The Media School

Entries open for New Media Writing prize

14 July 2010

The Media School at BU, in partnership with the Poole Literary Festival, is pleased to establish a prestigious international prize for New Media Writing.

The lucky prize-winners will receive £250 and an Apple iPad. They will also have the opportunity to showcase their work online and at the festival to be held in Poole in the UK in late October of this year. The deadline for entries is midday on (day of the week), 15 September 2010.

Prize-winners will be announced at a special Awards Ceremony to be staged at Lighthouse Poole on (day of the week) 31 October, 2010.

This is the first New Media Writing Competition to be held in the UK and entrants are asked to compose an interactive narrative or poem, specifically for delivery online or via mobile phones. The competition affords a fantastic opportunity for innovative work to be recognised at this unique event and is set to attract international attention.

The only remit is that entries should illustrate that ‘new’ media can do things that ‘old’ media can’t. There are few other parameters and the competition is open to anyone. It is storytelling, whether fiction or non-fiction, it can be any style or genre; a short story, a novel, a documentary, or a poem, anything goes, as long as it engages with the audience.

Michael Bhaskar, a member of the esteemed panel of judges said, “This award is breaking genuinely new ground in looking at how digital technology is transforming written communication. As the first award of its kind globally it will be a landmark in the increasingly exciting arena of new media writing and I am thrilled to be involved.”

Sue Luminati, the Founder and Director of Poole Literary Festival said, “This competition offers the chance for writers working in new media to showcase their work, raises awareness of the creative potential inherent in digital media, and looks to the future of the written word. PLF is delighted to be able to offer the opportunity to writers working with new media to wow us with their entries; we can’t wait to get started!”

The Poole Literary Festival will be held from 29-31 October and will feature a varied mix of big names alongside the up-and-coming, with some surprises to create that edge and catch us unawares.