It's that time of year again - competition time. Well actually practically any time of year is competition time, it's a never ending carousel. However it can be a very lucrative carousel with many organisations dangling very tempting morsels in front of us hungry writers.

If you are one of the many aspiring authors who have not yet picked up a pen in anger one of these competitions may just be what you need to kick start your writing career.

Competitions provide 3 very important elements for budding and established writers:

1.  A sharp focus.
2.  Prescribed parameters that actually help creativity.
3. A definitive time scale.

Without any further waffle here are some that may get your creative engine out of first gear:

EREWASH WRITERS GROUP: Creepy Christmas Chiller Competition 2012

THE BETTY TRASK PRIZE (Commonwealth only)
For first novels by writers under the age of 35 on 31st December 2012

THE MCKITTERICK PRIZE (Work must have been first published in the UK or be unpublished)
For the best first novel by an author over the age of 40 on 31st December 2012

CINAMMON PRESS WRITING AWARDS
Short stories, 2,000 - 4,000 words

COMMONWEALTH WRITERS SHORT STORY PRIZE
Original, unpublished short stories 2,000 - 5,000 words.

INKTEARS SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Short stories, 1,000 - 3,000 words.

INTERNATIONAL AEON AWARD SHORT FICTION CONTEST
For science fiction, fantasy and horror stories up to 10,000 words.

THE ANTHONY HECHT POETRY PRIZE
Book-length poetry collections.

BALLYMALOE INTERNATIONAL POETRY PRIZE
For poems up to 50 lines.

FRANK O'CONNOR INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD
For short story collections published in 2012.

TOM HOWARD/JOHN H REID SHORT STORY COMPETITION
Short stories, essays or other prose, up to 5,000 words.

WINNING WRITERS SPORTS POETRY & PROSE CONTEST
For one or two poems, short stories or essays or other prose, on a sporting theme., all with 6,000 word maximum.

BRUNTWOOD PRIZE FOR PLAYWRITING 2013
Full length (at least an hour) stage plays written in English.

LIGHTSHIP INTERNATIONAL PRIZES
Short stories up to 5,000 words.

If there isn't anything in the above to stimulate the creative juices you'd better take up knitting!

As you know every week I feature Indie authors but for the next couple of weeks there is a slight change of focus. I shall instead be flagging up people who are attempting to help or provide a service for Indie authors so here goes.

People Out To Help indie Authors. . .
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