work. On this particular night they had poetry readings from Vincent de Sousa (who'll be working with us on the writing competition as a tutor), Kathryn Simmons and Chris McCabe reading poetry which was at once electrifying, political and then winced with acerbic humour. We also had readings from their short fiction works by Chrissie Gittens and a cutting and colourful reading from Jay Merrill. I thouroughly recommend this as an evening and hopefully I'll be trying to attempt Ride the Word to come to Newham... watch this space.

Remember, keep your eyes on the prize and I look forward to receiving your entries...

Regards