The Forty Words Competition 2022 is now closed while we read submissions. Shortlists will be published soon. The winners will be announced at the launch of issue 18 of The Bangor Literary Journal in Fealty’s Back Bar, High Street, Bangor, NI on Sunday 11th September 2022- 3pm-5pm.

A mini-fiction category: Enter a piece of prose on any topic, in any style, as long as it is 40 words or less. (title and white spaces not included in word count)

A mini-poetry category: Enter a poem on any topic, any style and any amount of lines or stanzas, as long as it is 40 words or less. (title and white spaces not included in word count)

Please email your entries to thebangorliteraryjournal@hotmail.com with the heading ‘FORTY WORDS SUBMISSION- Name’.  In the Body of the email, please include a short note, brief biography, author image, contact details and your PayPal transaction code. Your submissions should be attached in a separate Word document, with no trace of your name, as they are read anonymously.  Each entry should be put into a separate Word document- so if you are putting forward four pieces, then four separate documents should be attached. You can enter both categories as may times as you wish- but please state at the top of each word document if the piece is POETRY or PROSE. There is no theme!

Your entries should not have been previously published online or in print and must be your own original work.

We do not accept simultaneous submissions- so if you are sending us the piece to consider, please don’t send it elsewhere as well.

You can enter from anywhere in the world.  Open to both established and emerging writers.

Deadline for submissions: Midnight, 8th August 2022.  A shortlist shall be published here and on social media mid-August!

Prizes:

First prize for each category: The winning pieces of poetry and prose shall be featured in the The Bangor Literary Journal.  The winners shall have the opportunity to read their winning pieces at an upcoming event and be presented with their certificates and a piece of original artwork.

Second prize for each category: Your piece will feature in The Bangor Literary Journal and you will receive a certificate.

There will be a commended writer and highly commended writer for each category.

All shortlisted pieces will be featured in The Bangor Literary Journal and those on the list will be invited to read at the event.

It is £3.50 to enter a piece of poetry or prose or enter two pieces for £6, or four pieces for £10.  This is a fundraising event to help us cover the costs of our website; our launch events and and if there’s anything left over, it will go straight into promoting the journal.

Please pay below and then copy the PayPal transaction number and paste it onto the body of the email with your submission.  Thank you for your donation and good luck!

You can enter as many times as you wish!

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