Purpose: To encourage creativity and showcase talent of aspiring writers.
Theme: please choose from one of the following themes:
He had pursued his prey for many days, but now the hunter had become the hunted
The huge marlin crashed against the side of the flimsy boat drifting in the vast blue expanse. This was a fight to the death which the old fisherman could not afford to lose.
Two soldiers, once friends but now enemies.
A day in the life of a cattle farmer.
2. Eligibility
Open to all present Chuka University students.
Entries must be original works not previously published or submitted elsewhere.
Limit of one entry per person.
3. Story Requirements
Length: Stories must be between 3000 up to 4000 words.
Format:
Typed, double-spaced.
Font Times New Roman, 12 pt.
Text justified on both sides.
Include page numbers.
Language: English.
Title: Include a front page with the story title and a copyright-free picture illustrating one of the central themes in your story. Author’s name, and contact information (email and phone number) should be provided on the next page. The story then begins on the following page.
4. Submission Process
Deadline: All entries must be submitted by the midnight of 1st NOV 2024.
How to Submit:
Submissions should be sent via the Yours2read website. You will need to register (free of charge) as an author first.
Your submission should end with the sentence: “short story competition, October 2024, Chuka University”.
File Format: Submit entries as a PDF or Word document.
5. Judging Criteria
Creativity and Originality: How original and innovative is the story?
Plot Development: Is the story engaging and well-structured?
Characterization: Are the characters well-developed and relatable?
Writing Style: Is the language clear, vivid, and appropriate for the theme?
Language usage: is the grammar and spelling of a high standard?
Adherence to Theme: Does the story align with the selected theme?
6. Judging Process
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges with expertise in creative writing.
The judges’ decision is final and will be based on the above criteria.
7. Prizes
Cash prizes of KSH 30,000 for the winner and KSH 20,000 and KSH 10,000 for the first and second runner up.
Publication and promotional opportunities on the Yours2read.com website for shortlisted manuscripts.
Announcement: Winners will be announced two weeks after the submission date through the institution’s website, personal email and other social media platforms at our disposal.
8. Rights and Ownership
All rights in the submitted stories remain with the author.
By entering the competition, authors grant the organizers the right to publish their stories in promotional materials or on websites related to the competition, with appropriate credit given to the author.
Further assistance: For inquiries, please contact the support team: Francis Nderitu- +254 742412859 and Boniface Nyamweya - +254 752035439
10. Disqualification
Entries that do not adhere to the guidelines will be disqualified.
Any form of plagiarism or use of AI will result in immediate disqualification.
"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." — Anaïs Nin
