![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvT8y1uub6pNUZh5m82fJ5uFGmiAA0f3B4DwypyivSXYzCrYrr0m_GeFY5EWcadWoiK5k99KnkZQ4I0BJgRzT3rOojgmjMI3pI3OMAKx__3wyllr0Ma9qhdygR7QCtbFY1fmFshn4xZ_U/s1600/Short+Story.png)
Which is why Ourtown Magazine and Northwich LitFest are...
CALLING SHORT STORY WRITERS
This is your chance to let your imagination flow, a chance to win £50, to have the opportunity to have your story published in Ourtown and read by over 20,000 readers and to play a part in the annual LitFest in the summer.
Here’s what you have to do:
• Our competition is for a short story of up to 1,000 words.
• It can be of any genre - romance, thriller, mystery, science fiction... wherever your imagination takes you.
The only catch... Your story has to begin with the following lines:
"With a sharp intake of breath, he turned to her in disbelief..."
or
"As the door closed slowly and silently behind her..."
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYf70H62Pb57QK4_Le9ssksyltkZObVbz9GS4eDRukgXtNH0aj7G32WGfe8r0zTrY4zqHu6N5XeIfE-90d80RdtwYtFvsSjjswfc0osxFc730b4xSGaIcCpgZCA1HHO2pTrgr-fot-0G4/s1600/WHSmith_Logo2.jpg)
Author Susi Osborne and Viv Roberts, who together organise much of the Lit Fest, will select our winner who will receive a £50 WHSmith book token. The winner will be announced at a LitFest event on June 1.
How to Enter:
• Stories must be no longer than 1,000 words. There is no minimum length.
• Submission is by email to: ourtownmagazine@btconnect.com
• The words Short Story Entry should appear in the subject line of your email.
• We are unable to accept paper copies. Stories should be written as a Word attachment and given the writer’s own title.
• The name of writer must not appear on the manuscript.
• Your name, address, phone number and the title of the story must appear in the body of the email. This enables the judges to read the stories anonymously.
• Deadline for entry is Friday 8 May 2015.
• Entry is free and the competition is open to anyone age 16 or over; one entry per person.
Northwich LitFest Website