"The Read for READ competition is an aspiring initiative for anyone who wants to put pen to paper, realising a dream to be published and at the same time helping thousands of East African students reach their potential.”Sonny Leong, Judge

Welcome to ‘Read for READ’

Do you love to write? Have you always dreamed of having your work published?

READ International is offering an once-in-a-lifetime chance to make the dreams of aspiring writers a reality.

What is 'Read for READ'?

 Read for READ is our new and unique short story competition which will be launched on World Book Day this year, March 4th 2010, supported by the British Library.

Write a short story on the theme ‘It Started With A Book’, enter it for free, and you could have the chance to see your writing judged by the best in the industry.

Writers that get through to the second round will have their stories published on the READ website and will battle it out for public votes. Each vote token will cost 50 pence, the cost for READ International of sending a book to a child in Africa.

The ten most voted for stories will make it to the final round, where our panel of judges will pick three lucky winners who will be published in our Read for READ Anthology alongside stories donated by established and successful authors.

Our panel of judges includes:

* Clare Alexander, award winning literary agent at Aitken Alexander

* Sonny Leong, founder of Cavendish Publishing and Hon. President of the Independent Publisher’s Guild

* Sarfraz Manzoor, author, broadcaster and journalist

*Mary Canavan, Director of Human Resources at the British Library

* Further judges soon to be confirmed

* How can I enter?

* Who can enter?

* How does it work?

* How can I influence my chances of winning the competition?

* What's the prize?

* Terms and Conditions

How can I enter?

Enter a short story of no more that 5000 words on the theme ‘It Started With A Book’. Be as creative as you like with the theme! Enter between the launch of the competition on 4th March and midnight on the 13th May 2010. You can enter online by filling in our online submission form or send your printed typescript story to us, along with a signed postal entry form, to READ International, 37 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TL.

Who can enter?

Anybody over the age of 16 from anywhere in the world can enter the competition.

How does it work?

The stories entered that make it to the second round will be available to read on our website for 10 weeks, from the 20th May until the 29th July 2010. During that time the public will be able to vote for the stories that they think deserve to win.

There are no limits to the amount of votes that can be cast, and each vote token will cost 50 pence, the cost for READ International of sending a book to a child in Africa.
The ten stories with the most votes will go through to the final, where our panel of expert judges  will pick three winners.
 

How can I influence my chances of winning the competition?

Provided your story makes it to the second round you will have a great chance to influence whether or not your story makes it through to the final round to be read and judged by some of the most experienced members of the publishing and literary world.
It's in your hands!

You can use Read for READ as a platform to promote your work. Harness the power of social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo and Myspace, and get everyone you know, from friends, to your mum, to your next-door-neighbour, to visit the site and vote for your story.
 

What's the prize?

The panel will pick three winning stories from the ten most-voted-for stories that make it to the final. The prize will be publication of the winner’s stories in the Read for READ Anthology, alongside stories donated by established authors. The anthology will be promoted and sold through our partnership with on-line sales platform Better World Books, a US based firm that sells through 19 online marketplaces, including Amazon.com, Ebay and their own online e-commerce site, betterworldbooks.com.

Our supporters at the British Library will host a celebratory event to honour the winners. The winners will also have the chance to meet the judges at this event.
 

For more details please have a look at the competition terms and conditions

Any queries? Contact francesca.robbins@readinternational.org.uk

 Join our Read for READ Facebook group to keep up to date