Welkin (noun, wel-kən):
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the vault of the sky, the heavens, the upper atmosphere, the firmament, the universe
About
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The Welkin Writing Prize is a biennial competition for short fiction up to 400 words. It is free to enter and aims to be a welcoming space for all writers. The competition is open to all forms of narrative prose, be that flash fiction, short-short, vignette, haibun, hermit crab, prose poem or work that sits outside such labels. There is a whole universe (or welkin) of possibilities.
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**THE MAIN PRIZE ISN'T RUNNING IN 2024 / 25. HOWEVER, I AM INSTEAD RUNNING THE WELKIN MINI FOR MICROS UP TO 100 WORDS**
Sponsors
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​The prize is very grateful to everyone who has previously donated to the running of the prize including the following named sponsors:
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Diane Gottlieb, Electra Rhodes, Frances Gapper, Free Flash Fiction, Gillian O'Shaughnessy, Kathy Hoyle, Johanna Robinson, Michelle Christophorou, Robert Beary, Ruth Brandt, Stephanie Jane, Writers' HQ
Mailing List
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If you'd like updates about The Welkin Writing Prize, why not join my mailing list?
Forenote
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Writing competitions can often attract controversy when they don’t live up to the high standards we want to see in our literary community. While I hope to run the competition in the best possible manner, it is inevitable that not everyone will be happy with every detail or decision. Please note the following:
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The competition is run entirely by volunteers.
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Being free to enter, we are unable to offer all the bells and whistles you may want to see.
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For example, we are unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful entries.
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For example, we are unable to send individual emails to (a) confirm receipt of entries, or (b) announce the longlist, shortlist or final results.
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For example, we are unable to pay prize money to authors who don't have a Paypal account or who live in a country where Paypal isn't available. In such cases, we offer an in-kind alternative.
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Please carefully read the rules of the competition prior to entering and only enter if you are in full agreement.