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Francis McManus 2013 RTE writing Competition

  • 01-02-2014 2:54am
    #1
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭


    Anyone enter the Francis McManus 2013 RTE writing Competition?

    How did you guys get on? First time i've entered a competition like this before I truly enjoyed it.

    I don't expect to get shortlisted but I guess it's the taking part that counts :)


Comments

  • #2
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭sally365


    Past winners were all in the first-person narrative mode. Why oh why did I do mine in third-person :)


  • #3
    Pretzill
    Registered Users Posts: 4,683 ✭✭✭Pretzill


    I entered this year too - first time and not first person either! Not a huge fan of first person narrative - it can work beautifully if of course you engage with the main character! Good luck to you both it's a good competition - I think - I have little experience of it but have heard some of the past broadcasts.


  • #4
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    I entered this year (again) and did go with a first person narrative this time. I had a few different angles but when read out loud, which is the point of a radio competition, the first person worked best.
    I don't have any expectation of being in the winners but I enjoy the challenge involved. It is a difficult competition because of the very strict word count but I think it forces discipline in keeping the story tight and you also have to avoid a lot of dialogue or it starts to sound more like a play than a story.
    One thing I don't like about it is the length of time before the winners are announced in early summer which means you can't publish the story or enter it for anything else until then.


  • #5
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭sally365


    I think you are right about writing in first person, it does work better for radio I think. I went for third person,it was a challenge with length but i think i managed it, i'm hoping mine stands out.

    The long wait is a pain. With 1300+ stories it's a lot of reading to go through, from researching online it seems three professional writers read the 1300+ stories and then the main judges pick the winners from the top 25


  • #6
    The_Minister
    Registered Users Posts: 10,255 ✭✭✭✭The_Minister


    Entered it.

    Where does the 1300 figure come from?


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  • #7
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭sally365


    Basing it on last years figures really, it was 1200+ last year. Im assuming it will be more.

    Can I ask was your short story in First person?


  • #8
    The_Minister
    Registered Users Posts: 10,255 ✭✭✭✭The_Minister


    sally365 wrote: »
    Basing it on last years figures really, it was 1200+ last year. Im assuming it will be more.

    Can I ask was your short story in First person?

    First Person Past tense.

    Conceived, written and edited in a few hours the night before the deadline :P


  • #9
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭sally365


    Lovely :), mine is set in the very early 1900's im hoping this makes mine stand out


  • #10
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭sally365


    Does anyone know when the shortlist is announced ?


  • #11
    Pretzill
    Registered Users Posts: 4,683 ✭✭✭Pretzill


    sally365 wrote: »
    Does anyone know when the shortlist is announced ?

    Haven't a clue Sally but the radio series normally airs in June so I suppose those who were shortlisted would find out in May sometime?


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  • #12
    sally365
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭sally365


    Thanks for the reply, no news is good news LOL. But not in this case


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