Here's your chance to shine in our short story competition, Pen Idol – a search for the best short stories from local authors.

And even if you're not a writer you can get involved in picking the winners, because readers of The Post can look at all the entries and vote for their favourites on the internet.

Newspapers owned by Johnston Press up and down the country are taking part in the competition, and the most popular story from each paper will go forward to a regional final.

Then the regional winners will battle it out to be chosen by readers to be crowned as the national champion at an event to be held in London in May.

Winning entries will be published in a compendium of short stories, and there will also be prizes, certificates and trophies for winners at different stages of the competition.

The competition is a collaboration between the newspapers of Johnston Press and Novel Ideas Limited, and is supported by the National Literacy Trust.

Editor of The Post Graeme Moir said: "The arts are very popular across East Hampshire.

"You only have to look through our entertainments guide, PS, every week to see that it is packed with local groups staging regular performances across a range of genres.

"With this in mind I'm sure there are plenty of budding authors out there – so now's the time to show us what you can do.

"I look forward to reading your stories and I'm sure all readers will enjoy reading the entries on-line and many of you will log-on to our website to help select the Post's winners."


HOW TO ENTER

- Click on the 'to register click here' link at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions.

- You can then submit your details, your story and some information about yourself on the website.

- There are three categories in the competition – child (under 11), young adult (11 to 17) and adult (17 and over).

- Please note that all stories must be 5,000 words or fewer.

- You can also become a judge by registering – again, just use the link at the bottom of this story.

- Readers who sign up as judges will be asked to read entries and rate each one out of five.

- The most popular entries in each category will go forward to a regional final to battle it out with the winning entries from other Johnston newspapers across the south.

- The regional winners will then go forward to a national final.

- Full details of the prizes on offer will be released as the competition progresses.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE