Aurora Prize for Writing 2019
The Aurora Writing Prize is an international competition run by Writing East Midlands. The prize was first awarded in 2016, and this year we worked in partnership with The Society of Authors and Lincoln Book Festival.
In 2019, the prize was awarded to outstanding new writing in two categories, short fiction (of up to 2,000 words) and poetry (of up to 60 lines), with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in both categories.
We are delighted to announce the winners of the Aurora Prize for Writing 2019
For Short Fiction
1st Place – Alice Haworth-Booth, Ears Now
2nd Place – Christina Eagles, Coping Stones
3rd Place – The Traps, Ella King
Regional Prize – Christina Eagles, Coping Stones
For Poetry
1st Place – Toby Campion, Oyster
2nd Place – Bernard Pearson, Manor Farm
3rd Place – Joshua Judson, Lock
Regional Prize – Joshua Judson, Lock
Huge congratulations to the shortlisted writers, who for 2019 are:
For Short Fiction
Ears Now – Alice Haworth-Booth
Holy Land – Cecil Fenn
Coping Stones – Christina Eagles
The Father, The Son – Elizabeth J. Woods
The Traps – Ella King
Small Things – Fraer Stevenson
Milk – Katherine Shingler
Roasting Feathers – Mo Ryan
Blue in the Condition of Blue – Ric Carter
The Haircut – Wendy Davey
For Poetry
Manor Farm – Bernard Pearson
Emily’s Ghost – Eleanor Punter
Slaughter of the Striped – Eveline Pye
Xenos – Gemma Bull
Lock – Joshua Judson
Preservation – Jan Norton
Let’s Call it a Fruit – Maz Hedgehog
How to Keep Chaos at Bay – Pamela Butler
Salvage – Sharon Black
Oyster – Toby Campion
The Judges
The prize has been judged for fiction by
Booker Prize Nominee, Alison Moore.
And for poetry by
Seamus Heaney Centre Prize Nominee, Malika Booker.
The Prizes
The winners, in each category, will receive a cash prize of £500, feedback on a piece of work of their choice from a leading literary agent (or Editor as appropriate) and a year’s free membership to the Society of Authors, which includes access to advice and resources on all aspects of the business of writing. Winners will also be offered a session with Society of Authors staff including an introduction to how the Society can support them in their careers as professional authors and covering essential advice on copyright, payment terms and contracts.
Second Prize winners in both categories will receive £150.
Third Prize winners in both categories will receive a one-day course of their choice from Writing School East Midlands.
As a champion of writers from the East Midlands, we will also be offering a regional prize of £100 to the best work in each category from the region. The regional winners will also be offered a year of free membership to The Society of Authors, along with a career development session.
The Society of Authors is the UK trade union for more than 10,500 writers, scriptwriters, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. We’ve been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession since 1884. For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.societyofauthors.org/
Lincoln Book Festival runs from the 23rd to the 28th of September and is devoted to great history writing and historical fiction. For more information, visit https://www.lincolnbookfestival.org/
