The next edition of The A3 Review, the literary magazine from the people who make Writing Maps, has guest editor KM Elkes at the helm (you can find out more about him and his writing via his website).

From March to August 2016, The A3 Review will be running their monthly competition looking for flash or micro fiction, poems, illustrations, graphic stories, memoir pieces, etc. The limit for each piece is 150 words and any illustrations must fit easily into an A6 size panel.

The theme for the March competition is: Purple Things. Write some purple prose or poetry about this deep, rich colour, once so rare only the wealthiest and most privileged could wear it. Get inspired by literature such as Alice Walker’s The Colour Purple or let music be your muse – listen to some Deep Purple or tracks like “Purple Rain”, “Purple Haze”, “Purple People Eater”! On the subject of eating, find inspiration from ripe damsons and plums hanging from a tree. Think rain-heavy clouds, purple bruises or a Purple Heart medal for bravery. Think Cadbury’s Dairy Milk.

KM Elkes will choose two winners from each monthly competition to go into Issue 5 of The A3 Review. All winning entries receive Writing Maps and contributor copies, and the three overall winners receive cash prizes. Future themes include Waterways, Odd Couples, and Basements, amongst others.

The deadline for the Purple Things competition is 26th March, so get writing! To find out more go to: writingmaps.submittable.com/submit