What you need to know
 

• There are two age categories: 14-19 years and 20+ 

• Entries from those aged 14-19 are free. For those aged 20+, there is an entry fee of £5, with a concessionary rate of £3

• The entry fee applies per entrant rather than per piece; you may submit in all three genre categories for a single fee

• Submission is open to writers who live, work or study in Buckinghamshire (Milton Keynes' home county), or in the neighbouring counties of Northamptonshire or Bedfordshire

• There are prizes! There will be a cash prize of £25 for the best story, best piece of creative non-fiction  and best poem in each of the two age categories

• All entries must be written in English. Work should be original and not previously published, and you may not use AI in the creation or editing of your submissions

• Stories and poems must reflect the theme - The Trees - which you are free to interpret that as creatively as you wish

• Flash fiction and creative non-fiction must be no more than 500 words. There is no minimum word limit. Each writer can enter both categories, but we accept only one entry per writer in either category. Any genre is acceptable, e.g. mystery, romance, science fiction, history...

• Poems must be no more than 40 lines. All types of poem are welcome: free verse, rhyming, haiku, sonnet, etc. You can submit a maximum of three poems, which should be in a single document

• You may submit in all three categories if you wish

• Entries should be submitted via the submissions form, with pieces uploaded as Word or PDF documents

• All work should be typed in Arial size 12 font and should include a word count (fiction pieces) or line count (poems)

• Writers must not include their name on any part of the attachment as entries will be judged anonymously

• We aim to select the best submissions for publication in an anthology that will be available in paperback and e-reader formats. Their writers may also be invited to read at online or in-person Lit Fest events 

• Please do not submit material that would not receive a cinematic rating of 15 or less (i.e. no 18 / R-rated submissions)

• Judges cannot correspond with entrants or give feedback on submissions.