Do you hear that rustling noise? It’s getting louder and louder. It’s the sound of threadbare tinsel snaking its way out of cardboard boxes and crawling its way up walls. It’s the sound of sequinned clothing clawing its way to the front of the wardrobe and rage-screeching  “I was told there’d be a party season!”  It’s growing louder still. It’s coming for you. It’s coming for us all…

But wait! Stall the mince pies, lads. It’s only November. There’s still time to sneak up on 2012, grab it in a stranglehold, and squeeze some golden literary opportunities out of its cold corpse-like face.

Here’s some competitions/journals seeking submissions this year:

 

30th November: The New Writer Prose & Poetry Prizes

• Short stories up to 5,000 words; Flash Fiction up to 500 words; Poems up to 40 lines.
• Entry Fee: £5.

 

30th November: Fish Publishing Short Story Prize

• Short stories up to 5,000 words.
• Entry fee: €20 (merciful hour!) Bit of a pricey one, but still, a pretty decent prize in fairness.

 

1st December: Galway Review Anthology

• Short stories up to 2,000 words; Flash Fiction up to 500 words.

 

21st December: Labello Press Leonard A. Koval Memorial Prize

• Short stories up to 12,000 words.
• Entry Fee: €10.