Submissions open for 2010 Bridport Prize

The Bridport Arts Centre today began accepting entries for the 2010 Bridport Prize – an international creative writing competition for short stories and poems.

Both the winner of the best short story and best poem pick up a £5000 first prize. A new category of Flash Fiction introduced this year offers £1,000 for the best story containing 250 words or less.

This year, Zoë Heller will judge short stories and Michael Laskey poetry

Bridport has earned a reputation as a literary stepping-stone after helping launch the careers of Kate Atkinson, Tobias Hill, Carol Ann Duffy and Helen Dunmore.

The contest is open to all, provided any work is previously unpublished. It costs £7 per story, £6 per poem or £5 per piece of flash fiction. The closing date is 30 June 2010.

There's more information at the Arts Centre website.