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Competition Rules

Eligibility

• The Prize is open to anyone, including non-UK applicants, over 16 years.
• Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been published, self-published, published on any website or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition (as at 22nd November 2009).
• Entries submitted posthumously will not be eligible.

Fees

• Entry fee is £6 per poem or £7 per story (you can send as many entries as you like).
• Fees are payable in sterling by credit/debit card, cheque or postal order. Cheques must be from a UK bank and should be payable to The Bridport Prize with the sender's name and address on the back.
• Online entries are paid as you submit, using the WorldPay system.
• Postal entries from overseas can only be paid by credit/debit card or in cash (notes only, NO coins) - either US dollars or Euros at the current exchange rate.
• Overseas cheques, money orders or drafts will not be accepted.

Entry Format

• Entries must be in English, typed, single sided, with pages numbered and securely fastened; each entry on a new sheet
• Stories to be double spaced and a word count noted at the top of the first page, poems to be single spaced
• Entries must show no name, address or identifying marks other than the title (Online entries should have an ID number which we will supply when you enter)
• Entries are not returned, keep a copy
• No corrections can be made after receipt, nor fees refunded
• Please ensure that you use the correct postage.

Receipt of entry

• Enclose a stamped addressed postcard marked 'ACKNOWLEDGEMENT' if you require acknowledgement of receipt of your postal entry
• Online entries are confirmed by the email receipt of your payment to WorldPay
• It is not possible to confirm receipt of entries by phone or email
• Overseas entrants : please send an international reply coupon from your Post Office rather than stamps.

Results

• To receive the judges' reports (winning entries only) and full results in November 2009 - enclose an A5 stamped addressed envelope marked 'RESULTS'
• Alternatively, check the website for details after 22nd November 2009
• Overseas entrants : please send an international reply coupon from your Post Office rather than stamps.

Copyright

• Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but the Bridport Prize will have the unrestricted right to publish the winning poems and stories, (including runners up), in the annual anthology

Judging

• The judges' decision is final and no individual correspondence can be entered into
• Judges are unable to comment on individual entries
• Judging is fair and unbiased. Experienced readers assist the named judges in selecting the shortlists, headed by Jon Wyatt for short stories and Candy Neubert for poems.

Prizes

• Prizes for both short story and poetry categories are:
• • 1st £5000
  • 2nd £1000
  • 3rd £500
  • plus 10 supplementary prizes of £50 each
    
    
• No competitor may win more than one prize in each category
• The Dorset Award for the highest placed writer resident in Dorset is £100

Prizewinners / prizegiving

• Prizewinners will be notified in writing by beginning of October 2009
• The list of prizewinners will be displayed on the website after the prizegiving ceremony in November
• Prizes will be awarded on Sunday 22nd November 2009 during the Bridport Literary Festival

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