BF Short Story Competition 2007

[SiHart]

Not Benny this time, but Doctor Who!

We're offering new writers the chance to have their work published in one of our 2007 volumes of Doctor Who - Short Trips short story anthologies. The competition is open to anyone, of any age, who has never had a work of fiction published that they've been paid for. All entries must be received by 31 January 2007.

Since 2002, Big Finish has published numerous anthologies of short stories featuring the first eight Doctors. The Short Trips range has included writers who've written for the Doctor Who television series, the authors of Doctor Who and science fiction novels and a number of first-time authors. Big Finish have just announced their Short Trips titles for 2007 and beyond - and your story could be in one of the collections!

Your story should start from the premise "How the Doctor changed my life".

What's it like to meet the Doctor, to be caught up in one of his adventures? Perhaps your story is about someone who gets a trip in the TARDIS? Maybe it's about a bystander who watches events from afar? Whatever you choose, things are never the same once the Doctor is involved

Your story should be no more than 2,500 words in length. You can make use of any of the first eight Doctors. You can also use any of the "classic" television companions (up to and including Ace) and any of the Big Finish companions (Erimem, Evelyn, Hex, Charley and C'rizz but not Lucie, please).

You cannot use either the ninth or tenth Doctors, nor their companions, nor any other of the Doctor's past friends and enemies. No Daleks, no Cybermen, no Time Lords, no Drashigs or Slitheen. Your story should be wholly original


Click here for more details!

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

I can't wait to recieve that 'Standards were very high, it made it difficult to choose a clear winner, sorry' Email!

[Andy Frankham]

Well, good luck to all those who try their hand. Let the good times roll.

[Rob McCow]

You can't say good luck to all of them! Just about every one of them is going to lose!

Still, the pleasure should be in the writing itself and not whatever plaudits are sent your way afterwards... so I've been told!

Well, good luck with actually getting the thing together and sending it off anyway.

[Andy Frankham]

You can't say good luck to all of them! Just about every one of them is going to lose!

No, really? That's what it's called a competition. Of course only one person is going to win, hence the good luck to all who *try their hand* at entering the competition. If they don't try, they have no chance of winning.

Judging by your initial comment, Steve, you don't expect to win anyway, so I assume you're not gonna bother entering.

[Rob McCow]

Sorry - my reply was a bit mean, especially as you only came on to same something nice!

[Paul Clement]

I'm all excited, which is nice. I have no illusions that winning will be very hard, but I'll do my best and see where that gets me. Actually, I've been doing my best for a few hours now and things are coming along quite nicely.

[SiHart]

Excellent! I hope you do well Paul. Your writing is very good.

Si xx

[Paul Monk]

Paul deserves it in my opinion. But then I praised him enough elsewhere. I don't want to inflate his ego

I may enter. I have one or two ideas. We'll see.
Anyone who enters and gets rejected, remember we'd love to see your results on the Planet Skaro Fiction section!!

[Paul Clement]

My story is proivisionally completed. I want to get a couple of people to read through it, and then make any changes that may be necessary before sending it off though.

Rest assured, if it's not successful and that's a very real possibility, then it will find its way on here.

[Paul Monk]

I'd be more than happy to read it through, Paul.

[Andy Frankham]

Best of luck, Mr C.

[Paul Clement]

Cheers Andy.

[Pip Madeley]

Indeed, good luck Paul I'm going to have a go too.

It'll be about a guy called Elton, an ordinary guy, he likes football, a drink, Spain, ELO...







Oh.

Wait.

[Andrew Curnow]

3808 words. Bugger.

[Andy Frankham]

Is that all, Andrew? Don't worry about it, too much. I always overwrite for BF, but then that gives me the chance to tighten the story up. Trick is to look at it objectively (or get someone to do so for you, who has some writing experience, and isn't biased - i.e. not someone who will says it's great because they're close to you) and work out what isn't needed. And believe me, there is always padding that can be removed. *looks at 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

[Andrew Curnow]

True enough, and I haven't even started to hack through the thicket yet for a first time, 3808 was just the number when I reached the end. But thanks for the encouraging words!

Edited to Add: 2563 - almost there!!

[Jon Masters]

Well, I've given it a go and come in at 2450 after hacking and pruning. I probably need to leave it a couple of days and have another read and tidy up, but so far I'm happy (and not at all confident).

Aynone else besides Andrew and Paul had a go ?

[SiHart]

Steve has written one too.

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

Steve is writing another one - the first didn't fill the brief! It was basically an extra companion who joined the Doctor for a while, went back in time to meet Petrach and loads of other exciting things, but it wasn't right because he was still the same character at the end of it all. Attempt two starts today. It's completely different.

[Andrew Curnow]

Sent! And after a last minute tweak (much scratching of heads took place looking for an alternative to 'terracotta') the count is actually exactly 2500!!

[Rob McCow]

I hope it does well! If not I'd be interested to read it at least. I found it difficult to come up with a take on 'how the Doctor changed my life'. It was too easy to end up with something trite in 2,500 words, like My Brief Meeting With Doctor Who Taught Me To Love Again.

Hmm, I'll have to knuckle down and get it done tonight. I've only got 1,500 words down.

[Andy Frankham]

Good luck, Andrew. I daresay we'll hear how it goes.

[Dirk Gently]

Good luck to everyone who goes in for this. It's not something I could do so I admire you all.

[Rob McCow]

Heh, 2497 words of loveliness are winging their way to Big Finish via Email. It's called Time Shear and features the 4th Doctor and K-9.

I cut the exploding giant frog though. I feel sure this will count against me!