O’s second annual short story writing competition
26 November 2012
This month O, The Oprah Magazine offers its readers yet another chance to make their dream of seeing their name in print a reality. The magazine’s annual writing competition is in its second year, with the theme of this year’s competition being “Change”.
“I believe everyone has a story to tell, and there are so many talented, undiscovered writers out there,” says O’s editor, Samantha Page. “Whether you’ve been writing all your life, or if you’ve only just started, this competition is about creating and communicating. Having your story printed in O is just a part of the reward.”
The winner of last year’s competition, Kirti Ranchod, wrote a short story called “The Art of Love.” While she is a neurologist by profession, winning the competition has given her the confidence to take her writing more seriously and devote more time to it.
Besides being published in O magazine the winner will also receive an Urbnation Laptop Backpack and Airglow iPad Holder from Samsonite, collectively worth R1,500, a virtual place on the next online Creative Writing course offered by All About Writing, an Exclusive Books hamper of new titles, worth R1,500, and a Moleskine notebook and pen.
The two runners-up will each have their stories published online, at oprahmag.co.za. They will also win a virtual place on the introductory online Power of Writing course offered by All About Writing, and a Moleskine notebook and pen.
The judges for this year’s competition include:
- Jodi Picoult, author of 15 novels, including bestsellers Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart and My Sister’s Keeper.
- Gcina Mhlophe, internationally acclaimed author, poet and storyteller. She has received honorary doctorates from the London Open University, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pretoria University and Fort Hare, for her contributions to literature.
- Jenny Crwys-Williams is a print and broadcasting journalist. She has worked as woman's editor of The Natal Mercury, and is the former Johannesburg Bureau Chief of Cosmopolitan magazine. Cryws-Williams currently hosts a weekday afternoon show on Radio 702.
- Fred Khumalo is opinion and insight Editor of The Sunday Times. The journalism graduate is very familiar with writing competitions. He was a runner-up for the Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award in 1991, and his novel Bitches’ Brew was joint winner of the 2006 European Union Literary Award.
Entrants are required to:
- Write a fictional story between 1,500 and 2,000 words focused on the theme of “Change.”
- Give the story a title, save it as a Microsoft Word document, and label it using their name – for example, LindiweNjaloShortStory.
- E-mail the document to [email protected], along with their contact details, with “Short Story” in the subject line.
- The closing date is 21 December 2012.
For terms and conditions, visit oprahmag.co.za/win. For details, as well as tips from author Lauren Beukes, among others, readers can turn to page 72 of the December issue.
O is also encouraging readers to share their own short stories on Twitter, drawing inspiration from the shortest story ever written by Ernest Hemingway, consisting of only six words.
Follow O on Twitter at @OMagazineSA [hash tag #OShortStory]
Follow O on Facebook at Facebook.com/OTheOprahMagazineSA
