Showing posts with label BBC World Service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBC World Service. Show all posts

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Brief Update

I was successful in submitting two pieces to two different competitions so far this year. In January, I wrote a radio play. In February I wrote an article for a travel magazine about a place that inspires me. I am happy to report that I already have plans for March, April and May. In March I plan on participating in a short story writing challenge. I will tell you more about the April and May competitions as more details become available.

I do know that winners have yet to be announced for the BBC Radio Play Writing Competition. Right now, they do not plan on releasing the winner's names until August. The winners for We Said Go Travel magazine will be announced May. When I know, you'll know.

At this moment, I'm going to get back to work rewriting one of my plays. I also am going to write some monologues for a possible future endeavor. The writing challenge for March, hosted by Toasted Cheese, begins March 21. 

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Going for Number Two

Finding a contest for February was much easier than it was to find something for January. The web was full of contests and challenges for writers that were starting this month. I found three good ones to choose from and then chose two. I might have bitten have more than I can chew, but I want to test my limits.

The first one I chose to enter ends on February 14. Sponsored by We Said Go Travel, the challenge is to write about somewhere inspirational you can spend your time wisely and without regrets. Individuals can submit up to five entries, but each entry has to be between 500 and 800 words. A picture can be included. This is much shorter than the 53 minute play I just finished. 

The second choice is an essay about human freedom. It is a fictional piece, so I can be as creative as I want to be, but it needs to illustrate the role that freedom plays in our lives. This contest is sponsored by Students for Liberty and Libertarian Fiction Authors.  The deadline for this one isn't until March 4, but for my particular goal, I will have to finish my story and enter by midnight February 28.

Both contests offer a cash prize and a chance to be published in their respective publication. Not a bad deal. Writing an article and a short story is a different challenge from the radio play I wrote last month. I'm looking forward to it.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

The Die Has Been Cast

In 2014, I have decided to embark on a personal journey to expand my horizons and stretch my comfort zones. This year, my goal is to write and enter into different writing competitions every month of this year. I made this resolution for myself back in early December and started the search back then for writing competitions for January, February and March.

Shortly before New Year's Eve (Happy Anniversary, Victor!), I finally found one that I didn't have to pay to enter into. If you're like me, I don't particularly enjoy spending much money right after Christmas, especially with three children I love to spoil once a year. The competition I found is a BBC sponsored radio playwriting competition ending January 31, 2014.

The competition consists of writing a 53 minute radio play complete with rich characters, diverse backgrounds and full sound effects. I have never written a radio play before, but I look forward to the challenge of combining my limited knowledge of playwriting with the unfamiliar landscape of writing a radio play. I think, if nothing else, it will be fun learning to write for a new genre.

Their rules and guidelines are laid out very specifically. There are certain ways they want stage directions and sound effects written. Plays can be submitted via snail-mail and e-mail. When I submit my final play, I also have to include the entry form and synopsis of my radio play. As long as I can follow the rules, I figure I have as good a chance as any other struggling writer.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!