THE POOLE LITERARY FESTIVAL NEW MEDIA WRITING PRIZE: ENTER NOW!

Because I’m sitting on the judging panel for the New Media Writing Prize (established by the Poole Literary Festival in collaboration with Bournemouth University Media School) I thought I’d write a short piece encouraging more people to have a go at entering. 

I have always sensed that many traditional writers get put off working in new media by the thought of having to become a software geek or some kind of coder. Not so. The trick is – says I – collaboration. Now read on:

 “How much of this work can I do on my own?” 

I imagine this is not a question too many traditional writers have to confront when they sit down to write a book or a play or a poem. It’s *all* down to the writer, right? 

For a budding new media writer, though, it’s often not practical to think that you can arm yourself with all the technical skills needed to deliver a work. You may well need help.

For a start, there are choices to be made about tools. You can’t just pick up a pen. You may need to acquire licences for several different software packages. You may have to take time to learn how to use these packages. You may even need training.

The good news is that help is always at hand. I have found over the years, that if you have an idea for a piece of new media writing but don’t feel technically able to deliver it, there are always people to talk to and work with on the internet. Even if you are determined to go it alone there are libraries of open source code out there, design templates and tutorials galore that can make you look cleverer than you really are in terms of technical ability. 

And don’t forget that your audience is a resource also. Your readers may well be able to add elements to your work that you couldn’t do on your own - if you let them.

So if you’re a writer who at first feels a bit intimidated by new media, don’t be. If you can’t immediately build what you have in your mind’s eye, try to describe it on others ways – blog about it, write about it in a forum, sketch it out on paper, map it out in a time line or a storyboard. Do whatever it takes to show other people what you’re thinking about – and sooner or later through sharing and discussion, you’ll almost certainly find a co-conspirator, a collaborator, a creative partner. 

The closing date for submissions for the New Media Writing Prize is not ‘til September so you still have plenty of time to pull together resources and make something happen. 

Even if you don’t win the prize, there’s a great opportunity to get to grips with what kind of artist you can be in this emerging sphere of literary practice – and perhaps you’ll also discover some value in deliberately *not* doing everything yourself. 

• Can anyone out there give us some good examples of creative collaboration in a new media space? 
• Do add you comments below and share any links you think might be helpful in terms of open source libraries, freeware and forums.
  

Comments

[J.B.P.]

Is this open to people in other countries?

[timw]

Hi there. Yes - overseas writers are already applying. All the entries I've looked at so far are in English, so you may want to check with the organisers first if you're planning to submit a work in another language.

[Nisd]

Does the competition entry have to be in URL form. Could it not be on a powerpoint or something. How could you make something into URL form?

[coste]

The emphasis seems to be on narrative but it is a new media writing contest, not new media narrative. Is new media poetry excluded?