Your short story must be no longer than 750 words (although you can write less if you like) and it must start with one of the following lines:
- Helen was wishing it was all out in the open. Then she wouldn’t have to pretend.
- 'What would you do if you won the lottery?'
- My dad’s a policeman and it can land me in trouble.
Closing date
The competition will run from 17:00 on 12 September 2011 to 17:00 on 7 October 2011.
Prizes
- First prize: £100 National Book Tokens and a complete set of Quick Reads for 2011
- Second prize: £75 National Book Tokens and a complete set of Quick Reads for 2011
- Three runner-up prizes: £25 National Book Tokens and a complete set of Quick Reads for 2011 each
Publicising the winners
Booktrust shall place the entries submitted by the winners of the 1st, 2nd and runner-up prizes on the Bookbite website at www.bookbite.org.uk once such winners have been selected.
Where to send your entry
For a chance to win, you can send your entry in three different ways:
1. Upload your entry using the entry form on this web page
2. Send your entry by post with your full name, age, address and telephone number to:
Bookbite Competitions
Booktrust
Book House
45 East Hill
London SW18 2QZ
3. Email your entry with your full name, age, address and telephone number to: promotions@bookbite.org.uk
Full terms and conditions
The full terms and conditions governing this competition can be viewed here. A summary of the main terms and conditions are in the 'Rules' section below.
Rules
To enter you must:
- Be 60 years of age or over
- Be legally resident in England - find out why residents of other countries are excluded here
- Be happy to have your short story, name and photograph featured in publicity if you win
- Make sure that your short story is written in English, and is typed or, if handwritten, is legible
- Write a short story that has not been entered into any previous competitions, has not been published before, and is all your own work. You may receive support to type or write the short story, but the content should be your own original work.
- Not be an employee or agent of Booktrust or any of its affiliated companies or otherwise be connected with the operation of this competition, or be a member of the household or immediate family of such categories of person.
