Short Story Competition

Zipper Mad/Max Hip/Hop Agnostic Mindbomb Tigger Disheveled Zinc finger

Q - What do these words have in common?

A - They’re all names of genes.

Information about the genetic makeup of people, animals and plants impacts on every aspect of our lives. But do we understand this impact? And what should we make of it?

How is our understanding of who we are affected by the knowledge that we share so much of our genetic makeup with fruit flies, mice and even pumpkins?

Are we just the sum total of our genes? What role does our environment have? Our families impact on our development, but is that because we share genes, or because we share environment, or both?

What does it mean to share genetic material with other people? Is our understanding of nationality, race, and ethnicity dependent on a genetic basis?

Can we truly control our behaviour and exercise free will if our genetic makeup influences our behaviour and the choices we make in life?

Can we blame crime on genes? Who should hold information about our genes? Who should have access to it? What should be the priority, public safety or personal freedoms?

Can an understanding of genes help feed people in developing countries? Do the advantages outweigh the risks?

The challenge

Write a short story influenced by the issues alluded to above.

Rules

The closing date is 31 March 2009.

Stories should be up to a maximum length of 3000 words and in English.

Stories should not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

Entrants can be of any nationality.

Entrants can only submit one story.

Entry format

Each story should be typed using one side of A4 paper. Please attach a top sheet with the following information typed on it:

• Name;
• Address;
• Phone number;
• Email address;
• Title of story, and;
• Word length.

Your name should not appear anywhere else on your story.

Please send your entry to:

Pippa Goldschmidt

Genomics Forum

University of Edinburgh

St Johns Land

Holyrood Road

Edinburgh EH8 8AQ

Receipt of entry

Please enclose a SAE marked ‘acknowledgment’ if you require receipt of your entry. We will not return any entries.

Results

Winners will be contacted in May 2009 and a list of winning entries will be posted on the Genomics Forum website by end May.

A selection of the winning and shortlisted stories will be published in a special publication of the Forum in 2009.

First prize is £500, second prize is £200, and third prize is £100.

Copyright

Copyright remains with the author, but the Genomics Forum has the right to publish winning stories on its website and in a special publication.