New Media Writing Prize taking place at BU

The winners of an international competition which recognises innovative and interactive storytelling will be revealed at a Bournemouth University (BU) awards ceremony.

The New Media Writing Prize showcases storytelling designed to be accessed through new media devices – with entries comprising anything from poems, films or computer animation, with audience interaction.

Winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony at BU on the evening of Wednesday 21 January, which is free to attend and open to all.

This year’s competition received more than 100 entries from around the world, with shortlisted entries from the likes of the USA, Australia and Egypt.

Dr James Pope, BA English Framework Leader at BU and competition director for the New Media Writing Prize, said: “Our fifth anniversary has seen the largest numbers of entries and the most fascinating range of styles and approaches to new-media storytelling.

“The judges will have a hard time deciding on the winners, but whatever the outcome, this competition showcases and celebrates the best in digital writing worldwide.”

The winner of the New Media Writing Prize will receive £1,000, donated by if:book UK.

There is also a student category, with the winner receiving a 3-month paid internship with Bournemouth-based e-learning company Unicorn Training, worth £3,000.

The awards ceremony will take place at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus and is free to attend.

It runs from 6pm and will also feature talks from leading names in the new media industry, writer and founder of if:book UK Chris Reade and artist-researcher Maria Mencia.

There will be drinks, nibbles and the chance to network after the event.

Find out more and book free tickets for the awards ceremony

New Media Writing Prize 2013 now open for entries

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The fourth annual New Media Writing Prize is now open for entries, with a £1,000 top prize.

The international competition showcases story-telling specifically created to be accessed through new media devices, such as computers, hand-held tablets and mobile phones.

Entries could be anything from a short story, novel, documentary or poem using words, images, film or animation with audience interaction.

The competition is open to all, with a prize for the overall winner of £1,000, donated by if:book UK.

There is also a People’s Choice winner, chosen by readers through an online vote, who will receive a prize of £250.

Students can also enter, with the student category prize of a 3 month paid internship at Bournemouth-based e-company Unicorn Training.

Competition organiser, Dr James Pope, who is also Programme Coordinator for the BA English programme at BU, said: “This competition attracts the best innovative writing from around the world, and is truly breaking new ground.

“Each year we see terrific work that showcases new-media as the future of storytelling.”

Previous winners have included Hurst – the story of a fictional character unravelling through Twitter and YouTube – and Window, which combined different words, sounds and imagery depending on which categories a reader selected.

The competition, run by Bournemouth University, also aims to provoke discussion and raise awareness of new media writing, the future of the written word and storytelling.

Winning entries will be published on new media web-hub The Literary Platform, the Bournemouth University website and will be showcased at the Awards Ceremony, which will take place at BU on January 22.

The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges including Joanna Ellis, Associate Director at The Literary Platform, Chris Meade, writer and founder of if:book UK and Dan Franklin, Digital Publisher at the Random House Group in the UK.

Dan said: “I’m delighted to be involved with the judging of the New Media Writing Prize again this year: it respects the fact that media is converging, authors are adopting new skills, and writing is changing.”

The deadline for entries is Monday November 25th at 12 noon, and the closing date for student entries is Friday December 13th.

Each entry should be submitted by email to submissions@newmediawritingprize.co.uk.

To see previous winners and enter the competition visit the New Media Writing Prize website.