Who Will Win The Pooles?

We must now rethink storytelling in this new media world. This doesn’t mean we divorce ourselves from the written word, but merely from some of the economics of the 256 page book that could be argued to have straight-jacketed creativity to some 75,000 words and often a fixed text format. We have long supported adaption of the Keitai novel in the West and the multi media work of the likes of Kate Pullinger. After all the serial form was used by the likes of Charles Dickens and illustration litter many classics and bring the text to life.

The Poole Literary Festival, in partnership with The Media School at Bournemouth University, has now launched what they claim is the UK's first prize for New Media Writing.

Entrants are asked to compose an interactive narrative or poem, designed specifically for delivery online or via mobile phone. The creators of the winning entries will win £250, a brand new Apple iPad, and be advised by digital publishing specialist Creative Content, on getting their winning ideas published. The story can be any genre, fiction or non-fiction, poetry, prose or documentary.

We believe this is great initiative and along the lines that every festival should be doing. The sponsor is the bookstore, the publisher, the local University or the corporate. Encouraging works outside of the economic jacket may be a great way of creating a new wave of both writing and reading.

The winner of the Poole award will be announced at a special awards ceremony at Poole's Lighthouse Centre for the Arts on the final day of the festival, 31 October 2010. The competition is free to enter and details can be obtained from http://www.poolelitfest.com/new-media-prize.php