Winchester Writers' Festival Short Story Competition

Sponsored by Writing Magazine, the annual Winchester Writers' Festival short story competition winners were announced over the weekend. Entrants were asked to submit a short story on any theme or subject with a length of 1,500-3,000 words, with each submission to form a complete story.

The organisers received nearly 100 entries for the competition this year, and the judging was done by The Chandlers Ford Writers' Group. The below winners were announced and prizes presented on Saturday at the Festival Awards Ceremony: 
 

• First prize (A Writing Magazine Creative Writing course): Catherine Menon for Dust and Spices.
• Second prize (A Writing Magazine Creative Writing critique): Helen Yendall for The Angel of Death.
• Third prize (A Writing Magazine Creative Writing critique): Stacey Taylor for Dancing with Death.

 
Plus, highly commended:

• Juno Baker for Once Upon a Time.
• Helen Matthews for Coal.
• Lucy Welch for The Thief.