Can you write about ‘Voices’ in a 50-word Festival competition?

Derby Book Festival is challenging children and adults to write a story or poem in up to fifty words on the subject of ‘Voices’ for its annual Flash Fiction Writing Competition, which is launched today (20 January).  In 2025 the Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary and hopes to have a record number of entries.

The winning stories will be printed on a set of bookmarks and will be distributed across Derby and Derbyshire to promote Derby Book Festival.  In previous years, people have been invited to tackle a variety of themes: ‘Love’, ‘Secrets’, ‘Journeys’, ‘Space’, ‘Our World’, ‘Home’, ‘Light’ and ‘Spring’, attracting hundreds of entries each year.  The theme can be interpreted as widely as the author wishes, so long as the story or poem is no longer than fifty words.  

Derby Book Festival includes two annual programmes of book-related events, with the Summer Festival from 23 May – 1 June and the Autumn Edition from 14 – 16 November. 
Derby Book Festival Chair and Deputy Chancellor of the University of Derby, Professor Keith McLay explained why the theme of ‘Voices’ has been chosen: 

“We want to have as wide a range of original stories as possible.  ‘Voices’ can be interpreted in so many ways: for example, you could focus on the mystery of an unknown voice; voices whispering in the dark; the noise of mass voices at prayer or at a sporting event -  or the emotions evoked by different voices – excitement, sadness, happiness, anger, fear.  We look forward to reading all the inspiring stories that the competition always generates!”

“The joy of this annual Flash Fiction competition is the multiple interpretations offered by the theme. This competition celebrates creativity, diversity of thought and critical opinion – just like a university. This is why we are delighted to be a principal partner of the Derby Book Festival and, in particular, to be involved in promoting the Flash Fiction writing competition.”

The Flash Fiction competition has three age categories: 11 years and under, 12 – 17 years and 18 years and over.  Entries for all categories will be judged by a panel of local writers and creative writing specialists and there will be one winner in each category with a prize of a £50 book token.  There are also separate categories for HMP Foston Hall and HMP Sudbury.  

Liz Fothergill, Patron of Derby Book Festival explained: “Our annual Flash Fiction competition is always an extremely popular part of the Festival and it encourages people of all ages to be creative and use their imaginations to write a story or poem, often inspiring them to take their first steps towards a writing career.”

Once the winning stories have been chosen, the Festival’s key funder, the University of Derby, will be running a competition for its Creative Communications students to illustrate the winning entries, which will then be reproduced as Festival bookmarks.  

The Festival website has some helpful links to those who are interested in writing Flash Fiction but are not sure where to start.

The set of bookmarks will be printed for the Summer Festival and will be distributed widely across schools, bookshops, local libraries, venues, cafes and arts centres.  
To enter the competition, visit the Festival website and submit your story using the online form.

The closing date for the competition is 10pm on Sunday 16 February. The terms and conditions for the competition can also be found on the Flash Fiction page.