A writing competition held in HG Wells’s honor demanded that entries be handwritten (“to address the low standard of literacy and handwriting these days…it’s an important art in itself and many of our most famous authors find that’s the best way to do creative writing.”) and that they treat with subjects other than science fiction (“Last year there were plenty of entries because the competition was open to writers of all ages and stories could include science fiction, depicting ghastly invasions of our everyday lives by all sorts of nameless horrors.”).
Unsurprisingly, the contest did not get a single entry.
Budding young writers were invited to send their short stories creating a picture of contemporary life in Kent, to Reg Turnill, a former BBC aerospace correspondent who as a young reporter interviewed Wells.
But due to what Mr Turnill now believes were over-strict rules, he has had to change the entry conditions.
No entries for £1,000 HG Wells story competition
(via @stevesilberman)
(Image: Wikimedia Commons/Gutenberg.org)
