Since 2016, Big Finish has been hosting the annual Short Trip writing opportunity, in memory of Paul Spragg. The 2019 winning entry is The Best-Laid Plans by Ben Tedds, featuring the Twelfth Doctor, and it’s available to download, completely free, right now!

Here’s the synopsis:

Dracksil Forg sells ideas. For the right price, he’s got a solution to every possible problem. His reputation is impeccable, and whilst his ideas aren’t flawless, he has a 100% money-back guarantee.

Dracksil has started selling to a new type of customer. They are dictators, warlords; species having trouble conquering galaxies or controlling populations. However, for these clients, Dracksil’s ideas keep falling apart.

There’s something that unites these failing ideas. A name, screamed and whispered angrily among the rants of Dracksil’s new clientele: the Doctor, the Doctor, the Doctor…

If that’s not enough, you can go behind the scenes in this edition of the Big Finish Podcast, starting at 6:58.

Narrated by Jacob Dudman (who recently narrated Dead Media) and directed by Nicholas Briggs, The Best-Laid Plans is now available to download for free.

In the meantime, you can also have a listen to the previous winning entries: Forever Fallen by Joshua Wanisko (Seventh Doctor and Ace), Landbound by Selim Ulug (Third Doctor), and The Last Day at Work by Harry Draper (Second Doctor and Jamie).

If you’re interested in entering in 2020, why not check out these videos of producer, Alfie Shaw and writer, Robert Sherman (best known for The Chimes of Midnight, Jubilee, and its TV adaptation Dalek) discussing how they judged the competition, as well as later announcing the winner. And if you want some writing inspiration, you can also download The Paul Spragg ReCollections, featuring 8 non-winning stories, for free in PDF.

Congratulations to Ben and all who entered in 2019!