The search is on for Townsville and Magnetic Island's undiscovered writing talent. Townsville City Council’s libraries have launched a short story competition for original, unpublished works to showcase the city’s best literary talents, both young and old.

It includes separate categories for Young Adults 13-17 years (1000 words) and Adults over 18 (2500 words), with the winners receiving an iPad and membership for the Queensland Writers Centre. This membership will allow the winner to receive a range of benefits including professional development, advocacy and discounts, and online, phone and face-to-face support of their goals in writing and publishing.

Entries are free and open until Wednesday 18 May, and must be based on themes associated with Townsville.

Community and Lifestyle Committee chair Cr Jenny Lane said the competition was a new initiative of the CityLibraries highly popular May Month of Learning program.

“There’s a bit of story telling in most of us and the competition is a great way to encourage people who have a passion for writing to submit a short story,” Cr Lane said.

“Not only do we want to unearth our literary talent but we want to discover some real prose about Townsville life.”

The competition is open to residents of the Townsville local area and unpublished original fiction that has not won prizes, contracts or cash in any other competition.

Conditions of entry also include a limit of one entry per person with copyright remaining the property of the author.

All entries must also be typed with double line spacing and accompanied by an entry form.

Entry forms are available on line at www.townsville.qld.gov.au or from any CityLibraries branch and should be posted to: CityLibraries Townsville Short Story Competition, Townsville City Council, PO Box 1268,Townsville, Queensland 4810 or email to shortstorycompetition@townsville.qld.gov.au
Winners will be announced at the One Title One Townsville Big Book Club Session at Riverway and the winning entries will be published on council’s webpage in early June.