Get writing.....the annual short story competition at The Royal Gazette is now underway.

The Royal Gazette’s Christmas short story contest has been running now for over half-a-century; generations of local writers have submitted stories.

It was renamed The Dr Stanley Ratteray Memorial Christmas Short Story Contest last year, to honour Bermudian cultural icon, the late Dr Stanley Ratteray.

Dr Ratteray was a dentist by profession and the Island’s first Education Minister under the Westminster political system. Renowned for his passion for the arts and culture in Bermuda, he was one of the founders of the Bermuda Arts Council, the Bermuda National Trust and the Menuhin Foundation and served as chairman of the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society for several years.

“Dr Ratteray was one of the most avid and generous supporters of the arts Bermuda has ever known,” said The Royal Gazette editorial consultant Tim Hodgson. “He also had a long association with this newspaper and served as a member of its parent company’s board of directors for many years.

“The competition is a longstanding seasonal tradition, one which dates back more than 50 years now. It has encouraged literally thousands of Bermuda residents to exercise their creativity, imagination and writing skills around the infinitely flexible subject of a Bermuda Christmas. Every year it produces some first-rate entries covering the widest imaginable range of styles, genres and themes.”

This year’s competition deadline is Monday, December 8 at 5pm. The competition is open to Bermudians or current residents of Bermuda and stories may be fiction or non-fiction.

Cash prizes will be presented in each of three categories under-13s, under-18s and adults. The winner in each section will receive $400 and the runner-up will receive $250. A special award of $125 in each category will go to the authors of stories showing exceptional promise, regardless of category.

Stories should have a Bermuda focus. The judges look for vivid Christmas themes and local references, and consider originality, content, punctuation, correct spelling and grammar. Judges prefer entries from students to be free of violence as Christmas is a time of peace. Entries must be typed and should not exceed 1,500 words. Manuscripts must be submitted to The Royal Gazette clearly marked, ‘Christmas Short Story Contest’, and indicate the age category entered.

Manuscripts may be submitted by hand in the drop-off box in the lobby of The Royal Gazette on Par-la-Ville Road or by post: ‘Christmas Short Story Contest’, The Royal Gazette, PO Box HM 1025, Hamilton HM DX.

Entries can also be e-mailed to jmhardy@royalgazette.com, marked ‘Christmas Short Story Entry’. If e-mailed PLEASE attach your contact details to the actual story; don’t just put them in the body of the e-mail. You cannot win if we cannot contact you. The full name, address and telephone number of the author must be given in every instance.

TEACHERS: Please make sure the name, age of the student and contact number of their parents is included on every entry. Judges may contact the winners during late evening when schools are closed. The e-mail address of parents would also be helpful. These details will be kept confidential. Pen names will not be accepted. Please, no poetry.

Stories received after the deadline will not be considered. A panel of judges will decide the winning entries that will be published in The Royal Gazette’s Christmas Greetings supplement. Due to the high volume of submissions, The Royal Gazette staff cannot respond to telephone or e-mail inquiries once an entry is submitted. The Royal Gazette reserves the right to publish any or all of the stories submitted.