South Warwickshire Literary Festival
Creative Writing Competition 2025 Results
This is the third year we’ve run the #SWLitFest competition and, after a slow start, we were delighted to receive just under 600 entries across the four categories. This is great news, as all profits are put back into the running of the festival in September. So even if your entry wasn’t a winner, it was much appreciated. Thank you!
And a big thank you, too, to our super judges. Their decisions weren’t easy, and their reports are insightful and definitely worth a read for anyone entering writing competitions.
We hope to meet some of the entrants at the Festival in September, where there will be a chance to read winning and commended works - do come along if you can!
Creative non-fiction
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Simon Whaley
Judge
Longlist
My Cross to Bear– Erica Sharlette; Onwards and Upwards– Lucy Underwood; The Dark Room– Karen Lewis-Barned; The Most Wonderful Moment– Sally Jenkins; Time For Me Mrs Lea– Evans Bent
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Shortlist
Climbing Mountains, Kay Anderson
The Ugly Music of My Lungs, Chrissie Hall
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Commended
Autistic Joy, Stacey Warner
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Winner
A Window Opens, Rachel Brook
Judges
Flash fiction
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Michael Loveday
Judge
Due to personal circumstances the judge's Flash Fiction report is delayed. Please check back beginning of July. Thank you for your patience.
Longlist
Blue Blood, Green Bones – Jade Scardham; Down the Lane – Helen Stuart; Grampas Last Yee-Haw – Lorna Stewart; How brightly does a book burn? – Charles Salisbury; In the Water – Yonela Faba; Lashes – Louise Cole; Shadefall – James Armstrong; The disappearing of Laura Gray – Julie Good; The Last Spoonful – Karla Dearsley; Unlucky– Phil Baker
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Shortlist
A Timeless Grudge – Lorna Stewart
Her second-best underwear – Julie Rennells
Snowbird – Harriet Bradley
Un-told – Kenneth Harvey
Clock – Lance Woodman
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Commended
Two Women Drinking Beer, by Manet – Lynn Baxter
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Winner
Beer Bottles & Bonnets – Adrian Leech
Poetry
Gwyneth Box
Judge
Longlist
Aarti – Manish Popat-Szabries; A memory Chest (for Lockdown) – Martin Pollard; Cactus – Suzanna Fitzpatrick; February – Lesley Mason; Floured Dust – Emma Lee; Wilderfears Sonnet – John Gallas
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Shortlist
Normal – Tony Hughes
Reverse balikbayan – Ryan Caidic
Sloth – Christian Donovan
Un-told – Kenneth Harvey
Clock – Lance Woodman
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Commended
Reasons The Goddess Persists In Her Pursuit Of The National School Teacher Who Is The Pure Image Of Eamon De Valera – Michelle Dennehy
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Winner
Invasion – Tony Watts
Fiction
Gabrielle Mullarkey
Judge
Longlist
Missing – Paul Garner; Forget Jacob Davis – Jaime Gill; It Never Really Happened – Jaime Gill; Snails for Tea – James Lynch; There Is No Charm Equal – Juliet Ingram
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Shortlist
Late for a Funeral – Sheril Bryan
Muzzweed – Penny Walker
Myths, Measures and Mighty Oaks – Creana Bosac
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Commended
The Tree of Knowledge – Ray Conley
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Winner
Nellie – Karen Lewis-Barned
Simon Whaley
Simon Whaley is a freelance writer, bestselling author and photographer. His travel features have appeared in magazines in the UK, USA, Australia, and Canada, including Coast, Britain, The Countryman, This England, Explore England, BBC Countryfile, and The People’s Friend. He also writes the Business of Writing and the Ask The Agent columns in Writing Magazine. For more information, visit simonwhaley.co.uk.
Gwyneth Box
Children’s author, award-winning poet, and workshop facilitator, Gwyneth writes in both English and Spanish. She was poet-in-residence at TEDx Leamington Spa, hosted a monthly open mic, and performed at Art in the Park. She has led various face-to-face writing groups and taught workshops for the SWWJ, at the Swanwick Writers' Summer School and at SWLF. She currently hosts the Poetry Society UK’s Global Online Stanza on Zoom. You'll find more about Gwyneth on her website: gwynethbox.com.
Gabrielle Mullarkey
Gabrielle Mullarkey trained as a journalist and has worked for many years in the magazine industry. The author of three published novels, she’s also contributed nearly 2,000 short stories and serials to women’s magazines, alongside travel and opinion pieces. Her work has been recorded for radio and audio download. She has an MSc in creative writing for therapeutic purposes and works as a creative writing tutor for both Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Adult Learning.
@authorgabrielle
