Short story competition!

WIN MEG HARPER BOOKS!!

Don’t get bored this holiday. . . get your creative juices flowing and enter our Caris short story writing competition instead!! The winning entry will be illustrated by Caris illustrator, Abi Renshaw, and published on the Caris website.

What’s more, the wining entrant will receive signed copies of teen author Meg Harper’s books for their efforts. So, what are you waiting for?!

Competition rules

All entries must be by Caris readers, aged 16 and under.
Your idea must be original and be no more than 700 words in length.
Email your entry to us at competitions@carismag.co.uk with the subject line: “Short-story competition” by 30 August, 2010.
A shortlist of three stories will be made and sent to Meg Harper for judging. The final decision will be announced and winning story(ies) published on the Caris website by 1 October, 2010.
Entry to the competition implies acceptance of these rules, and permission to publish your story on the Caris website (regardless of whether you are the winner or not). No payment for the winning stories will be made, and the prize cannot be transferred.

Short story writing tips

Make sure you know how the story is going to end before you start!
Have a problem that is resolved in some way — it doesn’t have to be happily!
Short of ideas? Look for quirky stories in your local newspaper or freebie as inspiration.
If you want to get serious, read lots of other short stories!
Have a basic plan — beginning, build up, high point or crisis, resolution, big finish. So in the case of A stormy time, printed in your summer issue of Caris, we have:

Beginning: Miranda’s wrecked holiday plans and anger with God.
Build up: she makes an effort to be nice about it etc.
High point: she finds the kitten.
Resolution: it looks like everything is getting better in lots of ways.
Big finish: she keeps the kitten, has made a new friend, has a holiday to look forward to, and is OK with God!

We look forward to reading your entry!!