Current Writing Competitions

Today I have a list of writing competitions for you. All of them are free to enter but some of the closing dates are soon.

Announcing the Halloween Sitcom Trials - scripts wanted
We want sitcom scripts that we can perform in the tried and tested Trials format (a 10 minute sitcom ending in a cliffhanger with a 3 minute payoff scene, to be performed by no more than 4 actors, you'll see details in the files). And this time, though you can write your sitcom on any subject, we're particularly looking for scripts with a Halloween or horror theme.
The deadline for script entries is midnight Saturday October 10th
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2016 Short Story Competition
We're offering you the chance to win £500, plus a place on an Arvon writing course of your choice! All you have to do is enter a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words, on the theme of 'ageing'.
The closing date is midnight on Monday 15th February 2016.
https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/competitions

Gatehouse Press New Fiction Prize 2015
Gatehouse Press is excited to announce the opening of submissions for the 2015 New Fiction series. With a word limit of between 10,000 and 13,000 words, the open submission process seeks to encourage new writers to explore the possibilities of length within the short fiction genre. The winning stories will be published as part of Gatehouse Press’ ongoing New Fictions series in 2016.
UK submissions only.
Deadline: 10 October 2015
http://www.gatehousepress.com/2015/07/1553/

The 2016 Times / Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition
What Chicken House are looking for:
Original ideas, a fresh voice and a story that children will love! To enter, you must have written a completed full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged somewhere between 7 and 18 years. By full-length we suggest a minimum of 30,000 words and ask that manuscripts entered do not exceed 80,000 words in length.
First prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000, plus representation from a top children’s literary agent.* All longlisted entrants will receive a reader’s report of their work.
The competition will close on Friday 18th December 2015.
http://www.doublecluck.com/submissions/

Short Story Writing Competition
Enter up to two short stories each month.
This month's theme is: Gothic
400-1500 Words
Fainting heroines, dark mysterious castles, and supernatural beings. Send us stories of spooky happenings and things that go bump in the night in time for Halloween.
We're looking for short stories from all genres, so it doesn't matter if you have a touch of comic flair or enjoy writing thrillers full of suspense, this is the competition for you.
Winners who have their story published in the Anthology will receive a monthly prize of an equal share of the sales profits!
The deadline for this month's entries is the 28th October 2015.
http://thewritersnotebookgroup.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html