Special Collections Blog: Special Collections Blog

Can You Contribute to an Anthology of Creative Writing Inspired by Special Collections?

Image: rare books on the reading room shelf

We are excited to launch a creative writing competition that will give DMU students the chance to see their work in print!

DMU Special Collections has partnered with MA Creative Writing students to co-create an anthology of creative work inspired by the materials in our archive. Visit the archive, browse our varied collection of objects, books, photographs, letters and artwork, feel that flash of inspiration and get creative!

Image: a pile of archive boxes on a table, surrounding some papers, a pencil and notepad. The chair in front of the desk is pulled out but no-one is sat there.

Competition details:

• Open to all current students and staff of DMU
• Deadline: Monday 15th April
• Submit a piece of creative writing from 3 categories:
  • Prose (max 500 words) including short fiction, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, drabbles
  • Poetry and Script (poems to be max 40 lines not including the title; scripts to be max 4 pages)
  • Word and Image (max 1 A5 page) including collage, visual poetry and zine pages
• There will be three prizes of £50 gift card for the best submission in each category
• The submission must be inspired by an item from DMU Special Collections
• Information about accessing DMU Special Collections and what’s in the archive can be found here
• The anthology will be launched during the States of Independence festival on the 8th June 2024
• Writers who are selected for the anthology will receive one free printed copy of the book

Submit entries to DMUSCSubmissions@Outlook.com 

Image: postcard dated 1907, the text reads "Dear Mab, I have got some black marks on my thumb and finger, can you tell me what it is. Best Love, Hettie".