A new writing competition to mark this year’s celebration of our wonderful county has been announced – the Norfolk Day Drabble!

The free-to-enter competition, in association with the National Centre for Writing (NCW), will be asking for participants to write their best 100 words.

Diss Mercury: Norfolk Day 2021 is being sponsored by Richardson'sNorfolk Day 2021 is being sponsored by Richardson's (Image: ARCHANT)

David Powles, Eastern Daily Press (EDP) and Norwich Evening News editor, said: "We are always looking for new ways to shout about how great Norfolk is. By launching the Norfolk Day Drabble, we hope to generate a new audience to join us in that vision.

"This competition promises to be fun and exciting and we also have some amazing prizes to give away, thanks to the National Centre for Writing.

“Best of luck to everyone who enters - we are looking forward to reading your drabbles!"

So, what exactly is a drabble?

A drabble is a short work of fiction, precisely 100 words in length. Participants will need to adhere to the theme ‘A Norfolk Holiday’, which is a nod to this year's Norfolk Day headline sponsor, Richardson’s. The theme can be interpreted as loosely as desired.

There are three categories to enter: Young writers (ages 5 – 10), older writers (ages 11 – 17), and adult writers (18 and over). Collaborations are allowed but all participants will need to be in the same category.

Meet The Twitches author, Hayley Webster, who also writes under the name Hayley Scott, will be judging the young writers’ category while Becoming Death author, Melissa Brown, will oversee the older writers. And NCW’s communications director, Alice Kent, will judge the adult category. Crime writer Elizabeth Haynes will also be involved in drawing up a shortlist for our judges.

Diss Mercury: Author Hayley Webster / Hayley Scott - Credit: SUPPLIEDAuthor Hayley Webster / Hayley Scott - Credit: SUPPLIED (Image: SUPPLIED)

Diss Mercury: Author Melissa BrownAuthor Melissa Brown (Image: STUART HELLINGSWORTH)

Diss Mercury: Alice Kent of NWCAlice Kent of NWC (Image: SUPPLIED)

Diss Mercury: Crime writer Elizabeth HaynesCrime writer Elizabeth Haynes (Image: SUPPLIED)

The NCW is offering prizes to the winners - a bundle of online courses totalling £350 worth of creative writing advice including courses on writing for young people, how to stay productive with your writing, getting started with poetry, and trying your hand at sci-fi.

Winners will be announced on July 27 and the winning entries will be published in the EDP.

- If you have any questions about the Norfolk Day Drabble writing competition, please email donna-louise.bishop@archant.co.uk.

How to enter:

  • Use Google Docs to check the word count. Submissions must be 100 words exactly. Titles will not be included in the final word count.
  • One entry per person, including collaborations.
  • Participants retain rights to their submissions.
  • Entries must be fictional and written in English.
  • Participation is open to anyone from anywhere.
  • The deadline for entries is 11.59pm GMT on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Email submissions to norfolk.day@archant.co.uk with the subject header ‘Norfolk Day Drabble Competition’. Include full name, age, and address.

If you are organising something for Norfolk Day, no matter how big or small, then please tell us about it or share a photo so we can give it some promotion. Email norfolk.day@archant.co.uk, tweet @norfolk or use the hashtag #NorfolkDay, or visit the Norfolk Day Facebook group or online store.