Creative Writing

All entries to be submitted through PLAY AND PERFORM by JANUARY 24th, 2025

AWARDS CEREMONY: SUNDAY 16TH MARCH 2.30PM 

Adult Adjudicator: Alice Fowler

Entry Fees: 

Years 1-6: £5.00          Years 7-13: £6.00          Adults: £7.00         Concessions: £6.00

All entries to be submitted by January 24th, 2025.

This year, we are moving entries on to the new Play & Perform entry system, inline with the rest of the festival.

– Please place all your entries using this website

– This platform will capture your details and allow upload of a document either at the time of entry or later (up until the closing date)

– Entry fees can also be paid via the website via PayPal or by bank transfer.

– Paper copies can be sent by arrangement.

Any questions, please also feel free to email bmafcw@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Section Secretary: Amy Underdown

Email: bmafcw@gmail.com

Phone: 07572545488

Adjudicators

TBC

CLASSES

ARTICLES – Non Fiction, own choice of subject – topical, contemporary or historical in nature. The article should be persuasive and informative irrespective of the chosen topic.

CW1

Years 4-6

Trophy shared with CW2

Award: Charles Lamb Cup

Up to 500 words

CW2

Years 7-13

Up to 2,000 words

Trophy shared with CW1

Award: Charles Lamb Cup

CW3

Adult

Up to 2,000 words

Own Choice

Award: Arthur Attwood Cup

LETTER WRITING – Own choice of subject on one A4 sheet with 1.5 line spacing. Please set out in letter format with Dear <name>, date and sender’s (can be fictional) address. Addressee info on a separate sheet.

CW4

Years 1-2

 

Award: Tony Corbin Trophy

CW5

Years 3-6

 

Award: Marian Grey Cup

CW6

Years 7-13

 

Award: Basingstoke Writers’ Circle Cup

CW7

Adult

Award: Angela Hurley Cup

 

POETRY – Own choice of subject and style up to a maximum length of 40 lines. Styles can include Blank verse – almost always iambic pentameter, Rhymed poetry, Narrative poetry, and Haiku.

CW8

Primary Years 1-2

Award: Charles Lamb Award

 

CW9

Primary Years 3-4

Award: Sadler-Hall Cup

 

CW10

Primary Years 5-6

Award: Garland Cup

 

CW11

Secondary Years 7-13

Award: Warton Cup

 

CW12

Adult

Award: Cliddesden Shield

SHORT STORIES – conveying setting, conflicts, characters, plot, theme, and perspectives. Own choice of subject, maximum length as defined below:

CW13

Years 1-2

Award: Amy O’Connell Shield

Up to 500 words

CW14

Years 3-6

Award: David Anderson Basingstoke Rotary Club Cup

Up to 800 words.

CW15

Years 7-13

Award: Bryn Strudwick Cup

Up to 1,000 words

CW16

Adult

Award: Sony Broadcast Cup

Up to 2,500 words

SCRIPT WRITING – A one-act play on any subject. Please include – outline of setting, props required, character names, production directions and intended medium (i.e. Radio, stage, or TV). Durations as shown.

CW17

Years 4-6

Award: Roy Hurley Cup

10 mins.

CW18

Years 7-13

Award: Jane Austen Steventon Trophy

15 mins.

CW19

Adult

Award: Micheldever Trophy

20 mins.

SONNETS – Normally 14 lines and 10 syllables per line. Please state the Sonnet Form i.e. Italian, Shakespearean, Petrarchan or Spenserian.

CW20

Years 5-13

Award: Bryn Strudwick Triphy

CW21

Adult

Award: Jim Briggs Cup

 

FLASH FICTION 500 WORD CHALLENGE – Own choice of subject. The story should be substantially set in Basingstoke or the Borough (i.e. Basingstoke & Deane). Marks will be deducted otherwise.

CW22

Years 5-13

Award: Brecon Beacons Cup

500 words.

CW23

Adult

Award: Destination Basingstoke Trophy

500 words.

Introduced in 2019, the exceptional challenge and aim of flash fiction is to outline or indicate,

in just 500 WORDS, a clear portrayal of both character and plot development. An additional

goal should be to imply a much larger backstory.

POEM INTO POEM

An amazing 110 languages, including sign-language and other communication

systems, are used across the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council administrative

area. The aim of Poem into Poem is to encourage the sharing of verses, poems or

songs from other languages by translating them to poetry in English.

1) Please provide a copy of the original, whether your own writing or a published poem.

2) In 100/150 words, outline why you chose or wrote the original poem and now wish to

share it.

3) Individually, or collaboratively, recreate and produce as a poem in English.

Entrants should live within the Borough of Basingstoke and can enter as an individual

or as part of a tutored, collaborative school group. Please indicate any form of

assistance given at the foot of the entry.

CW24

Years 1-6

Award: Alethea Award

Up to 30 lines.

CW25

Years 7-13

Award: Alethea Award 

Up to 40 lines.