The Dying Matters Coalition, led by the National Council for Palliative Care is holding a writing competition to encourage more open discussion of dying and bereavement.
The judges will be looking for original writing in which the author’s feelings and thoughts about the end of life have been well crafted into a piece of work that attracts the reader’s attention and retains their interest.
Entries: maximum 2,500 words of prose or 40 lines of poetry, in English
No entry fee
You may submit up to three entries
If someone is unable to write themselves, a transcription will be accepted
Prizes: 1st £200, 2nd £100, 3rd £50 plus highly commended certificates
All entries considered for publication
Closing date: midnight on 31 March 2012
Visit www.dyingmatters.org/finalchapters for full details.
How to enter
To enter by email: in the body of the email give your full name, address, telephone number if you have one and title(s) of your entries. Attach each entry as a WORD (.doc) document. Put the Title of your entry on every page. Do not show the author’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted work. Please number the pages. Send email plus attachment(s) to finalchapterswriting@gmail.com. Emailed entries will be acknowledged by email. No other correspondence will be entered into.
To enter by post: there is no special entry form; write or type each entry on single-sided A4 white paper; put the title of your entry on every page and number your pages. Do not show the author’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted work. Please don’t use staples. Please add a covering note with your full Name, Address, Email address and Telephone number if you have them, and the Title(s) of your entries. Postal entries should be sent to: Final Chapters Writing Competition, Dying Matters Coalition, The Fitzpatrick Building, 188-194 York Way, London N7 9AS.
We are not able to return copies of entries and will only be able to acknowledge email entries.
Terms and conditions
Entry to the Final Chapters: Writing about the end of life competition implies acceptance of these terms & conditions, failure to comply with which will result in disqualification:-
• The competition is open to anyone except employees or Trustees of the National Council for Palliative Care.
• Each entry submitted must be no longer than a maximum 2,500 words of prose or 40 lines of poetry. Entries must be in English and must be the entrant’s original work and not previously awarded a prize or published. They should not contain names or identifying elements of any person or copyright material belonging to a third party. No alterations can be made after submission. We will accept transcriptions if you are unable to write yourself.
• The judges’ decision is final and no individual correspondence will be entered into. Proof of postage will not be accepted as proof of receipt.