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The Global Short Story Competition

The Northern Echo has a long tradition of supporting aspiring writers in the North-East.

Now, it is supporting the monthly Global Short Story Competition, an exciting opportunity for undiscovered writers.

The competition is run by Darlington-based media company Certys Limited, with whom The Northern Echo has close links. Previously, the two companies collaborated on the UK short story competition Orange New Voices, which ran for three years.

The new competition takes that idea one step further and is designed to appeal to writers everywhere, from the arid outback of Australia to the baking deserts of Africa, the towering skyscrapers of the United States to the humid cities of Asia, the bustling capitals of Europe to the steamy villages of South America.

Competition administrator, crime novelist John Dean, said: "We know there is a lot of talent out there, much of it yet to be discovered. This competition will seek to find it and will scour the world to do so. We are delighted to have the support of The Northern Echo in this venture."

The rules can be found on this site but electronic entries can only be made via the official site for the competition at www.globalshortstories.net where examples of winning stories can be found as well.

Those who would rather post their entries can send them to Certys at Livingstone House, 29 High Northgate, Darlington, Co Durham, England DL1 1UQ, marked Global Short Story Competition, and containing a £5 entry fee, made out to Certys Limited.

These are a series of writing tips that can go on separate pages or however you wish to play it. You can say they have come from me or just keep them anonymous.

But what makes a good story?
Novelist and short story writer John Dean has the following advice - but remember that all rules are there to be broken!

The rules of writing
Some general rules as you develop your story
* Consider the reader - do not write for yourself, always write for the reader.
* Be disciplined - you may wish to pack lots of information in, does the reader need it?
* You may not have put enough information in - you can imagine where a scene is set but have you given the reader the information they need? You may have drawn a character can your readers see them?
* Be brutal - if you have overwritten, chop out the fat.

Rules of the short story
1 . The best stories are the ones that follow a fairly narrow subject line: too many plotlines and you end up with a novel!
2. An effective short story often covers a very short time span. It may be one single episode that proves pivotal in the life of the character.
3. Don't have too many characters. Each new character will bring a new dimension to the story, and too many diverse dimensions dilute the theme. Have only enough characters to effectively tell the story.
4. Make every word count. There is no room for unnecessary expansion in a short story. If each word is not working towards putting across the story, delete it.

Beginning your short story
However you start your story, the beginning should have The Question, something that hooks your reader. You need to grab them from those first lines.
One way do to this is intrigue the reader. For instance, "Bill Bloggs was dead" may give the end away but the readers wants to find out why he died and if he deserved it.
The dropped introduction can also work: "Betty was a pleasant woman. She would do anything for anyone. Everyone liked old Betty. A true angel, they used to say. Which was why it was such a shock when she was killed by a Mafia hitman."
There is another way of hooking readers, in which the writer can draw us in with the sheer quality of their writing, as in books like Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee.

The middle of the story
The middle is there to keep the story going, fill in gaps, create tension and allow the story to develop but it should only be as long as if needed, not overwritten or underwritten. Resist the temptation to pack too much in.
The end of the story
There are all sorts of ways of ending a short story but the most popular is some kind of twist, something that startles the reader, or perhaps makes sense of the rest of the story. On the other hand, you may go for a poignant ending.
There is also a growing trend for stories that simply stop.
Any of these is fine: the really important thing is that you do it well.
Sense of place
It is crucial if you write about anywhere that the reader can see it.
You have choices: do you write rich and vivid prose to paint a word picture or do you keep it minimalist - describe a tree in a park and we all see a different tree and a different park? Perhaps we only need to say it is a tree in a park?
Whatever you do, do not make it too long, you do not have a lot of words to play with in a short story.
If you seek to describe the setting, and the reader does need something to focus on, seek to use the following components:
1 Physical characteristics - what does it look like, any quirks which bring it to life?
2 Use your reader's senses - what does the place smell, taste, sounds like?
3 What does it feel like to be there?

Characters
You can create the finest landscapes, the greatest stories, the most remarkable writing but you can not make your stories live unless you have characters. They are your vehicle to tell the story.
Characters have jobs to do within the story, making things happen, imparting information, allowing other characters to react to them etc
They should also be realistic (unless in over-the-top comedy where stereotypes can sometimes work) - your reader should feel that your characters can actually walk into the room.
When creating a character, describe what they look like and how they move, speak, react, dress etc but also try to get into their head - how do they think?
Keep secrets, reveal the character as the story progresses.

DIALOGUE
Dialogue is crucial. Good dialogue can make a story, bad dialogue can wreck it.
Bear in mind some of these rules of conversation and reflect them in the dialogue that you write.
A lot of the time, we do not speak in correct sentences/we often use short sharp phrases.
Keep your dialogue crisp - we can tell a lot about a person in a short snap of conversation.
Dialogue must take the story on.
Do not pack dialogue with extraneous information. Don't write like this:
"I saw William, although everyone calls him Bill, my neighbour of ten years in Acacia Avenue, in Darlington, and observed that he was his normal glum self, to which we - that is my wife, Edith, and I - have grown accustomed in the weeks since his wife left him for a younger man and filed for divorce. I assumed that the darkness which seems to have assailed him since then has not lifted."
If you need to slot in that information, find a way of doing it more subtly: ie "Saw Bill this morning. His usual gloomy self. Not sure he'll ever recover. The divorce really has knocked him backwards."
Remember, minor characters are important, too - take a little time to develop them.

CONFLICT?
Why is conflict it important in writing.
Stories need things to happen and that usually comes out of conflict - characters argue, fight, feud etc.
It is through seeing characters in conflict that we see them at their truest, when their guard is down, when they are fighting something.
You can develop a character through conflict: the meek little parlour maid suddenly becomes the towering heroine of the story
Conflict takes the story on: a school is to be closed, two friends fall out, a community is torn apart by an event. All these types of conflict are a rich hunting ground for the writer.
Conflict can evoke a strong reaction in a reader
Conflict makes for good drama - and if that is happening then writing is easier.
It also gives you a structure for your story, a story to tell

RULES OF THE GLOBAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION
This competition has been organised by Certys Limited, of Darlington, supported by Darlington Arts Centre.
1 Entries are invited of no more than 2,000 words. There is no theme.
2. Entries must be by writers aged 17 or over.
3. There will be a cash prize for the winner of each monthly competition.
4. Entry is £5 per story. Payment details can be found elsewhere on this site. You may enter the competition every month. The closing date is always the last day of the month. However, no more than 4 entries per individual will be accepted in any one judging period.
5. Entries must be written in English, selected because it is one of the world's major languages.
6. Entries cannot be returned.
7. Entries can be submitted either electronically - visit www.globalshortstories.net to do so.
8. Entries will remain the copyright of the author but winning stories will be posted on the competition website.
9. No Certys director or judge, or family member, is allowed to enter.
10. Failure to observe these rules will result in disqualification.

Queries can be directed to John Dean at 00 44 (1) 325 463813 or e-mail john.dean@certys.co.uk
Postal Entries: Those who would rather post their entries can send them direct to administrator John Dean, at 18 Milbank Court, Darlington, Co Durham, England DL3 9PF, or to the Certys office at Livingstone House, 29 High Northgate, Darlington, Co Durham, England DL1 1UQ, marked Global Short Story Competition, and containing a £5 entry fee. Cheques should made payable to Certys Limited.

Prizes: The prize for the monthly competition is £100, £25 for highly commended if awarded, and £250 for the annual one.