We're thrilled to share the exciting news: the 2025 Bournemouth Writing Festival, in partnership with Bournemouth University's Bournemouth Writing Prize, has crowned its overall winners!
Meet Our Winners
Short Story Category: Hannah Bunting
Hailing from South East London, Hannah is a talented copywriter who crafts everything from catchy software headlines to enchanting tales about magic, intricate family dynamics, and the narratives we create to navigate life. Her winning short story, Icarus Rises, captivated judge Laura Williams, who remarked, "the writing lifts [the] characters off the page into the heat of the sun."
Poetry Category: Paul Nield
Paul's diverse background spans the legal field, company leadership, and charitable endeavors. Recently venturing into writing, he explores themes like the interplay between past and present, mortality, and the search for meaning. His poem, First Love, impressed the judges with its "unusual and inventive inventory, with gut-punch humour that jabs at the reader with its short lines and teases out longer belly laughs, too."
Join Us at Bourn Jammy
Both Hannah and Paul will grace the stage at our Saturday night event, Bourn Jammy, during the festival. They'll share their winning pieces while our live band improvises music to complement their words—a performance you won't want to miss!
Celebrate with Us
The Bournemouth Writing Festival is set for April 25th to 27th, 2025. Alongside Hannah and Paul's readings, the festival offers a rich program of talks, workshops, networking opportunities, and more. Plus, our 2025 anthology, featuring all shortlisted works, will be available for purchase.
Congratulations to Hannah and Paul, and a massive thank you to everyone who participated. Your creativity and passion make our writing community shine.
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