In case you’re wondering, yes, I still do enter writing competitions. However, my success rate has been somewhat less than stellar lately. No idea why – these things happen; I’ve had stretches like this in the past and I’m sure I will again.
So I was somewhat relieved to find out over the weekend that the drought had ended with a shortlisting and a longlisting in the prestigious Fish Poetry Prize (that’s the one with the €1000 first prize, so not to be sneezed at).
The shortlisted poem is called Lines from an Ape and the longlisted one is called (deep breath, and look away if easily offended) On Going to Watch a YouTube Video of Charles Bukowski and Being Forced to Sit Through an Advert for Fucking Saga Holidays. Both of those arose from a recent writing challenge held on The Write Idea forum, requiring the participants to write a poem a week to variety of prompts. Try and guess what the prompt might have been for the longlisted poem…
Now I need to decided what to do next with them. Put them back into competition or go for publication? I think I might give them another outing or two before retirement.
Whoooop! Well done! [Raises a glass]
Thank you!
Congrats, Beekeeping Bard!
Hehe 🙂 Thank you!
Congrats on the poem successes. I am also doing better with poems lately and not so well with stories. Curious.
Though in a mean-sounding-but-not-meant-to-be way your recent experience gives me encouragement that a run of no-shows doesn’t mean I’m rubbish, because I know that you aren’t!
Thanks! I spotted your name in the winners enclosure in the New Writer poetry awards – congratulations! It’s a roller-coaster, isn’t it?
Certainly is.
Unfortunately, I seem to have shutdown the magazine! http://www.thenewwriter.com/message-guy-pringle/
It’s really sad, isn’t it? I was quite shocked when I read the letter.
Yes it is.