THE DEADLINE for the 2015 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition, which is open to both poets and fiction writers, is Wednesday August 5, and there is a prize fund of €1,000 up for grabs.
The best fiction entry will win €300 and the best poetry entry, €300. One of these will then be chosen as the overall winner and receive an additional €400, giving the overall winner total prize money of €700 and the title Over The Edge New Writer of The Year 2015. The winner will also be a featured reader at the Over The Edge: Open Readings in the Galway City Library.
Salmon Poetry will read, without commitment to publish, a manuscript submitted to them by the poetry winner. Doire Press will read, without commitment to publish, a manuscript of short stories submitted by the fiction winner. The winner in the poetry category will have one of the poems from her or his winning entry published in the Spring 2016 issue of Skylight 47.
The criteria is fiction of up to 3,000; three poems of up to 40 lines; or one poem of up to 100 lines. Any of the aforementioned is one entry. Multiple entries are acceptable but each must be accompanied by a fee. The fee for one entry is €10. The fee for multiple entries is €7.50 per entry. Fee payable by cheque or money order to Over The Edge. The competition is open to writers worldwide. Payment in US, Australian, or Canadian dollars, or sterling is acceptable. Online payments are also accepted. Entrants must be 16 by September 1 2014 and not have a book published or accepted for publication in the genre in which they enter. Chapbooks/pamphlets excepted. Entries must not have been previously published or be currently entered in any other competition.
Entries should be sent to Over The Edge, New Writer of the Year competition, 3 Carbry Road, Newcastle, Galway, Ireland. Entries will be judged anonymously, so the entrant's name should not appear on the poem(s ) or stories. Contact details must be put on a separate sheet. Entrants who live in Ireland and wish to be informed of the results by post, should enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
A long-list will be announced at the Over The Edge reading on Thursday August 27 at 6.30pm. The shortlist will be announced at the Over The Edge reading on Thursday September 24 at 6.30pm. The winners will be announced at the Over The Edge reading on Thursday October 29 at 6.30pm. the judge for this year's competition is the award winning poet Dave Lordan.
