Oxfordshire Libraries eBook short story competition 2021

Oxfordshire Libraries is excited to announce the launch of their short story competition for 2021.  This is your opportunity to get creative and win the chance to have your own short story published.  For the first time children aged 5-11 are also invited to take part!

The winners will see their entries published as an eBook and available via the library website in 2021.  There are three competition categories:

• Short story by a child aged 5-11 
• Short story by a young adult aged 12-17
• Short story by an adult aged 18+

The opening date for entries is 1 December 2020. The closing date is midnight on 21 February 2021.  Winners will be published in May.

How to enter

Send your story to librarydigitalservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

• eBook competition consent form (docx format, 47Kb)

Make sure you include in the email: 

• name
• category of entry (children / young adult / adult)
• word count
• email address
• telephone number
• postal address
• how you found out about the competition
• Consent form (children / young adult categories)

Read all terms and conditions carefully before submitting an entry. Submission of an entry is taken as acceptance of all the terms and conditions of entry.

What happens next?

The winners will be chosen by a panel of librarians and announced on our library website and social media. The winning short stories will be published on the Oxfordshire Libraries OverDrive eBook platform.

The winning short stories will be available for Oxfordshire Library Service members to borrow for a year and we will let you know how many people read it.

Entry terms and conditions

• Please read all terms and conditions carefully before submitting an entry. Submissions will only be accepted if submitted through the email address librarydigitalservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk . Submission of an entry is taken as acceptance of all the terms and conditions of entry.
• Entrants must be aged:
  • 5 – 11 years to enter the children’s category
  • 12 – 17 years to enter the young adult category
  • 18 years and above to enter the adult category.
• Children and young adults must have the consent of an adult parent/carer who fills in the consent form and emails it alongside the entry.
• Entrants must provide at the top of the short story their:
  • name
  • category of entry (children / young adult / adult)
  • word count
  • email address
  • telephone number
  • postal address
  • how they found out about the competition
• Entrants can submit up to two entries per person.
• The closing date for all entries is midnight on Sunday 21 February 2021. Entries submitted after that time will not be accepted. All entries will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
• The competition is open to anyone who lives, works or studies in Oxfordshire, or has an Oxfordshire library card. Staff employed by Oxfordshire Libraries are excluded.
• Stories should be written predominantly in English.
• Entries must be original, fictional, in a short story format, and entirely the work of the entrant. It should have not been previously published.
• Entries must not be libellous, unlawful or defamatory of any living person or corporate body.  Illegible, obscene or fraudulent entries will be automatically disqualified.
• The story should be submitted as either a Word document included as an attachment, or a link to a Google Docs document. The font size should be 12pt or larger.
• The length of each submission, including the title, must be greater than 500 words and not exceed 3,000 words.
• The publication of the winning entry of the Oxfordshire eBook Short Story Competition is exclusive to Oxfordshire Libraries for the period of one year from first publication date on Oxfordshire Libraries’ Overdrive platform.
• The decision of the judges is final. Oxfordshire Libraries is unable to offer individual feedback to entrants.
• The entry will be published on Oxfordshire Libraries’ OverDrive eBook platform, with a suitable cover, for one year and will be available for Oxfordshire Libraries' customers to borrow. After that period the title will be removed.
• No cash alternatives to the prize are available.
• Announcements in relation to the prize will be posted on Oxfordshire Libraries’ social media and website. The winners will be announced in May 2021.
• Oxfordshire Libraries will only use information supplied by you for the purposes of administering this competition. It will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations 2018.