Our theme for Telltales in January 2026 is simply New, in honour of the New Year…

Here is an A to Z of possible ideas for the New theme which might inspire you:

New Alphabets or new Angles?
New Books or Boots or Beginnings?
New Chapters or a new Challenge?
New Day dawns?
New Events – happenings in your world or globally?
New Friends – or old?
New Generation (X, Y, Z or Alpha)?
New Homes and new Hopes?
New Ideas or new Impetus?
New Jokes and new Jokers? 🙂
New Kid on the block?
New Life or turning a new Leaf?
New Modernity or a new Me?
New New – what is truly novel under the Sun?
New Openings and Opportunities?
New Pastures – for sheep or for humans?
New Question – an unexpected or uninvited query?
New Remains – modern archaeology?
New Style – innovative or recycled?
New Take on a traditional fairy story?
New Uses for old words?
New Ventures and adVentures
New Wave – on the sea, in cinema or in music?
New Xrays – looking beyond the surface?
New Year – here’s to 2026!
New Zines – going to print?

We’re looking forward to seeing your creative input in poetry, short story, prose or an excerpt from a longer work. Please think in terms of a maximum of 10 minutes of reading or around 1500 words.

Please submit by Saturday 24 January 2026 to info@telltales.org.uk

Telltales will take place on Tuesday 27 January 2026, starting at 6pm, at Falmouth Princess Pavilion.

Thank you!