Conditions of entry

• Entries must be in English or Scots. Maximum length, 2,500 words.

• Entries should be typed or word-processed, double-spaced in a 12 point plain font on one side of A4 paper.

• Every page must bear the story’s title and a page number, but nothing to identify the author.

• When entering by post, please send two copies of each story entered.

• Please keep a copy of your work, as entries will not be returned.

• Pages may be stapled or paper-clipped, but please do not bind your entry. Please do not staple your cheque, your entry form or anything else to your story.

• Every entry should be accompanied by an entry form, showing the entrant's name, address, telephone number, email address (if applicable) and story title(s). A postal entry form is downloadable from the postal entry page; an online entry form is downloadable from the online entry page. Please use the correct entry form for your mode of entry.

• Stories must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished, and must not be currently entered for, or have won a prize in, any other competition. No entrant may win more than one prize.

• Postal entry fee inside UK £5.00 per story. An optional additional payment of £3.50 (£8.50 total) secures a copy of the competition winners’ anthology (when published), if inside the UK. For Europe, fee £5.00 (£9.50 if requesting anthology). Outside Europe: submission £5.00 (£10.00 if requesting anthology). Tick-box critiques outside UK are only available by email.

• Online entry fee: inside and outside UK £6.00 per story. The additional charge covers printing costs and PayPal charges. Critique option only available by email. The winners' anthology can be ordered online through the HappenStance shop, as can previous years' anthologies.

• For a list of winners and long and short listed stories by post, please send a SAE marked 'results' with your entry, or provide an email address.

• Entries close on Saturday August 9th, 2009.

• Prize-winners will be notified by Saturday October 17th, 2009. The judge’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

• Copyright of winning stories remains with their authors, but HappenStance reserves the right to edit and publish winning entries and runners-up in a competition anthology, display extracts on its website, and to display, broadcast, or use them - or extracts from them - in promotional literature for a period of eighteen months after the competition's close. During this period, authors must not republish stories elsewhere.

• Payment for postal entries should be made by cheque in pounds sterling (and drawn on a UK bank) or UK postal order, made out to HappenStance. Details here.

• Online entry fees accepted through PayPal, here.

• Tick-box critiques will be sent out after the competition closes.

• Stories failing to meet the above conditions of entry will be ruled invalid.