David writes his way to winning Bridport Prize

The Prize, in its 42nd year, was established in 1973 by arts centre founder, the late Peggy Chapman-Andrews as a way of keeping the arts centre afloat.

This year for the first time there is a new award for first novels, named in her honour.

The competition judges were: l poet and playwright Liz Lochhead for poetry l novelist Andrew Miller for short stories l author Tania Hershman for flash fiction l author Alison Moore for the novel.

Winners share the £16,000 prize money and this year 15,000 writers entered from more than 80 countries. Prize winners will be coming from as far away as New Zealand.

This year’s new Prize administrator Kate Wilson said: “The Prize is known as a tremendous literary stepping-stone – the first step in the careers of writers such as Kate Atkinson, Tobias Hill, Carol Ann Duffy and Helen Dunmore.”

There is a special Dorset Award each year given to the highest-placed Dorset writer.

This year it went to David Dawson for his short story, Think of a Number, which was highly commended.

Mr Dawson, 58, retired to Beaminster from his job with the Department of the Environment in London three years ago for a lifestyle change.

He thought he would have time to write and this is the first year he has submitted a story.

Mr Dawson said: “I have written a few short stories but this was the first I thought was good enough to enter a competition.”

His story is about a mathematician from an unnamed country who comes to Europe and tries to make sense of what he finds.

Mr Dawson said: “What interested me was the idea of seeing something through completely unfamiliar eyes. I thought it was an interesting way of making myself think about my environment and my life.

“I think it is great that we have this competition locally which attracts so much interest and which, for people like me, is a chance to get the judges’ comments and open up what I had written to other people’s views. You can only improve from that.”

Not that he showed his work to his family – or even told them he was entering.

His three grown up children only read it when he was sent the publisher’s proofs.

He added: “I was relieved that they all enjoyed it and thought it was a good piece of work.”

Mrs Dawson added: “I love the way you can pick up a subject, play with it, give the reader some satisfaction very quickly. Because it is small and compact it leaves quite an impression afterwards.

“Often a lot of the pleasure in reading short stories comes afterwards when you reflect on what you’ve read.”

The winning entries are available in an anthology available from the Bridport Prize website bridportprize.org.uk or from the arts centre for £9.50.

Tickets are available for the prize-giving lunch on Saturday.

The competition for the Bridport Prize in 2015 will be launched on November 15.

Judging a ‘huge honour’

Being selected as a judge for the Bridport Prize is a ‘big deal’ and ‘huge honour’, according to Liz Lochhead, the National Poet of Scotland.

Appointed to the position of Scots Makar, or national poet, in 2011 Mrs Lochhead said that she was looking forward to attending the event, adding that the draw of the Bridport Prize had seen entries come in from across the globe.

“You judge the entries anonymously but you do get an idea of where the writer is from and the subject matter. The entries you can tell aren’t just national, but international.”

She added: “There were about 28 or 29 pieces that I really liked and it was difficult narrowing it down, but eventually of course you have to decide. It was fun, challenging, and a huge honour to be selected as a judge. It’s a big deal.”

The event aims to encourage emerging writers and literary ability, something that Mrs Lochhead said was ‘vitally important’.

Founded by the Bridport Arts Centre in 1973 the competition now attracts entries from all over the UK and overseas. It is one of the richest national writing competitions, with £16,000 in total prize money.

Mrs Lochhead added: “Attending the Bridport Prize at the Open Book Week is part of my job but I do love the West Country and it really is a lovely part of the world so I’m looking forward to it. Bridport itself looks very interesting.”

Mrs Lochhead was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Edinburgh in 2000. In 2005, she was made Poet Laureate of Glasgow, and in 2011, became Scots Makar.

She studied at the Glasgow School of Art and taught art at schools in Glasgow and Bristol. She was Writer in Residence at Edinburgh University (1986-7) and Writer in Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1988.

FLASH FICTION WINNERS
1: Romans Chapter 1 Verse 29 - Kit de Waal, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
2: George Mallory - Nicholas Ruddock, Ontario, Canada
3: Anatidaephobia Michael Conley, Manchester

SHORT STORY WINNERS
1: Scenes of a Long Term Nature - Tracy Slaughter, Thames, New Zealand
2: Reimbursement - Sean Lusk, Haywards Heath, W Sussex
3: Hearing Aid - David Malone, Liverpool

POETRY WINNERS
1: Clear Recent History - Natalya Anderson, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire
2: Sister - Tori Sharpe, Dallas, Texas, USA
3: Begin - Jo Bell, Stone, Staffordshire

PEGGY CHAPMAN-ANDREWS AWARD FOR A FIRST NOVEL
1: Prize - Caroline Chisholm - Swimming Pool Hill
Runner-up: Ian Nettleton - The Last Migration