A new competition to write a brilliant opening for a novel and win £50!

THE COMPETITION

The aim of the competition was to encourage local young writers, and to celebrate the two hundred year anniversary of Jane Austen's arrival at the cottage in Chawton where so much of her work was done.
We had hundreds of entries and it was extremely difficult to select just a few winners. The judges were Professor Kathryn Sutherland from St Anne's college Oxford, Rebecca Smith our writer in residence and the education officers at the museum.

Professor Kathryn Sutherland said, "It is not an easy thing to write an opening for a work that has no further existence on paper but nonetheless resonates and suggests the possibility of growth in the reader’s imagination. The best entries for this new ‘Jane Austen writing competition’ rose to the challenge by combining strong invention, economy of detail, and suspense – the sense of something about to happen."

Despite the lengthy process of debating who would ultimately win first prize in each category it was fantastic to read such imaginative and original writing. We wish everyone who entered the best of luck with their future writing careers and many congratulations to the thoroughly deserving winners.

Please click on this link to read the winning entries