Category Archives: Competitions

Enter the Chatty Thing 100 writing competition!

Posted on April 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

I am delighted to announce a brand new writing competition for 2023 – the Chatty Thing 100 Flash Fiction Writing Competition! Entries are now open – read on for all the details!

As mentioned on this week’s Fab Night In Chatty Thing, I am launching the CHATTY THING 100 Flash Fiction Writing Competition. Tell me an exciting story in 100 words! It’s open to ALL writers, from brand new to experienced to published. I just want to hear your story! Make it exciting, make it memorable and make it 100 words…

FIVE winners will win a writing consultation with me, plus there will be goody bags and runner-up prizes, too.

The closing date for entries is: MIDNIGHT (UK time) on WEDNESDAY 28th JUNE, and the competition is open worldwide.

It’s free to enter, one entry per person. Send your entry as an email to: mirandawurdy@gmail.com and please write “Chatty Thing 100 Entry” in the subject line.

So, what are you waiting for? Get writing and best of luck! Please share this as widely as possible – and happy writing! x

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#Wurdy10k – My Gift to Writers

Posted on October 26, 2019 | Leave a comment

To celebrate reaching 10,000 followers, I’m doing a seven-day extravaganza of freebies, giveaways and competitions. Keep watching my tweets to see all of them! For DAY THREE, I have a very special prize and a big announcement for writers…

Wurdy10k Day 3First up, I have a prize for one published writer (traditional or self-published) and one not-yet-published writer.

For A PUBLISHED WRITER I am offering a free one-hour Skype chat where we can talk about your writing. Whatever you need – whether it’s encouragement, advice, or help – we can cover it during our chat. I want to support authors at all stages of their careers and help you stay in love with your words. However I can help, I will.

For AN UNPUBLISHED WRITER I am offering a free three-chapter critique of the book you are are writing or have completed. I can offer advice on tightening up the prose, creating an opening chapter that will have readers turning the pages to read more and crafting a novel opening that will grab the attention of agents, publishers and readers alike.

To be in with a chance of winning these prizes, email me: mirandawurdy@gmail.com and tell me about yourself and your work – and why you would like to win. The closing date for entries is 30th November 2019.

And here’s my BIG ANNOUNCEMENT for everyone: On THURSDAY 7th NOVEMBER I am hosting the very first WriteFoxyLIVE!

WriteFoxy LOGOWriteFoxyLIVE will be a one-hour Facebook Live event where you can ask any question about writing, editing and publishing. I’ll have lots of encouragement for you and best of all this is totally free! No registration needed, just join me on my FB author page: facebook.com/MirandaDickinsonAuthor. For five years my WriteFoxy events have been loved and enjoyed by writers at all stages of writing, from brand new writers to established authors. It’s a place where you can be encouraged, fall back in love with your words and hang out with fellow wordsmiths. I’ve wanted to make it available to everyone for a long time, so I’m thrilled to be bringing you WriteFoxyLIVE on THURSDAY 7th NOVEMBER, 7.30pm-8.30pm. It’s going to be so much fun!

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YOUR chance to appear in Book 8!

Posted on February 22, 2016 | 16 comments

Right now, I’m editing what will be my eighth novel and I’m making some substantial changes to the first draft I submitted at the end of last year. So, I thought it was about time we had some fun with the book…

What I’ve loved in recent years is involving my lovely readers in not just the launch of my books but throughout the process, via my vlogs and #getinvolved challenges. It’s been so much fun to incorporate ideas – and in some cases, readers themselves as characters – into my stories.

So, this got me thinking. How can I have fun with this big edit of Book 8, while also getting my lovely readers involved?

Here’s my exciting plan…

As this is an edit and I don’t have a lot of room to put in suggestions and new characters, I’ve decided to offer some chances for teeny-tiny mentions I can sneak into the story without detracting from it or changing the pace.  I’m calling these MICROCAMEOS. Think of it like film extras who appear in scenes to support the action. I would like to sneak you into the heart of the action of Book 8, hanging out with my brand new cast of characters.

Fancy grabbing a MicroCameo in my new book?

To win a spot in Book 8, simply share this blog post (via Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr or on your blog) and leave a comment (either below this post, on my Facebook Author Page or tweet me @wurdsmyth on Twitter) telling me why you should have a MicroCameo. I’ll pick as many as I can to sneak into the story and if you appear in the book, I’ll mention you in the Acknowledgements at the beginning, too. Entries must be in BY MIDNIGHT (GMT) ON FRIDAY 11TH MARCH.

I would love to write you into my book. What are you waiting for? Best of luck! xx

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Miranda Writes 45: #getinvolved with Book 8!

Posted on October 31, 2015 | Leave a comment

All this year I’m vlogging about the writing, editing and publishing of my latest novel, A Parcel for Anna Browne. This week, I’m writing Book 8 – and I need YOUR help!

If you’ve watched my vlogs for a while, you’ll know that every year I give my lovely readers the chance to suggest something for my next book. Over four hundred people have joined in with my #getinvolved challenges during the last few year – amazing authors Joanne Harris and Jill Mansell have even joined in! If I use your suggestion, I’ll thank you in the acknowledgements in my eighth novel…

So, to find out your first #getinvolved challenge, watch this vlog! You can leave a comment in the box below this post, email me mirandawurdy@gmail.com, tweet me @wurdsmyth or leave me a comment on my facebook author page MirandaDickinsonAuthor.

What would you like to know? Contact me using the methods above and ask me a question for the next vlog.

Enjoy! xx

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A Parcel for Anna Browne – HERE’S MY BIG NEWS!

Posted on September 22, 2015 | 2 comments

For the last couple of days, intriguing images have been appearing on my Twitter and Facebook…

…a CHEEKY LITTLE OWL…

Owly

…a DAISY CHAIN NECKLACE

Daisy chain

…and a HOPE HEART

Hope heart

BUT WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Well, I can finally reveal the full pictures… They are part of an amazing TREASURE HUNT that will be taking place in BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER and LONDON from Thursday 24th September – the day A Parcel for Anna Browne is published!

Here’s how it works: the posters (see below) will be put up across the three cities (each one represents some of the gifts Anna Browne receives). When you find them, take a photo and tweet @panmacmillan using the hashtag #AParcelforAnnaBrowne. You can also post on Facebook – just make sure you use the hashtag so we can find you!

There are NINE gifts to find. Up for grabs are signed copies of A Parcel for Anna Browne and – this is the best bit – I will be inviting people who find and share the most of Anna’s gifts to a sumptuous afternoon tea with me!

The competition runs until 1st October, so there’s plenty of time to hunt for Anna Browne’s gifts…

I’ll be posting clues to the poster locations from Thursday – and if you’re in Birmingham that day you might meet me and my agent Hannah as we’re planning to hunt the parcel gift posters ourselves!

Here are all the gift posters in their absolute glory:

PfABGiftBoards4 PfABGiftBoards3 PfABGiftBoards2 PfABGiftBoards PfABGiftBoards9 PfABGiftBoards8 PfABGiftBoards7 PfABGiftBoards6 PfABGiftBoards5

It’s going to be so much fun. Happy hunting – and best of luck! xx

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#Wurdy5k BONUS TREAT: Merry Christmas, lovelies!

Posted on December 24, 2014 | Leave a comment

We-ell, I couldn’t finish the #WURDY5k treat bonanza so close to Christmas and not offer you a festive treat or two, could I?

Thanks so much for all your lovely comments about the past five days! I hope you’ve enjoyed the fun!

And so, as an extra bonus treat, I have a singalong EP to download for free and a very special Christmas Short Story, PLUS read on for an exclusive competition!

To help your festivities go with a swing, here’s my Sparkly Christmas Medley, featuring seven of my favourite Christmas songs. Click on the cover below to download for free:

Sparkly Christmas Medley EP cover

 

And here is a lovely, sparkly, magical Christmas story, The Christmas Window, to warm the cockles of your heart! Click the cover below to download for free:

The Christmas Window by Miranda Dickinson

 

And last, but by no means least, here’s a special competition to round off my #WURDY5k celebrations nicely. I am offering one person the chance to appear in the acknowledgements of my seventh novel, A Parcel for Anna Browne, which will be published by Pan Macmillan in September 2015.

To win, all you have to do is email me: mirandawurdy@gmail.com and tell me WHY you should appear in the thank you section of my book.

I will announce the winner on Twitter after Christmas. Best of luck – and have a very happy, merry and jolly Christmas! xx

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Miranda Writes 31 – Could YOU appear in Book 7?

Posted on August 5, 2014 | 2 comments

All this year, I am keeping a video diary about writing and publishing my sixth novel, I’ll Take New York. This week, I have an amazing competition for you…

I also have another exclusive extract from  I’ll Take New York…

I’ve been offering opportunities for my readers to #getinvolved with my books for three years now and I love the way your suggestions spark ideas that feed into my stories. But I’ve never offered a competition like this before. I’ve written a couple of real-life lovelies into my books in the past, but never opened this up to everyone. But I’ve decided to do it now as my way of saying thank you – not just for supporting me and my books for six years, but also for coming with me as I move publishers at the end of this year. Book 7 – Anna Browne’s amazing story – will be my first book for Pan Macmillan and the beginning of a new era for my writing.

So please watch the vlog and then tell me why YOU should join Anna in her story. Leave a comment below or tweet me (using the hashtag #getinvolved). Go for it!

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Miranda Writes 27 – YOU can appear in Book 7!

Posted on June 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

All this year, I am keeping a video diary about writing and publishing my sixth novel, I’ll Take New York. This week, as I start writing Book 7 again, I’m bringing back my #getinvolved challenges – giving you the chance to appear in the book…

Fancy influencing my next book? Well, this week I’m relaunching my #getinvolved campaign which could lead to your name and suggestion being included in Book 7! Those of you who have followed my vlogs for a while will know that I started this while writing Take A Look At Me Now – and I loved the suggestions that came out of the challenges, all of which shaped the story in ways I wasn’t expecting. In this week’s vlog, I’ll tell you the first challenge – but you only have until Friday 6th June to tweet, FB or email your suggestion to me. So get your thinking caps on and #getinvolved

Also this week, I answer your questions on which of my books is my favourite and what is the best way to get your book noticed and published.

Enjoy!

p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘No Cheese, Gromit!’

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Miranda Writes 19 – Awesome news!

Posted on November 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

All this year, I am keeping a video diary about writing and publishing my fifth novel, Take A Look At Me Now. This week I share some AMAZING news about the book – and reveal the first winner of my #getinvolved competitions for Book 6…

Me with TALAMN bookIt’s been a complete rollercoaster of a year but the last couple of weeks have been phenomenally exciting. This week, I received some completely wonderful news: Take A Look At Me Now has made it to NUMBER FOUR in The Sunday Times Bestsellers! It’s my highest ever placing and I’m completely over the moon! (You’ll see how happy I am on the vlog…)

Also this week, I’ll announce the winner of my first #getinvolved competition for Book 6, which I’m writing right now. Did your suggestion win? Watch the vlog to find out! And to complete the goodies in this week’s vlog, I’m answering two questions sent in by lovely Kev from I Heart… Chick Lit. If you would like me to answer your question in next week’s vlog, leave a comment below or email it to: mirandawurdy@gmail.com.

Enjoy!

p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze frame is entitled ‘Say awwww’…

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And the winners of the New Rose Prize 2013 are…

Posted on October 18, 2013 | 3 comments

This year’s New Rose Prize saw entries across five categories: Literary, Crime, Young Adult, Romantic Comedy and First Chapter. And, after much deliberation, the judges have made their decision…

070e8-nrp2013

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who entered for sharing their work with us. It is no mean feat to put your work ‘out there’, but we appreciate the effort and bravery of all our entrants this year. Secondly, a massive thank you to our wonderful judging panel: Jamie Guiney, Mel Sherratt, Tamsyn Murray (and me!)

So, without further ado, here are the winners of the New Rose Prize 2013:

The LITERARY New Rose Prize 2013 winner is… 100 QUESTIONS by Josefine Ejebjork

The CRIME New Rose Prize 2013 winner is… THE ENCOUNTER by Holly Foster

The YA New Rose Prize 2013 winner is… COUNSELOR IN TRAINING by Lisa Bambrick

The ROMANTIC COMEDY New Rose Prize 2013 winner is… FROM BEHIND THE FRUIT MACHINE IN PURPLE HEELS by Emma Dellow

and, finally…

The FIRST CHAPTER New Rose Prize 2013 winner is… FLOORED by Katie Marsh

A massive congratulations to all our winners, who I will be contacting in the next week with details of their prizes. I will publish their winning entries on my Coffee and Roses blog next week.

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