creative writing competitions for students uk

This Is Fictional

The Big List of UK Writing Competitions & Awards 2024 (Part 2) + Link to Deadline Calendar

More writing opportunities coming at ya.

Hey writery pals!

I’m back with Part 2 of the big juicy list of 50 writing competitions and awards looking for entries of novels, short stories, flash fiction, poetry, prose poetry and more.

Jump back to Part 1 if you haven’t read it.

BONUS: I’ve also a created a deadline calendar for paid subscribers that includes all 50 competitions and awards! Add it to your own calendar and never miss a deadline on your favourite opportunities throughout the year. Scroll down to the end for the link.

Disclaimers — feel free to skip if you’ve already read them in Part 1

If you’re a new writer, I’d recommend going only with the free entry opportunities in the first instance. Tip: search this page for the word ‘free’ to find them quicker.

The more prestigious awards on this list are highly competitive and some have more expensive entry fees than others, so only go with what you can afford.

Most of the bigger competitions also offer a number of free or sponsored entries for writers on low incomes.

For any opportunities you’re particularly interested in, I’d recommend signing up to the organisation’s mailing list (most of them have one) and following them on social media for updates. I say this because some deadlines or competition details may change as organisations gear up for the 2024 round.

Always make sure you read the full T&Cs for any opportunity you enter.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are tons of other amazing opportunities out there, some still to be announced. If there are any you think should be added to this list, let me know in the comments.

Happy writing!

The Big List of UK Writing Competitions & Awards 2024 — Part 2

The Moth Short Story Prize

Every year, a single author is asked to anonymously judge The Moth Short Story Prize and choose three winning stories from entries submitted worldwide. The winner receives €3,000 and runners-up receive a week-long stay at Circle of Misse plus an open travel stipend, and €1,000 respectively.  

Previous judges include Martina Evans, John Boyne, Donal Ryan, Belinda McKeon, Mike McCormack, Kevin Barry, Ali Smith, Mark Haddon and Sarah Hall.

The winning story is printed as part of the summer fiction series in the Irish Times while the second and third-prize-winning stories are published in the Irish Times online.

Entry fee: estimated €15 per story

Deadline: estimated 30th June 2024

4thWrite Short Story Prize

The Guardian and 4th Estate 4thWrite Prize is a competition open to Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers living in the UK or Ireland, aged 18 and above.

The winner will receive £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website. After the winner is announced, the full shortlist will be published on 4thestate.co.uk.

Entry fee: unknown but looks like it’s free

Deadline: estimated 2nd July 2024

Scottish Book Trust - New Writers Award 2025

The New Writers Awards is an annual awards programme supporting writers in Scotland to develop their craft. Prizes include a £2,000 cash award, tailored personal development, PR, performance and presentation training, and much more. The award may also include a stay at a writing retreat – details TBC.

Entry fee: free

Deadline: estimated 19th July 2024

Seán Ó Faoláin International Short Story Competition

This competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcasted short stories of up to 3,000 words. The story can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. 

Writers can submit more than one entry. Once entered, no alterations can be made to the submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please let them know immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

Entry fee: €19 per story

Deadline: estimated 31st July 2024

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to This Is Fictional to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

School Reading List

Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK

Home » Competitions for Children » Children’s Writing Competitions

Children’s Writing Competitions

Young writer’s competitions for children and teens aged 5-18

Please read our list of writing competitions for children. The contests are checked and updated each month . We are happy to feature writing challenges open to primary-age children, secondary-age pupils, and young adults in the UK. If you would like your competition featured here, please contact us . We are happy to feature competitions with at least one month remaining before the closing date. We have also compiled a list of recommended creative writing manuals and writing workshop activity guides suitable for use with KS1, KS2, KS3, and KS4 at the bottom of this page.

New competitions are listed at the top of each month. Past and annual competitions are listed below .

Writing competitions for children and teens

Please note   that  many previous annual competitions were or are being affected by the recession,  or cost of living crisis. This is beyond our control.

Closing date in August

• Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Words of the Wild Competition invites those under 18 to submit a poem, journalistic article, essay, letter, song lyrics or a short story of under 100 words of fiction or nonfiction “ connected to the native wildlife of Scotland. “
• Cinemagic Young Filmmaker – open to films on any subject from young filmmakers aged under 25. The prizes include winning films being screened in cinemas.

Closing date in September

• World Record attempt for World Poetry Day – this is not a competition, but a challenge. Your school could participate in Laura Mucha’s plan to involve 60,000+ 7-12-year-old students in writing a poem about ‘what counts’. Full sign-up details can be found on the National Poetry Day website.
• The Betty Haigh Shakespeare Prize – is open to “any sixth-form student of English Literature”. There are two options, both with detailed entry criteria which can be viewed on the competition website.
• The Yorkshire Festival of Story Children’s Story Competition invites short stories from UK children aged 7-12.

Closing date in October

• Poem 99 competition – 5-7, 8-10, 11-13 and 14-16-year-olds can enter up to 20 lines of poetry on a prescribed theme. There is an entry fee for this competition.
• C.A.B.B Publishing is running a short story competition for young adults. Full details are available on their website.
• ‘If Dylan met Thomas Hardy’ is the title of a new competition hosted by the Dylan Thomas Society and the Thomas Hardy Society. Writers aged 11+ can submit a play of up to 15 minutes in length for up to four cast members. The best three plays entered will be performed at the Dylan Thomas Theatre.
• Royal Geographical Society School Essay Competition – an annual competition, run in association with the Financial Times, for 16-19-year-olds, with a closing date in October.
• The Young Walter Scott Prize is dedicated to historical fiction, defined as “in a time before you were born”, and this competition has two age categories: 11-15 and 16-19. Entries can be prose, poetry, drama, fictional letters, or reportage. The closing date is the end of October.
• The Solstice Nature Prize For Young Writers , organised by Writing East Midlands, invites children and teens aged 7-17 to write ‘ imaginative short stories (up to 500 words) and provocative poems (up to 40 lines)’. The competition offers cash prizes and an anthology of the best entries. There are three age categories: 7-11, 12-14 and 15-17.

Closing date in November

• BBC 500 words short story competition for children –  with two age group categories, 5-7-year-olds and 7-11-year-olds.
• The WILD WORDS National Eco-Poetry Project is open to young people aged 18 and under in the UK, who are asked to “imagine co-writing a poem with a tree, river, or even the weather” . Poem entries should be a maximum of one side of A4. Full details are on the competition website.
• Poetry Together Competition – children under 18 in the UK are invited to enter poems of no more than 14 lines on a theme detailed on the competition website, and choose a poem on any theme to learn by heart. There are two age group categories and full details are available on the competition website.
• The East Riding Festival of Words runs an annual poetry competition. Entries of up to 45 lines are open to children aged 4-10 and 11-16 and there are cash prizes for the winners.
• The Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing Contest is a worldwide competition open to writers of all ages. There’s an entry fee for this one, with cash prizes and writing development packages on offer for the winners. The deadline is November 30th.
• Wenlock Olympian Society Short Story Competition – open to students aged 16+ who are invited to write a story on any theme of up to 2500 words. Full entry details are on the Wenlock website.
• One Teen Story – story submission site for teenagers. The deadline is 27th November.
• The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize for writers aged 18-25 invites entries of 1000-1500 words on a Franklin quote which changes each year. The deadline is 30th November.

Closing date in December

• Love Letters to London , run by the London Society, offers children aged 11 and under and 12-18 year-olds the opportunity to win cash prizes by entering prose (fiction, essays, and reportage) or poetry that celebrates ‘our wonderful, fantastic, infuriating city’. Full details, including this year’s theme, can be found on the competition website.
• Into Film awards will hopefully return in 2024. See also the ‘Film of the Month’ competition and the extensive resources to encourage school film clubs.

Closing date in January

• This Page is Printed offers an under-18s competition with cash prizes for entries of up to one page of A4 ‘in any genre: prose, poetry, script’. Judges will be looking for ‘something that dares to be different.’
• The Young Cartoonist Awards have an under-18 category where children and teens can enter ‘pocket (gag) cartoons, political cartoons and short strip cartoons.’
• The Cheshire Prize for Literature invites primary and secondary-aged students to enter short stories, poetry, children’s literature and scriptwriting. To qualify, entrants ‘must live or have lived, work or have worked, studied or have studied in Cheshire, Wirral, Warrington or Halton.’
• The Royal Mint Museum short story competition – will return in January 2024.
• The Japan Society runs the World Children’s Haiku Contest . Students aged 15 and under can enter a haiku on A4 or letter-sized paper on the theme of “family”, accompanied by hand-drawn artwork on the same page. Full details are available on the competition website.
• The Immerse Essay Competition offers teens aged 13-18 the opportunity to write an essay choosing from a range of topics including architecture, science, law, international relations, medicine, economics, creative writing and many more. There are two age groups: 13-15 and 16-18. The deadline is 4th January.
• North Eastern University London is running an essay competition for students in year 12. Pupils can submit up to 1,500 words, choosing from a range of set essay titles that span a broad range of topics including humanities, philosophy, social issues, the law and creative writing. There are cash prizes for the top three entries.
• The Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project Essay Contest is an international competition open to children in two age group categories: years 6-9 and years 10-13. There are cash prizes for the top three entries and honourable mentions in each category. Full entry details are available on this information poster . All submissions must be submitted by 15th January.
• The Herne Hill Lit Fest is running a “Stepping into Stories” competition for children aged 4-7, 8-11 and 12+. The theme is “ bouncing back “. Entries can be written stories, drawings, comic strips, poetry, raps, or digital animations. There are book token prizes for the winners.
• Bournemouth Young Writers prize – open to children in years 3&4, and years 5&6 and stories can be “ about anything you like “. Prizes include £150 worth of books.
• Rotary Club International Young Writer competition.

Closing date in February

• The Elmbridge Literary Competition is open to children under 18 (free) in four age group categories: 5-7; 8-11; 11-13 and 14-18. The theme for 2024 is “Fame”. Short stories or poems can be entered. Full entry details and requirements can be viewed on the competition website.
• Perse Research’s Year 9 Aristotelian Award is open to students in Year 9 or equivalent. The award exists to “ promote the independent study skills in Year 9 pupils while simultaneously providing an avenue to explore super-curricular interests in the arts, humanities and sciences. ” Entrants are invited to write an 800-1500 word essay choosing a title from a choice of topics and essay titles spanning arts, humanities and the sciences.
• The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition – annual – open to all children of school age, including school and college pupils, home-educated children and entries from young people’s community organisations. There are three age categories: 5-10; 11-14 and 15-18. The 2024 theme is “ Being Part of a Group “.
• The Royal Society of Literature invites students aged 13-18 to write up to 500 words about “ the writer from the past that most inspires them “. Prizes for the “ History is in the Making ” competition include book tokens for both entrants and the school.
• The Hugo Young Award – held in memory of Guardian political columnist Hugo Young, this competition encourages “fresh voices” aged 16-18 and 19-25 from UK state schools to pen political opinion pieces. Highly recommended for students studying A-level politics, sociology or looking towards a career in journalism.
• Voices – a writing competition, run by the charity Coram Voice, which is open to children and young people who are in or have experience with the care system.
• Christopher Tower Poetry Prize – open to young adults aged 16-18.

Closing date in March

• Young Science Writer of the Year Award – run by the Association of British Science Writers, this award is open to UK pupils aged 14-16 in non-selective state schools. Students can submit up to 800 words “on any subject in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.”
• Humanimal Trust Creative Awards – children and teens aged 7-18 can share their creative skills on the theme of ‘ Time to Connect ‘ in four age group categories: 7-9; 10-11; 12-15 & 16+. Full details are on the competition website.
• Young Songwriter 2024 – “ The world’s leading songwriting competition for young aspiring songwriters, aged 8-18 “. Children are invited to enter up to five songs. There are three age group categories for UK children and teens: 8-12; 13-15 & 16-18. Full details are on the Song Academy website.
• The BBC Young Reporter Competition is open to children and teens aged 11-18 who “want to report on a story or issue which is important to their life or the world around them”.
• Young Financial Journalist Competition – open to secondary students aged 14-15, 15-15, 16-17 and 18-19. “We are seeking well-argued articles from students aged 14–19”.
• Fitzwilliam College Cambridge is running a series of essay competitions aimed at pupils in their penultimate year of education before university – i.e. Year 12, S5 or Y13 (Northern Ireland). Entries (written in English) are welcome from around the world. With six categories: Ancient World and Classics, Archaeology, History, Land Economy, Medieval World, and Architecture; this competition is highly recommended for 6th formers and could provide useful evidence for university applications, a starting point for an EPQ project, or a talking point for an admissions interview. The deadline is 3rd March.
• The BBC Young Writer’s Award – is open to 14-18-year-olds who can submit a piece of original fiction of up to 1000 words. Highly recommended.
• The Portico Sadie Massey Awards feature two competitions open to children. There’s the KS2, KS3, KS4, and KS5 Young Readers Competition (write a book review – any genre – on any subject) and the Young Writers competition, open to pupils in KS3,4&5 (write a story based in the North of England.)
• The Girton College Humanities Writing Competition – open to Year 12 students in the UK, the writing task is based on five objects in the college’s antiquities museum.
• The Royal Mint runs an annual competition for primary school pupils aged 8-11 who can enter short stories of up to 500 words. Prizes include books for the school library. For this year’s theme and entry details, see the competition website.
• The Lowry’s Creative Writing Challenge is open to children aged 7-11 from across Salford and Greater Manchester. “ Pupils can draw on all aspects of writing for performance “, and enter writing of up to 500 words including poetry and stories or up to three minutes of playscript.
• The ISA Handwriting Competition is open to children in years 1, 2, 3-4 & 5-6 in ISA member schools, “to showcase their handwriting skills”.

Closing date in April

• The Guardian newspaper is running a Young Country Diary  writing competition open to 8-14-year-olds based in the UK. Six winners will be published in the Guardian and to enter students need to write a 200-250 word article about ‘a recent encounter they’ve had with nature’. Full details can be found on the competition webpage.
• Pitch Magazine is running a Young Sports Journalist competition . Students aged 14-24 can enter an article of 400-600 words in response to the question prompts on the website. There are four age group categories: 14-15, 16-17, 18-19 and 20-21 and there’s a £50 prize and work experience opportunity for each winning entry.
• Tadpole Press is running a worldwide 100-word writing contest open to writers of all ages. 100 words can be submitted in any genre. There is an entry fee for this competition and there’s a cash prize for 1st place and writing coaching and editing packages for the 2nd and 3rd places. The deadline is 30th April.
• Reading Zone offers a Create a Picture Book competition that’s open to 4-18-year-olds in three age group categories: 4-7; 7-11 and 11+. Prizes include £200 of books.
• Author of Tomorrow – run by the Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation, the Author of Tomorrow prize aims to find adventure writers of the future. Young people under 21 can submit entries between 1500 and 5000 words (under 500 words for primary-aged pupils). The prizes are £1000 for the 16-21 age group, £100 and £150 in book tokens for the 12-15 age group, and £100 and £150 in book tokens for the 11 and under age group.
• The Day ‘ Young Journalist Awards ” are open to anyone under 19 (under 10 and 11-18)  and entrants can submit a written article, a video clip, an audio piece, photography, an illustration or a graphic in any one of 12 subject categories. Full details including how to enter are on the competition website.
• Goldsmiths University of London is running a series of competitions for 16-18-year-olds who are invited to a short story, a piece of journalism with a historical angle, or a piece about identity and culture: The Young Writer, Young Columnist, and Young Anthropologist competitions.
• The annual OxBright Essay Competition invites 15-18-year-olds to submit an essay of up to 3,800 characters (around 500 words). Details of the theme and subject requirements are on the competition website.

Closing date in May

• The Poetry of Science Competition – Can you write a ‘ terrific scientific poem ‘? Each entrant can enter one poem of up to 150 words. There are three age group categories: 5-7, 8-11 and 12-16. For schools, there’s a downloadable poster for classrooms here . Winners will be invited to Oxford to attend a celebration event and perform their poems.
• Never Such Innocence – The 2024 theme is “How does war affect people’s lives?” , and to enter children and teens can ‘ using poetry, art, speech and song’ . There are four age group categories (9-11;  11-14;  14-16;  & 16-18) and full details are on the competition website.
• The D.H. Lawrence Children’s Prize: Writing Competition is open to students aged 11 and under and 12-16, who can enter up to 500 words on the theme of “The Four Seasons”. Prizes include Kindles and book tokens.
• Bournemouth Writing Festival is running an international students competition, with the theme of “ On Bournemouth Beach “. It’s open to international students aged 16+ whose first language is not English.
• War Through Children’s Eyes is open to children aged 7-17 and aims to “ raise awareness of the impact of wars and violent conflicts on the communities caught up in them, and particularly on the most vulnerable members of those communities: their children “. Entries of up to 1000 words are invited, there are vouchers for the top three entries and full details are available on the website.
• The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition is open to young people under the age of 19. The competition features a starter paragraph and invites entrants to write under 1000 words to continue the story.

Closing date in June

• BCC Young Entrepreneurs , run by First News invites young entrepreneurs aged 5-15 to write up to 200 words about their business idea or innovation. There are four categories to pick from and prizes include a trip to the British Chambers of Commerce’s Global Annual Conference.
• Stories of the Future creative challenge . What does the future hold for young people around the world? asks this international competition run by Earth4All. With three categories: 15 and under, 16-18 and 19-21, students can enter writing up to 800 words or videos of up to 1.5 minutes. Full details are on the competition website. There are free resources and posters for schools.
• In the b small Young Language Learner Award , 6-11-year-olds can “send in a story or comic written in a language of their choice, other than a mother tongue .” There are French and Spanish activity packs available for teachers.
• The Philosophy Garden ‘Write a Script’ competition invites 11-18-year-olds to submit a nature-themed script for a short explainer video using animal characters to tell a story. Full details are on the website. The best entries will be made into a video to be exhibited in the Philosophy Museum in Milan.
• The Wells Festival of Literature offers young poets aged 16-25 the opportunity to enter poems of up to 35 lines on any subject for the annual Young Poets Competition. All entries must be in English .
• Celebration Day writing competition – entrants are invited to write 250 words (primary) or 500 words (secondary) to tell the story of an inspirational person they know. There are five age categories: 5-7; 8-10; 11-13; 14-16; 17-18 & teachers. Full details and resources are available on the competition website and the Celebration Day website.
• The Orwell Youth Prize – for secondary students aged 12-18, entries can be in any form, up to 1000 words. This year’s task is to respond to this title: “The Future We Want”.
• Cambridge University and SATIPS handwriting competition .
• Atom Learning’s Young Author Award offers 7-9-year-olds and 10-11-year-olds the chance to win a trip to Disneyland Paris. Children can enter fiction stories of up to 500 words. There’s also a free creative writing activity pack to download.

Closing date in July

• Martha Mills Young Writers’ Prize invites 11-14-year-olds living in the UK to enter 500 words or less on a prescribed theme. There are cash prizes and books for three winners. Full details are on the competition website run by London Review Bookshop.
• Young & Talented Cornwall invites 16-23-year-old residents of Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly who ‘ aspire to see your work in print, on stage or on screen ‘ to enter a personal statement and sample of work – both of up to 500 words – in this creative writing award scheme ‘ to help budding Cornish writers ‘. Grants of up to £1000 are available, together with a reading award of up to £150 worth of books.
• The Laurie Lee Prize for Writing offers a young person’s category for those who either live in Gloucestershire or were born in Gloucestershire.  16–20-year-olds  can enter up to 2500 words or up to 125 lines of poetry on “a nature or conservation theme”. More details are on the competition website.
• The Young Wild Writers competition , run by Hen Harrier Action invites children aged 5-8, 9-12 and 13-16 to enter stories, poems, articles, prose or letters of up to 500 words on the theme of Human Impact . Prizes include book vouchers and an online author visit to the winning child’s school. Full details, including a downloadable poster, are on the competition website.
• The Hampshire Young Poets competition is open to any young person aged 4-7; 8-11 or 12-16 “ who lives or studies in Hampshire “. Entrants can submit up to 14 lines of poetry on the theme of ‘ home ’. Full details are on the competition website.
• Foyle Young Poets competition – for 11-17-year-olds, the competition welcomes “poems on any theme and any length”.
• Stephen Spender Trust poetry in translation prize – the challenge is to translate a poem from any language into English. There are three categories for young people: U18, U16, and U14. The top prize is £1000.
• Ledbury Under 18’s poetry competition . Two categories – 11 and under and 12-17 request poems of no more than 40 lines in length. There are cash prizes or book tokens for the winners.
• HG Wells short story competition.
• Young Muslim Writers Award – open to UK children and teens in KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4 who can submit a short story or poetry – and in KS3 and KS4, this is extended to also include journalism, screenplays, and play scripts. Full details are on the website.

Undated or open

• The Scottish Book Trust runs monthly mini-sage 50-word story writing competitions for children aged 5-11 and 12-18, with a different theme each month.
• Wordhound runs a monthly creative writing challenge for children aged 12 and under, who can send in 300-word stories “of funny, weird or otherwise unique writing” on a different subject each month.
• Kids’ Poetry Club runs a variety of competitions for primary and secondary-aged children, with a new theme announced every few months.
• Reading Solutions UK offers a range of monthly competitions and activities which include both writing and reading challenges.
• The Young Poets Network runs regular writing challenges and competitions, which can be viewed on their website.
• BBC Today Student Journalism Awards – annual. this competition features a variety of journalism categories, including journalism (any medium), broadcasting, visual and photojournalism, criticism, publication, and programme. Entrants must be over 18 and in full-time UK higher education. The prizes include places on highly coveted BBC Journalism Trainee Schemes (paid positions).
• BBC Writers Room is inviting speculative screenplay submissions of at least 30 pages from young scriptwriters aged 16+ in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
• Blue Things Zine invites young writers aged 13+ to write articles and stories under 1500 words for consideration for publication.
• Scholastic We Are Writers – not a competition per se, but lots of ideas for literacy and writing projects with the aim of getting your pupils published. Ideal for fundraisers or whole-school writing initiatives.
• Inkhead short story competition and writing clubs.
• Amnesty International has a series of online resources – ‘ Words That Burn ‘ – to inspire teenagers to write about human rights, equality and discrimination.
• National Literacy Trust competitions page.
• Readers’ Digest Competitions . – including a 100-word story competition for children.
• The Guild of Food Writers Write It – Young Food Writer of the Year – is open to children up to 18 in three age categories.
• Live Canon: Children’s Poetry Competition – for young people aged 5-18.
• For a non-competitive option, the John Muir Award offers schools an opportunity to “encourage people of all backgrounds to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places.” Through an award scheme, pupils can create a dossier of experiences, challenges and presentations to demonstrate how they have discovered a wild place, explored it, done something to conserve it and shared their experience. A good option for larger groups, classes and year groups, this award requires teacher input and planning. Suitable for year 4 through to secondary-aged pupils.
• The First Story Young Writers Festival offers pupils a day-long online festival with workshops, resources, interviews with writers, showcases for young writers, resources and CPD for teachers. This is a fantastic resource to inspire children to write for publication and would make a great starting point for pupils considering entering writing competitions. ( Note the festival is not running a competition of its own ).

Resources for creative writing in schools and at home

• Hoo’s Writing Corner – an exciting creative writing website for primary-aged children. The website includes writing prompts and exercises, and the monthly subscription magazine includes story construction ideas and spelling worksheets.
• Below is a collection of books recommended to inspire children to write – whether it be creative writing, nonfiction, or poetry.

Help! We Need a Story by James Harris

Write Like a Ninja: An essential toolkit for every young writer by Andrew Jennings

500 Words: A collection of short stories that reflect on the Black Lives Matter movement

Descriptosaurus by Alison Wilcox

How to Write your Best Story Ever! by Christopher Edge

How to Write Poems by Joseph Coelho

Just Imagine by James Carter

Spilling Ink – A Young Writer’s Handbook by Ellen Potter & Anne Mazer

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

For more competition ideas, have a look at our public speaking and debating contests.

Browse our list of Children’s Book Publishers in the UK

Peruse our list of magazines for children and teens

Why not have a look at our suggested reading lists for children aged 3-16?

Books for EYFS & Reception Books for Year 1 Books for Year 2 Books for Year 3 Books for Year 4 Books for Year 5 Books for Year 6 Books for Year 7 Books for Year 8 Books for Year 9 Books for Year 10 Books for Year 11 Books for 6th formers

Please respect copyright and don’t copy or reproduce our reviews. Thanks .

About Tom Tolkien

Further Reading

• School Reading List Children's Book of the Month
• Christmas children's book advent calendar
• Magazines and newspapers for children and teenagers
• Summer Reading Challenge
• Online courses and home learning for children and teens
• Children's Book Festivals and Events

Follow the School Reading List

Keep up to date with our latest social media posts about reading, children's books and literacy.

© 2024 School Reading List. All Rights Reserved | As an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases | Policies and Terms of Use

A groundbreaking creative writing competition for schools

Competition closed - submission period ended on 26 april 2024. find out the winners now, the winners for the time to write competition have been announced, click here to explore the winners, runners up and highly commended stories..

About Time to Write The 'Time to Write' competition for 2024 was open to all schools, and used cutting-edge Adaptive Comparative Judgement technology to shortlist entries, allowing schools to take part in the shortlisting process!

Pupils aged 7-16 entered into our exciting tech-led creative writing competition for the chance to win amazing tech and literary prizes., the top 10 entries in each category were read by a panel of judges, who decided on the winners and runners up., the winning writers will have their stories turned into illustrated books, and win a set of amazing tech and book prizes. plus, each winner's school won a great set of prizes, including a £1000 voucher to spend on school resources.

• Get in touch with ISEB

The Categories

Writers in Years 3 and 4: 500 words Writers in Years 5 and 6: 650 words Writers in Years 7, 8, and 9: 750 words Writers in Years 10 and 11: 1000 words

Word counts are advised lengths and final submissions can be +/- 10%

Register your interest for competition updates:

Judging and criteria.

The 'Time to Write' competition was judged in two rounds. Entries were shortlisted by a group of judges - and schools could take part in this! The top ten entries shortlisted in each category were read by a panel of esteemed judges.

Round 1: Shortlisting

The first round of judging was completed using Adaptive Comparative Judgement technology via RM Compare. Schools that entered pupils into the competition were able to take part in this process as judges. We looked for the most creative entries in the first round of judging.

Who could take part in the shortlisting process?

All schools that entered pupils into the competition were able to take part in the shortlisting process during the first judging window.

Round 2: Final judging

The top ten entries in each category were read and reviewed by a panel of judges in the traditional way.

The judging panel

Judging criteria

The panel of judges reviewed the top ten entries with the following criteria in mind: Idea: is there an original and creative idea that makes the story stand out? Structure: is there a clear plot that develops thematically? Character: are the characters well-developed and convincing? Language: are words chosen and language devices used confidently and creatively?

The Time to Write competition was open to all schools, with four categories for different age groups, and prizes for both the winning writers and their schools . The top ten entries shortlisted in each category were read by a panel of esteemed judges. The winning writers in each category will see themselves in print , as each will have their story turned into an illustrated book ! Prizes were also awarded to the winning writers’ schools , including £1000 to spend on school resources! A range of other exciting prizes were on offer for the winners and runners-up , including Amazon Fire tablets, Altec Lansing Bluetooth speakers and headphones, and vouchers.

About the competition

The Independent Schools Examinations Board is a leading provider of innovative qualifications and assessments to schools in the UK and internationally. Founded in 1903 to create and deliver the Common Entrance exams, ISEB has been at the forefront of assessment at 11+ and 13+ for 120 years.

We partnered with RM Compare to bring schools a unique, interactive creative writing competition for 2024. The time travel theme of the 'Time to Write' competition was chosen to align with ISEB's 120th anniversary. By appreciating the achievements and events of the past, and looking forward to the developments of new innovations and technologies, we can all make sure we are supporting all children to achieve for years to come.

“In celebrating 120 years at the heart of assessment in the independent school sector, we wanted to bring all schools an exciting opportunity to celebrate our core principles of creativity, inclusivity, innovation, and heritage in an interactive and hands-on way. Creative writing is the ultimate creative activity for young people, allowing them to dream big and show us their flair and individuality. We can’t wait to read their stories.” Julia Martin, ISEB

Competition Closed - Submission Period Ended on 26 April 2024. announcements were made on 11 June 2024.

All entries must be submitted by schools. If you are a parent or guardian, please ask your child's school to enter your child into the competition. Schools can submit all entries from pupils together via an online entry form.

Time to Write is open to all residents aged 7-16 years as of 26 April 2024. Stories must be written by an individual and not by a pair, or writing team. Writers may only submit one story each. Entries must be a piece of original fiction and can not depict events that actually took place. Entries can not use details of any living person and must not include personal details about the writer and their family, teachers, or friends.

All entries must be submitted by a school - if you are a parent, please talk to your child's school about submitting your child's entry. Entries must be saved as PDF files, and the file name should be structured as 'Story name, school name'. The writer's name should not be included anywhere on the PDF. Entries can be hand-written or typed, but must not contain any additional embellishments such as drawings or diagrams. All entries must be in English. For full information please see our Terms and Conditions . How to enter 1. Read the competition terms and conditions. 2. Download the ISEB Time to Write - Pupil Entry Submission Upload spreadsheet . 3. Populate the spreadsheet with details for all pupils you are entering and once finished, save as a .CSV (comma delimited) file. 4. Save all entries as PDF files and ensure all files are named correctly ('Story name, school name'). Do not include the pupil’s name anywhere on entries, either in the file name or on the PDF. Entries can be typed or hand-written (as long as they are fully legible). 5. Save all PDF entries to a .ZIP file. 6. Visit the online entry form on the ISEB website . 7. Complete the online entry form, uploading your completed pupil entry submission .CSV file, and your .ZIP file of PDFs. If you have any questions please get in touch with ISEB via our support portal .

• Get in touch with iseb

Thank you to our sponsors

The prizes in our 'Time to Write' creative writing competition were proudly sponsored by a range of tech and literary organisations.

Altec Lansing is an American audio brand, formed in 1941. With roots in studio and live music audio products, today Altec Lansing is a leader in consumer audio products designed to be the life of the party, including Bluetooth speakers, ANC headphones, and party speakers.

Oxford University Press (OUP) , founded over 500 years ago as the publishing arm of the University of Oxford, remains an emblem of scholarly excellence. Specialising in the publication of top-tier academic and educational resources, OUP's diverse catalogue spans disciplines, languages, and cultures.

Scanning Pens , founded in 2003, is a leading provider of assistive reading technology for the neurodivergent community. Their award-winning C-Pen series has revolutionised dyslexia reading aids, elevating accessibility to new heights. With a mission to change lives globally, Scanning Pens remains at the forefront of innovation in assistive technology.

Ingram Micro , a global technology leader, facilitates access to cutting-edge solutions for nearly 90% of the world's population. Meanwhile, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) , a subsidiary of Amazon, revolutionises cloud computing with on-demand platforms and APIs.

TTS Group stands as the leading UK provider of early years, primary, secondary, and special needs supplies and furniture. Offering exceptional early years supplies, TTS Group presents a brilliant and innovative range designed to inspire and engage educators and learners alike.

The 2024 'Time to Write' creative writing competition was all about celebrating the past and looking forward to the future. The theme was...

A time machine is found hidden in a cave. Inside, there is a clock with two options: the first, to travel in time 120 years into the past, and the second, to travel in time 120 years into the future. Who finds it, and what happens next?

We looked for the most creative story in the first round of judging. Find out more about the judging process and criteria.

Visit the resource hub for support articles and information designed to to spark inspiration and support your pupils to produce their stories. Explore our collection of resources.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please read our terms and conditions to find out everything you need to know about how the Time to Write competition will work, and how to enter.

1. The Promoter The Promoter is: ISEB Limited of Endeavour House, Crow Arch Lane, Ringwood, BH24 1HP, UK. 2. The competition The title of the competition is ISEB Time to Write. It is a creative writing competition for school pupils aged 7-16. 3. How to enter 3.1 The competition will run from 00:00 on 15 February 2024 (the "Opening Date") to 23:59 on 26 April 2024 (the "Closing Date") inclusive. 3.2 All competition entries must be received by the Promoter by the Closing Date. All competition entries received after the Closing Date will not be entered into the competition. 3.3 To enter the competition: All entries must be submitted using the online entry form on the ISEB website. All entries must be submitted by a school. Visit write.iseb.co.uk and follow the instructions to find the online entry form. 3.4 Schools entering pupils must first complete the ‘Time to Write Pupil Entry spreadsheet supplied as an .Excel file. This can be downloaded from the website and is located above the online entry form. 3.5 Schools will also need to save all writing submissions as PDF files and format the file name as: Title of submission, school name. The pupil’s name should not be included anywhere on the PDF submission. 3.6 These files will need to be uploaded via the online entry form. Entries can be typed as saved as PDF files, or they may be hand-written and saved as PDF files. If entries are submitted in hand-written format, they must be fully legible, and should only contain hand-written words as part of the story. If typed, they should be typed in any font, in 12pt size, and in black. 3.7 No entries may contain additional content such as drawings or diagrams. Entries containing additional content other than the typed or hand-written words of the story will not be accepted. 3.8 Entries must be written in English. Entries must not exceed the word count defined for each category. 3.9 No purchase is necessary. 3.10 The Promoter will not accept responsibility for competition entries that are lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, computer hardware or software failure of any kind. 3.11 By submitting a competition entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions. 3.12 For help with entries, please submit a ticket at support.iseb.co.uk. 4. Eligibility 4.1 The competition is only open to all residents worldwide aged 7-16 years, except: (a) employees of the Promoter or its holding or subsidiary companies; (b) employees of agents or suppliers of the Promoter or its holding or subsidiary companies, who are professionally connected with the competition or its administration; or (c) members of the immediate families or households of (a) and (b) above. 4.2 In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and the Promoter may require you to provide proof that you are eligible to enter the competition. 4.3 The Promoter will not accept competition entries that are: (a) automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications); (b) completed by third parties or in bulk; (c) illegible, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with; (d) photocopies and not originals; or (e) incomplete. 4.4 We are sorry but competition entries cannot be returned. 4.5 The story submitted must be written by an individual and not by a writing pair or team. 4.6 Writers may only submit one story. If more than one story is submitted, only the first story received will be accepted. 4.7 The use of generative AI tools to create any part of an entry is not permitted and will lead to disqualification. 4.8 The story must be a piece of original fiction - stories can reference historical figures and eras but can not depict events that actually took place and can not use details of any living person. Stories must not include any personal details about the writer and/or their families/friends/teachers/schools. 4.9 Stories must be unpublished. 5. The prizes 5.1 The prizes for each winner of a category are: (a) The story submitted will be turned into an illustrated and bound book. (b) A Bluetooth speaker and set of Bluetooth headphones from Altec Lansing, models as defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk (c) An Amazon Fire Tablet, model as defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk (d) A National Book Tokens voucher to the amount defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk (e) An Audible voucher to the amount defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk. 5.2 The prizes for the two runners-up of a category are: (a) A Bluetooth speaker and set of Bluetooth headphones from Altec Lansing, models as defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk (b) An Audible voucher to the amount defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk. 5.3 The prizes for the school each winner attends/was entered by are: (a) A selection of fiction and non-fiction books as defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk (b) A portable pen scanner as defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk (c) A £1000 voucher (including VAT) to spend with the TTS Group as defined by the Promoter on write.iseb.co.uk. 5.4 All prizes are non-negotiable, no compensation is payable for competition entries or winners and there are no cash alternatives for the prizes. 6. Judging 6.1 The competition entries will be shortlisted to a shortlist of ten entries per category by a pool of judges using the RM Compare platform. Shortlisting will be completed using the following holistic statement: Which entry is the most creative? 6.2 The top ten entries in each category will be judged by a panel of four judges. The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) will be final. 6.3 The top ten entries in each category will be judged on the following criteria: Idea: is there an original and creative idea that makes the story stand out? Structure: is there a clear plot that develops thematically? Character: are the characters well-developed and convincing? Language: are words chosen and language devices used confidently and creatively? 7. Winners 7.1 The decision of the Promoter is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into. The Promoter can not offer feedback on entries. 7.2 The Promoter will contact the school each winner and runner-up was entered by personally as soon as practicable after the Announcement Date, using the telephone number or email address provided with the competition entry. The Promoter will not amend any contact information once the competition entry form has been submitted. 7.3 The Promoter must either publish or make available information that indicates that a valid award took place. To comply with this obligation the Promoter will publish the names of the winners and runners-up, the titles of their writing submissions, and the schools of the winning writers on the ISEB website in June 2024. 7.4 If a school or pupil objects to any or all of their name, country and winning entry being published or made available, please contact the Promoter at the address set out at condition three. In such circumstances, the Promoter must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request. 8. Claiming the prize 8.1 The Promoter will make all reasonable efforts to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be contacted or is not available, or has not responded within 7 of days of the Announcement Date, the Promoter reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant selected from the correct entries that were received before the Closing Date. 8.2 The Promoter does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the prize. 9. Limitation of liability Insofar as is permitted by law, the Promoter, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of the Promoter, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected. 10. Ownership of competition entries and intellectual property rights 10.1 All competition entries and any accompanying material submitted to the Promoter will become the property of the Promoter on receipt and will not be returned. 10.2 By submitting a competition entry and any accompanying material, pupils are: (a) assigning to the Promoter all ownership rights with full title guarantee; and (b) waiving all moral rights, in and to your competition entry and otherwise arising in connection with your entry to which you may now or at any time in the future be entitled under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended from time to time and under all similar legislation from time to time in force anywhere in the world. 10.3 Without limitation on condition 10.2, the Promoter intends, but is in no way obliged to: (a) publish the competition entry in local, regional, or national press outlets, both print and digital; (b) display the competition entry on the ISEB website or social media platforms; and/or (c) use the competition entry in any promotional materials related to the competition, including posters, flyers, and online advertisements. 10.4 You agree that the Promoter may, but is not required to, make your entry available on its website iseb.co.uk and any other media, whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the competition. 11. Data protection and publicity 11.1 The Promoter will only process your personal information as set out in the Promoter's Privacy Policy, which is available on the iseb.co.uk website. 11.2 The Promoter will collect the following personal data from the school representative submitting entries. (a) Your first name and surname (b) Your school’s name and location (c) Your email address and phone number (d) Your job title This information will be used by the Promoter to administer the competition, obtain the relevant permissions if required, communicate with the school on matters relating to the competition, and, if an entry submitted by your school is shortlisted or wins a prize, this information may be used as part of promotion on the Promoter’s website and other marketing channels. 11.3 The Promoter will collect the following personal data on pupils aged 7-16 being entered into the competition from the school submitting the entries: (a) Entrant’s first name and surname (b) Entrant’s age and date of birth (c) Entrant’s school name (d) Entrant’s school type (e) Entrant’s school year (f) Entrant’s gender (g) Entrant’s submission title This information will be used by the Promoter to administer the competition, and if an entry is shortlisted or wins a prize, some of this information may be used as part of promotion on the Promoter’s website and other marketing channels. The safety of all pupils is paramount to the Promoter and we will not publish more personal information than necessary. 11.4 Schools are to request permission from your parent/guardian in order to grant The Promoter the rights to become the 'data controller'. RM Compare will be the 'data processor'. 11.5 The Promoter is the ‘data controller’ of your personal data. This means the Promoter will decide what your personal data is used for, however, the Promoter will only collect and process your data in accordance with the purposes in these terms and conditions. The Promoter will comply with data protection law as the data controller. 12. General 12.1 If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, the Promoter may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the competition. 12.2 The Promoter reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the prize competition where it becomes necessary to do so. 12.3 These terms and conditions are governed by English law. If any entrants to this promotion wish to take court proceedings, then they must do this within the courts in the United Kingdom.

Here you'll find a range of support resources for schools, young writers, and parents and guardians. We'll be adding more resources here over the coming weeks so keep checking back to see what's new!

Why should schools enter?

The benefits of creative writing go beyond essential core English skills. Not only does it support creative thinking and the development of imagination (as you might expect!), but other skills too: looking at things from a fresh perspective, expressing feelings and emotions, thinking about structure and choosing your words carefully; all skills that support development in every subject and in the wider world. A benchmark of pupil performance All schools that enter will receive a data report that shows how their pupils have performed alongside other pupils in the competition, as well as information about the types of themes and trends that have emerged. Hands-on experience with Adaptive Comparative Judgement technology The shortlisting process will be done via the RM Compare platform, using cutting-edge Adaptive Comparative Judgement technology. All schools that enter will be given the opportunity to take part as a judge in the shortlisting process and see for themselves how it works. Be a part of wider research on creative writing in schools The information gathered through the competition will help shape the way creative writing skills are developed and assessed in the future.

The St Swithun’s Witch Project: finding new ways to decolonise and diversify our literature teaching

A blog article by naomi anson, competition judge and head of swithun's school.

An introduction to the article from ISEB CEO, Julia Martin : "This inspiring project by Naomi Anson grabbed me when I first heard about it. Decolonising and diversifying our curricula is crucial and it’s fantastic to see St Swithun's School leading the way. This impact of this project went beyond teaching, it was performative, critical and truly interdisciplinary too. At ISEB, our creative writing competition Time to Write is a starting point for thinking about teaching creatively across boundaries and as one of our judges, Naomi Anson will be an inspiring force for championing new ways of being creative in our schools. " Read the article by Naomi Anson on the HMC website:

• The St Swithun’s Witch Project: finding new ways to decolonise and diversify our literature teaching by Naomi Anson

Interview with the author

with Ali Sparkes, competition judge, and children's author of the popular Shapeshifter series

Hi Ali! Did you always aspire to become an author? What first sparked your interest in writing stories? I was a pretty slow reader to begin with; a bit of a struggler. But around about the age of eight I started reading Famous Five books which kicked off my enthusiasm at last. From there I went on to other authors, like Joan Aiken, Anthony Buckeridge, Norman Hunter, Jean Craighead George and many more. I was very much the kid at school who was in the corner of the playground, opening up a book like a trapdoor and disappearing into another world. It didn't hurt that books were part of family life and our parents read to us. But did I aspire to be an author? Nah. I was obsessed with the theatre. For literally as far back as I can remember I wanted to be a singer and an actress. I was in school shows, quite often the lead, and then bigger shows, including a couple of stints as a lead in musicals at The Mayflower (or The Gaumont) as it was back then. Did a little local telly, too. So I was pretty good at the whole acting and singing thing (if not the dancing!) - but always used to write for fun; comedy scripts with my siblings and friends, daft poems, even full on action adventures (a four part series at secondary school!). I never really thought about a career as a writer, but the hallmarks were there throughout my teens; I even wrote a comedy musical for my cohort at college, which we staged as the final part of our Theatre Studies A level. Writing was just a very natural, fun thing to do. I didn't pay it very much attention; I just did it. How do you come up with ideas for your stories? Is there a special place or activity that helps you find inspiration? Ideas arrive at any time, from any direction; something someone says. an interesting location, a what if..?  thought. Dark Summer was inspired by the caves at Wookey Hole, Thunderstruck was inspired by a gravestone in a cemetery just off Southampton Common, 100 Summers was partly inspired by my sons, who both have ADHD. I've never had much problem coming up with ideas; they seem like jets, circling Heathrow, waiting to land. My biggest problem is finding enough time to write them all. But getting out walking (with Willow, the labradoodle) or running definitely helps me to un-knot any plot problems I'm having, or to cook up a new idea when I've been asked to come up with something. The best ideas usually occur nowhere near the keyboard. What does your process of writing a story from start to finish look like? The idea occurs and then, if it's a goer, tends to hang around in my head, getting a bit more evolved. Characters show up. Their problems and their wants and needs slowly get more apparent. Once I have a nice idea beginning to flesh out I will pitch it to my editor or agent and if they like it, I'll work up a synopsis and a few chapters. If it meets with approval I will write the whole thing. Between pitching the idea and getting it published usually takes about 18 months, although it can be much faster for shorter books, such as the titles I write for educational publishers like Oxford Reading Tree and Collin's Big Cat. There's a fair bit of to-ing and fro-ing between me and my editors to get the story as good as it can be, but I rarely write more than three drafts. Working as a journalist in newspapers and then BBC radio has trained me to write and edit quite tightly as I go. Can you tell us about any specific challenges or setbacks in your writing journey? How did you overcome them? I had sooooo many rejections, across a period of about four years. They were maddening because so often I would get a great response from an editor or an agent, full of compliments, but still not quite wanting to take me on. But I think my theatrical experiences helped because, even as a child performer, you get used to rejection and learn to handle it. Sending a manuscript is an audition, except you're not there in front of them when they decide whether or not you're hired. I learned to read the rejection letter, sigh, and then send the manuscript off to the next one on my list that same day. Rejection can come at any point in your writing career - I'm in no way immune to it. I find having lots of different ideas out there really helps, because if one thing falls through there are still others keeping your spirits up. What's the coolest thing about being a children's author? Do you get to do any fun research for your books? I love coming up with an idea and then getting the chance to share it with readers all over the world. I also love the research; the coolest was probably getting to mooch about behind the scenes at the caves in Wookey Hole, where the tourists don't usually get to go - and interviewing a cave diver to find out all about cave rescues. It was also really fun to hang out for a while with Mark King, lead singer and legendary bassist in hit 1980s band Level 42, as part of my research for Destination Earth. If you could give one piece of advice to kids who dream of becoming authors, what would that advice be? Read. Read. And read some more. And then write. Write. And write some more. It's not complicated. If you want to be a writer you have to study the form (reading!) and then practise (writing!) until you get better at it. Entering competitions is also useful because, whether or not you win them, you're training yourself to finish work, polish it, send it, and then deal with the feedback; something every writer has to do throughout their career. You do have to be brave about sharing your work with others and that's not easy for everyone - but it's part and parcel of the whole writer thing.  Write with friends. Have a blast! Play with words. Don't be afraid to put your stories out there.

Understanding the Time to Write competition terms and conditions

A breakdown for parents and guardians.

As the parent or guardian of a young person submitting an entry to the Time to Write competition, you will need to agree to some terms and conditions via your child's school. We recommend that you read these in full, but here is a breakdown of the main things you need to know and agree to. Your child’s school will collect your permission and share this with ISEB , so please liaise with your child’s school about this. If you need any help from ISEB, you can submit an enquiry through our customer support portal . Assigning ownership to ISEB When your child writes a story, they are the owner of their piece of work. When they enter the competition, they will need to assign these ownership rights to ISEB . ISEB will then upload the piece of work into the RM Compare platform so that it can be processed as part of the shortlisting process, which will use RM’s cutting-edge Adaptive Comparative Judgement technology to find the top ten entries in each category. By shortlisting in this way, a large group of judges can take part, ensuring a totally fair, transparent, and reliable process. This is what your child’s school will ask you to agree to. What else will ISEB do with these ownership rights? If your child is a winner or runner up in the Time to Write competition, ISEB may publish your child’s entry on our website and social media platforms and any other ISEB-owned platforms. We may also publish your child’s story in third-party press outlets. We will always let parents and guardians know where these stories have been published. We may also use your child’s story in promotional materials for either the Time to Write competition or future ISEB products. By agreeing to the terms and conditions via your child’s school you are giving your permission for us to do these things. If your child wins their category, their story will be turned into an illustrated and bound book. We’ll provide a limited number of printed copies to you and your child’s school. To be able to turn your child’s story into a book, we also need ownership transferred to us. What about data relating to your child? ISEB will need to collect a set of personal data about your child to administer the competition. This includes your child’s name, date of birth, school name, school type, school year, their gender, and the title of their entry. If your child is a winner or runner up, ISEB may use some of this personal data in promoting the results of the competition. We will put pupil safety first and we will not publish more personal information than necessary. By agreeing to the terms and conditions, you are allowing ISEB to become the ‘data controller’ of your child’s personal information and piece of work submitted. What about RM Compare? Once you have assigned ownership of your child’s piece of work to ISEB, ISEB will grant RM Compare the rights to become the data processor. This gives RM Compare the levels of permission required to run the shortlisting process. As the ‘data controller’ ISEB will decide what your child’s data is used for and will comply with data protection law (in England).

• Read the full terms and conditions

Getting started with writing a story - 10 things to think about

Are you ready to embark on an exciting adventure of imagination and creativity? Writing a story is like painting a picture with words, and the best part is that you get to be the artist of your own tale. Here are some things to think about as you get started on your storytelling journey: 1. Imagine your world: Close your eyes and let your imagination soar! What kind of world do you want your story to be in? Is it a land of talking animals, a futuristic city, or a mysterious enchanted forest? Picture it vividly in your mind – the colours, sounds, and even the smells. This is the beginning of your magical creation. 2. Meet your characters: Who will be the heroes of your story? Create characters with personalities as unique as yours. Think about their strengths, weaknesses, and what makes them special. Are they brave adventurers, mischievous fairies, or curious explorers? Your characters are the heart of your story, so make them unforgettable! 3. What's the big idea? Every great story has a big idea, or what we call a plot. It's like the roadmap that guides your characters through exciting adventures and challenges. What amazing quest will your characters go on? Maybe they're searching for hidden treasure, solving a mystery, or saving their magical world. Your big idea is the magic that keeps readers turning the pages. 4. Start with a bang: Begin your story with a burst of excitement! It could be a funny joke, a mysterious riddle, or your characters finding a magical object (like a time machine!). The beginning is your chance to grab your reader's attention and invite them into your enchanting world. 5. Use your senses: Make your story come alive by using your senses. Describe what your characters see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. If they're in a candy kingdom, how does the air smell? What do the rainbow-colored candies taste like? Engaging the senses helps your readers feel like they're right there in your magical world. 6. Add dialogue magic: Let your characters talk and share their feelings. Dialogue is like the magic spell that brings your characters to life. Use quotation marks around what they say and show how they react to different situations. Maybe they laugh, cry, or even do a happy dance! 7. Build suspense: Keep your readers on the edge of their seats by adding suspense. Will your characters solve the mystery? What's behind the hidden door in the enchanted forest? Building suspense makes your story even more thrilling and exciting. 8. End with a bang, too: Just like the beginning, your story's ending should be spectacular! It could be a surprising twist, a heart-warming reunion, or a celebration. Make your readers feel satisfied and happy after going on this magical journey with your characters. 9. Share your magic: Once your story is complete, share it with others! Whether it's your friends, family, or even your pet, sharing your magical tale is a wonderful way to spread joy. You're the author, and your words have the power to enchant everyone who reads them. 10. Have fun! Most importantly, have fun with your storytelling adventure. Writing a story is your chance to let your imagination run wild and create something truly magical. So grab your pen, pencil, or computer, let the words flow, and enjoy every moment of your enchanting journey into the world of storytelling.

FEELING STUCK? HOW TO OVERCOME WRITER’S BLOCK

BY EMMA DRAGE, COMPETITION JUDGE, AND SENIOR COMMISSIONING EDITOR AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

It can be daunting to be faced with a blank piece of paper, and even the best writers can feel stuck at times. Here are some top tips to help you get writing! Free writing Give yourself the challenge of writing for ten minutes without stopping. This is sometimes called free writing. Set a timer and write whatever comes into your head. Try to keep your hand moving the whole time and don’t cross anything out. You don’t need to share this work with anyone – it’s not going to be your final piece of writing, but you might find that some interesting ideas emerge that you can use as a starting point for your story. Free writing can help to increase the flow of ideas. It can also help to stop you overthinking and ruling out ideas before you’ve given them a chance! Create some writing prompts Write a list of five characters on separate slips of paper or pieces of card and put them face down on a table. Then create a list of five different locations on slips of paper or card and lay them out upside down on the table too. Pick out one character and one location at random. Use whatever combination you pick out as a starting point for a story. It’s a great way to come up with unusual combinations, for examples robots in a castle or dinosaurs in a cinema. Take inspiration from your favourite stories Make a list of some of your favourite stories. Think about what it is that you enjoy most about them. For example, if you love reading books about aliens, perhaps you could try writing your own alien story. If you’re writing something you’d love to read yourself, you are going to feel more motivated to start – and finish – it. Imagine untold stories An interesting starting point can be to retell an existing story from a different character’s point of view – or even from the perspective of an inanimate object. Myths, legends, and fairytales can be great sources of inspiration. For example, what if you retold Cinderella from the point of view of the stepmother, or Jack and the Beanstalk from the point of view of the bean? It’s very important never to simply copy existing texts, but lots of great writers have enjoyed great success reimagining or reinterpreting well-known tales from different perspectives. Carry a notebook with you If you’re still struggling to get started or are feeling like you’ve reached a dead end with your story, a change of scene can help. Try going for a walk or doing another activity, keeping a notebook with you. Jot down any ideas that come to you. You could try carrying a notebook with you throughout the day – you might be surprised when inspiration strikes! Some writers also like to keep a notebook by their bed to jot down their dreams when they wake up in the morning to use as inspiration. Remember, starting is often the hardest part and everyone struggles with it from time to time! Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, pick a topic you enjoy, and have fun!

10 ways to cultivate a love of storytelling in your child

Encouraging children to explore the enchanting world of storytelling can be a delightful journey for both parents and children. Cultivating a love for writing not only enhances language skills but also nurtures creativity and self-expression. Here are some magical ways for parents and guardians to spark their children's interest in writing stories: 1. Create a writing wonderland: Designate a cozy writing corner at home. Make it a special place where your child can escape into the world of imagination. The allure of a dedicated writing space can turn the act of writing into a magical adventure. 2. Be a storytelling role model: Share your own stories or even create tales together. When children see their parents engaging in storytelling, it ignites their curiosity and provides a model for expressing thoughts through words. It can be a collaborative experience, with each family member contributing to the unfolding narrative. 3. Start with short and sweet: Begin with short writing activities that are both manageable and fun. Encourage your child to write a brief description of their day, compose a silly poem, or invent a dialogue between fictional characters. Short and sweet exercises help build confidence and lay the foundation for more elaborate storytelling adventures. 4. Turn everyday events into stories: Transform routine activities into story prompts. You could ask your child to narrate their trip to the supermarket, turning it into a whimsical adventure with talking fruits and mischievous shopping carts. This helps them see storytelling opportunities in everyday life, making writing a natural and enjoyable activity. 5. Embrace diverse writing tools: Explore various writing tools to make the process more engaging. From traditional pencils and papers to colourful markers, or even a kid-friendly writing app on a tablet, the choice of tools can add an extra layer of excitement to the writing experience. 6. Inspire with book adventures: Take regular trips to the library or bookshop and let your child explore different genres and styles of books. Share captivating stories that align with their interests, whether it's adventures, mysteries, or tales of magical lands. A love for reading often blossoms into a desire to create stories of their own. 7. Celebrate storytelling traditions: Share family stories and traditions with your child. Whether it's tales from your own childhood, stories passed down through generations, or even cultural folklore, storytelling traditions connect children to their roots and inspire them to create their own narratives. 8. Organise writing challenges: Turn writing into a playful challenge. Set weekly themes or prompts and encourage your child to create short stories around them. It could be anything from 'space adventures' to 'talking animal tales.' This adds an element of excitement and creativity to their writing routine. 9. Create a story journal: Provide your child with a special journal where they can jot down story ideas, doodle characters, or even draft short paragraphs. A story journal serves as a personal space for their thoughts to flourish and can become a treasure trove of inspiration for future writing endeavours. 10. Foster a positive writing environment: Cultivate a positive attitude towards writing. Offer praise for their efforts, celebrate their unique ideas, and create an environment where mistakes are seen as stepping stones to improvement. A nurturing atmosphere boosts confidence and makes writing a joyful exploration. Remember, the key to getting children interested in writing stories is to make it a delightful and imaginative experience. By weaving storytelling into the fabric of everyday life, parents can nurture the budding authors within their children, fostering a lifelong love for the magic of words and storytelling. Check out our Time to Write competition - if your child would like to write a creative time travel story, talk to your school about entering.

Five time travel writers for children

Time travel is a captivating theme in children's literature, transporting young readers to different eras and adventures. There are several notable authors who have created time-traveling narratives that have engaged and inspired the imaginations of countless children. Here are five time travel writers for children that you can discuss in the classroom: 1. Mary Pope Osborne: Renowned for her 'Magic Tree House' series, Mary Pope Osborne has taken young readers on thrilling time-traveling adventures since 1992. The series follows siblings Jack and Annie as they discover a magical treehouse that allows them to travel through time and space. Each book introduces historical events and figures, making learning an integral part of the enchanting tales. Osborne's storytelling has made history accessible and exciting for generations of young readers. 2. Madeleine L'Engle: Madeleine L'Engle's classic 'A Wrinkle in Time' is a timeless work that blends science fiction and fantasy. While not strictly about time travel in the conventional sense, the novel explores the concept of 'tessering,' a form of space-time travel that takes the protagonist, Meg Murry, and her friends to otherworldly realms. L'Engle's imaginative narrative, rich characters, and exploration of cosmic concepts have made 'A Wrinkle in Time' a beloved and influential work in children's literature. 3. Eoin Colfer: Eoin Colfer, known for his Artemis Fowl series, also delved into time travel with 'W.A.R.P.' (Witness Anonymous Relocation Program). The series combines science fiction, historical elements, and fast-paced adventure as young FBI agent Chevie Savano time-travels to Victorian London. Colfer's witty writing and engaging characters make the W.A.R.P. series an entertaining and thought-provoking experience for young readers interested in time travel. 4. Judy Blume: While Judy Blume is widely recognized for her contemporary and realistic fiction, she ventured into time travel with the book 'Here's to You, Rachel Robinson.' In this novel, the protagonist, Rachel, has an encounter with a mysterious old woman that propels her back in time to experience life in the 1960s. Blume's exploration of time travel adds an intriguing layer to her body of work, allowing readers to consider the impact of different eras on the lives of young people. 5. H.G. Wells (Retold by Stephanie Baudet): H.G. Wells' classic science fiction novel 'The Time Machine' has been retold for children by Stephanie Baudet in a series titled 'Classic Science Fiction for Kids.' Baudet maintains the essence of Wells' original narrative while adapting it for younger readers. 'The Time Machine' introduces children to the concept of time travel through the adventures of the Time Traveller in a captivating and accessible format. Baudet's retelling allows young readers to explore Wells' timeless masterpiece. These five authors have made significant contributions to children's literature by incorporating time travel into their narratives. From magical treehouses to mysterious wrinkle-filled dimensions, their stories not only entertain but also stimulate curiosity and imagination. Time travel continues to be a compelling theme that opens doors to exploration, discovery, and understanding for young readers across generations. Why not explore some of these authors with your pupils, and see if their stories spark creative ideas for the Time to Write competition!

Four children’s books still popular 120 years later

In 1904, the world of children's literature was undergoing a transformation, marked by the publication of several notable books that have since become classics. The turn of the 20th century saw a shift in the way stories were written for young readers, with authors increasingly focusing on themes of imagination, morality, and adventure. One of the prominent releases of this era was ‘The Tale of Benjamin Bunny’ by Beatrix Potter . Published in 1904, Beatrix Potter's charming tale continued the adventures of Peter Rabbit and introduced readers to Benjamin Bunny, Peter's cousin. Potter's stories were revolutionary in their use of anthropomorphic animals and vivid illustrations, captivating the imaginations of young readers and laying the foundation for future generations of children's literature. Another significant work from 1904 is L. Frank Baum's ‘The Marvelous Land of Oz.’ Building upon the success of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ Baum's sequel continued to transport readers to the magical realm of Oz, introducing new characters such as Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead. Baum's imaginative storytelling and fantastical world-building contributed to the enduring popularity of the Oz series. In the realm of fairy tales, ‘The Tale of Tales’ by Giambattista Basile , originally published in Italy in 1634–36, was translated into English in 1904 by John Edward Taylor . This collection of fairy tales, often referred to as the first comprehensive compilation of European folk tales, provided a rich source of inspiration for later authors and storytellers. While not a traditional children's book, Kenneth Grahame's ‘The Wind in the Willows’ was first published in 1908 but began serialisation in 1904. The charming adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger in the idyllic English countryside have since become a staple of children's literature. Grahame's work captured the essence of friendship, adventure, and the natural world, resonating with readers of all ages. As the early 1900s unfolded, children's literature continued to evolve, reflecting the cultural shifts and values of the time. These foundational works from 1904 paved the way for the diverse and expansive landscape of children's books we enjoy today. Why not explore these stories in the classroom as your pupils work on their creative writing entries for the Time to Write competition.

How can Scanning pens reader 2 support creative writing?

Five tips on using your Reader 2 from Time to Write competition sponsor, Scanning Pens Ltd. Start with inspirational reading Use your C-Pen to explore a piece of writing from an author that you admire. By using append mode, you can scan as much text as you wish. You can toggle the blue highlighter around the screen and follow as you play back the scanned words. Hold the centre button down to enlarge new words and listen again. You can play back the word, a sentence or the whole paragraph as many times as you wish. Immerse yourself in the inspirational writing that you chose. Analyse the punctuation Now, let's look at the construction of the sentences that you have scanned. You can explore how punctuation creates clarity or impact. The pen has a punctuation pause to help you to see it and understand its purpose. Decoding new vocabulary Did you find new words that you like the sound of? Use the dictionary function to find a quick definition of a new word. Finding word definitions quickly will give you more thinking time. Why not try using these words in your own creative writing! Listening for devices Through your headphones, tune in to patterns in your inspirational reading piece, listen and look for devices like alliteration, rhythm and rhyme. Did you find a repeating element or motif? Could you use these or other devices that you have found in your writing? Find your word bank All the words that you enlarged and looked up can be found in a word bank called practice mode. You can also find the words you looked up in the dictionary history. You have a ready-made word list to use in your creative writing. Now, it's Time to Write! When you are feeling inspired, you are ready to start writing.

Time to Write is kindly sponsored by

A glossary of creative writing terms for your class

Plot: The sequence of events that make up a story, including the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Characterisation: The process of creating and developing characters in a story, including their traits, motivations, and behaviours. Setting: The time and place in which a story takes place, including the physical environment and historical context. Theme: The central idea or message of a story, often exploring universal truths or human experiences. Point of View (POV): The perspective from which a story is told, such as first-person, second-person, or third-person. Dialogue: The conversation between characters in a story, used to reveal their personalities, advance the plot, and provide exposition. Conflict: A problem or challenge that drives the plot forward, often involving a struggle between opposing forces. Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about future events in a story, used to create suspense or build anticipation. Symbolism: The use of symbols or objects to represent deeper meanings or themes within a story. Imagery: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses, helping to create a mental picture for the reader. Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things, often highlighting similarities in a creative or imaginative way. Simile: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as,' often for descriptive or expressive purposes. Irony: A literary device in which there is a discrepancy between what is expected to happen and what actually occurs, often for humorous or dramatic effect. Tone: The author's attitude or emotional perspective toward the subject matter or audience of a story, conveyed through language and style. Style: The distinctive manner in which a writer uses language, including word choice, sentence structure, and tone, to convey meaning and create an artistic effect. Flashback: A narrative technique that interrupts the chronological sequence of events to depict an earlier scene or event. Fiction: Literary works that are imagined or invented, as opposed to factual or non-fictional writing. Non-Fiction: Literary works that are based on facts, real events, and real people, as opposed to imagined or invented stories. Protagonist: The main character or central figure in a story, often the one who drives the plot forward and undergoes significant development. Antagonist: The character or force that opposes the protagonist, creating conflict and obstacles for them to overcome. We hope these terms are useful as your class dreams up their creative stories for the Time to Write competition.

HOW TO THINK CREATIVELY

By Dr Ellen Spencer, competition judge, and Senior Researcher at the Centre for Real World Learning at the University of Winchester

Taking part in a creative writing competition is an exciting adventure that invites you to stretch your imagination, challenge yourself, and grow your creative thinking habits . Creativity isn't about waiting for inspiration or making things out of thin air. Anyone can be creative , because it involves using thinking habits that are useful whenever you need to think creatively. A story built on the creative habits of being inquisitive , imaginative , persistent , disciplined , and collaborative is like a castle constructed brick by brick with your ideas and effort. While good writing can seem like a magic art, creativity is a process you can use in many situations in life, and it happens like this: first you explore, then you come up with your own ideas, then you produce your work (in this case, a story), then evaluate your efforts and make changes if you need to. Everyone can learn creativity – it’s a skill like any other. Let's look at how can you practise and use your creative habits as you write your story: - Being inquisitive involves wondering and questioning. Imagine your story is a mystery box, and your curiosity is the key. Ask yourself, 'What if?' as you explore different worlds and ideas to find that one spark that lights up your story. Don’t rely on what’s already in your head though. If I wanted to write about wolves, or the ice age, I would look at how other people have written about them. I’d spend time reading all about them. The details you bring to light through being inquisitive will give your story authenticity and authority. - Creative thinking involves being imaginative . But how do you do this? Play with possibilities, let your imagination run wild! Think of the most extraordinary places, characters, and events. What might your story look like if it were science fiction? How would it be different if it involved magic? These imaginative leaps make your story truly unique. - Now to turn these imaginative thoughts into a coherent story. Thinking about what happens next, and how your ideas fit together, isn't always easy. Remember, every author faces these challenges. Being persistent involves sticking with difficulty. If you get stuck, take a deep breath, and try again. Maybe you need to re-think a character, or even change something drastic. Don’t give up though, because your persistence will help your story grow from the seed of an idea, into a towering tree you’re proud of. - How can you polish the story and make it shine? Thinking creatively involves being disciplined . For a writer this means choosing your words carefully, reading through to check all your characters are convincing, and that your story doesn’t have an overly detailed beginning, rushed middle and loose ends! Taking the time to review and improve it will make your story the best it can be. - Lastly, nobody is creative all by themselves. Being a creative thinker involves being collaborative . Share your story ideas with friends, family, or even your pet! Talking about your story can spark new ideas and help you see your story from different perspectives, making it better and more engaging.

Creative Habits of Mind (image: CCE. Framework developed at the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester)

Use these five habits to guide you, but run with your ideas. Every writer's 'voice' is unique , just like every zebra's stripe pattern is one-of-a-kind. To be human is to be creative, and your creativity has no limits, so go ahead and write the story that only you can tell!

Winners announcement

Announcing the winners, runners-up and highly commended entries for the 2024 time to write competition.

ISEB’s Time to Write creative writing competition for schools has crowned its first winners across four categories. Launched in the spring, the competition received thousands of entries from pupils all over the world. Pupils aged 7-16 submitted stories based on a time-travelling theme in celebration of the exam board’s 120th anniversary. The winning writers of the four categories came from Cumnor House Girl’s School in Croydon, Solefield School in Sevenoaks, Trinity School in Newbury, and The Cathedral School in Llandaff. The winning entry in the Years 10 & 11 category was ‘The Tale of the Time-Travelling Schoolboy’ , written by a pupil from Trinity School. The judges praised this story for its “gripping start and great use of descriptive language throughout” and thought it was a “very funny and compelling piece” . First place in the Years 7, 8 & 9 category went to ‘1904: The Sole Survivor’ , written by a pupil from The Cathedral School Llandaff. The judging panel was impressed with the “wonderful character development, authentic perspective and great historical setting” . In the Years 5 & 6 category , ‘Seed of Life’ , written by a pupil from Solefield School, was awarded first place. The judges praised this story for its “sophisticated introduction and beautifully built mystery” . And ‘Never Forget the Elephants’ written by a pupil from Cumnor House Girl’s School was the winning entry in the Years 3 & 4 category . The judges thought the writer explored the theme of conservation with “empathy and compassion” and were impressed with the original idea and “neatly shaped narrative which produced a well-structured story with a surprise ending” . Runners up and highly commended stories in each category came from schools in England, Belgium, China, Nigeria, and Thailand and can be explored in full below. The judging panel , made up of representatives from Eton College , St Catherine’s Bramley , St Swithun’s , the University of Winchester and Oxford University Press , as well as a children’s book author , reviewed the top ten entries in each category together in Winchester. The thousands of entries were shortlisted by more than 150 people, including teachers from schools that entered pupils, using adaptive comparative judgement technology on the RM Compare platform . The platform presented pairs of stories to judges and asked them to decide which entry was the most creative. Each entry was shown multiple times to different judges alongside different stories, and over time, the platform’s algorithm created a reliable, fair, and accurate ranking of entries produced by the collective wisdom of the judging pool. The four winners will see themselves in print, as their stories will be turned into illustrated books . The winning authors and their schools in each category have also won a selection of prizes generously donated by the Time to Write competition sponsors . Prizes include Bluetooth speakers and headphones from Altec Lansing , an Amazon Fire tablet and book vouchers sponsored by Amazon Web Services/Ingram Micro , a selection of books from Oxford University Press , a portable pen scanner from Scanning Pens and £1000 to spend on school equipment with the TTS Group . The runners-up in each category have also won a set of prizes.

Julia Martin , ISEB Chief Executive , said: “Reading the creative writing of such a talented pool of pupils from around the world was pure enjoyment. The quality of the work was so high that we found ourselves talking about the shortlisted entries in the same way we might analyse the work of graduates and professionals. For all of us on the panel, it was a privilege to read your work and be inspired by your talent.”

Full list of winners, runners up and highly commended

Years 10 & 11 Category

Years 7, 8 & 9 Category

Years 5 & 6 Category

Years 3 & 4 Category

Congratulations to all the winners, runners up and highly commended entries and to the thousands of pupil's from over 13 countries who submitted stories!

Commended stories

The tale of the time-travelling schoolboy, trinity school, newbury.

Winner of the Years 10 & 11 category

Daniel was upside down. Or rather, he nearly was. He’d found that it was quite tricky to get himself completely upside down, so had settled for a strange headstand against the wall in his bedroom. The loud thuds had brought his mother upstairs, but his stern face had just as quickly banished her. She just managed to get out a weak “But… Why?”, before she decided against this line of enquiry and instead laid down in a darkened room. The fact was, Daniel was bored. Mind-numbingly, teeth-achingly so. It was only the second week of the summer holidays, and all his friends were in places like Barcelona, Belize, Benidorm, and other sunny destinations beginning with the letter ‘b’. He’d hadhad to turn to homework for entertainment. After seventeen minutes of reading about what inspired Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, (“From my window I could see two beautiful rabbits playing and running on the lawn, they showed me how to live, you see,” et cetera, et cetera…), Daniel turned firmly away from homework, feeling slightly nauseous and more than a little fed up. “I’m going out!”, he yelled, swinging his coat around his head, and sliding down the banister. His mother whimpered in response. Taking this as a sign of assent, he left through the front door, came back in for his shoes, and set off across the fields behind their house. Daniel enjoyed being in the fresh air. It made a pleasant change from being cooped up indoors with a sister who slept until dinner and no Wi-Fi (Daniel swore it wasn’t him who broke the router). He took the forest path, the sun’s rays percolating gently through the living ceiling above him. A hill rose steeply in front of him. Daniel felt this hill must have been around since the beginning of time, it’s solid mass a reassuring presence. And, considering this sentiment, he began his assent. It took Daniel a minute to realise that he was falling. He hardly noticed the ground giving gently beneath him. Before he knew it, he was tumbling into darkness, a tantalising window of light shooting away from his outstretched fingertips. A minute, a full minute later, he introduced himself to the floor. They didn’t get on. The first thing he noticed was that it wasn’t dark down there. Light seemed to be spreading outwards from the corner, not enough to truly illuminate the surroundings, but just enough to inform Daniel that something was there. Wincing, he struggled to his feet and hobbled to investigate. A strange object stared back at him. It was covered in dust but appeared to resemble a horizontal hourglass. Daniel concluded that it was clearly magical, which was perfectly logical considering the circumstances. He picked it up and blew off some of the dust. Immediately, it began to beep and vibrate violently. He saw on the part he had cleared that it said, ‘Blow here to begin transmission process’. Panicking, he went to let go of it, but saw a glow around his right thumb. The words above it read, ‘Place thumb here to encode DNA’. Thrusting the thing away from him in dismay, he accidentally twisted the two ends in opposite directions. He was not one bit surprised to see the words, ‘Twist ends to initiate internal drive’. He finally threw it on the floor, clocking as he did a final message: ‘Place on floor to finalise recall’. Beside it, a digital clock displayed the number ‘-120’. Puzzling over this rather unusual chain of events, Daniel hardly noticed as the machine split in half and shot a beam of bright, bright light at him… Bushes are not comfortable. It’s why tents were invented. As Daniel removed a leaf from his mouth, he attempted to survey his surroundings. Deciding that this was best done from outside the bush, he carefully extricated himself and looked around. He appeared to be in someone’s garden, a low wall holding it back from acres of wild countryside. The strange machine was still in the bush, humming gently. It now displayed a 30-minute timer, slowly ticking away. At the far end of the sloping lawn, a squat house sat. It had two large windows facing the garden. Through one of them, a small room with a desk looked out over the grounds. At the desk sat a woman. Daniel joltingly realised that he recognised her. It was Beatrix Potter. And she was looking right at him. He wasn’t quite sure what to do; on the one hand, he had travelled back in time. On the other, he had travelled back in time. And he was trampling Beatrix Potter’s begonias. He perfectly reasonably dived back into the bush, feeling the corner of his t-shirt tear in the process. He poked the top of his head out of and looked towards the house. Beatrix Potter was blinking in disbelief. Apparently deciding (rather like Daniel’s mother) that the best course of action was to do nothing, she turned back to her notebook, and tried to ignore the tuft of hair peeping out of her rhododendron. Daniel exulted in his victory and congratulated himself on his quick thinking. Then he saw them. In the corner of the bush, cowering in abject terror, sat two rabbits. Beatrix Potter glanced up from her notebook. She was still confused as to why there was a small child in her bush and had actually been writing a speech with which to address him (“improper conduct”, “criminal damage”, “frankly weird”). But something else drew her eye. Two rabbits were bolting across her lawn, looking as though they had just seen Mr McGregor. Although clearly in terror, there was something magical about their movements. The idea for a new story began to form, taking shape and spreading its wings. She barely even noticed the muffled cry of, “FROLICK!!” coming from a rustling hedge. * * * Beatrix Potter picked up a fragment of fabric. Turning it over, she saw a named sticker adhering to the underside. Daniel, she thought. * * * Daniel was home, and, not unusually, confused. The time machine had very obligingly dropped him off above ground, and not in the damp and nearly bottomless hole where he’d found it. He’d been able to locate an ancient-looking keypad and had input a very strongly worded request. He looked at the title of the book he’d been reading for homework: Notes on The Tale of Daniel the Rabbit. Although he mourned the loss of the pleasing alliteration, he thought the new was name very, very good. THE END

• Click to read more of the commended stories

A Fiery Flicker of Hope

Wolsey hall, oxford.

Runner up in the Years 10 & 11 category

Niamph was a rational girl, clumsy at the worst of times, and a genius at the best. She wasn’t known to take risks. At least, not yet, she wasn’t The dingy cave provided little light, making the presence of a strange glowing entity within concerning and rather intriguing to Niamph, considering she’d visited this cave numerous times during her escapades to the ruins just outside. Niamph was a scholar, you see, obsessed with the fairy-tale creatures those before her had written of. And, naturally, this obsession led her to use those tales for her recent essay. Many of the tales had been destroyed with the country’s aging, but she still held them near and dear to her heart, ultimately leading her here. Her country’s Great Library had been burnt down an estimated one hundred and nineteen years prior by a presumed arsonist; burning the dreamy, legendary Book of Legends with it.This cave was just above the ruins. This…thing, that claimed itself as a time machine, also claimed it could take her one hundred and twenty years into the past, according to the grimy instruction manual she’d found on the floor. It also claimed it could bring her back again, simply by returning to the time machine and going forwards. It could easily just be someone’s strange idea of a prank, but there was nobody else inside the cave, and no apparent cameras. Only the drip, drop of the roof’s leaky spots. The ‘time machine’ looked to be a blue colour at the base, with a chipped paint job, and silver steel square parts surrounding, giving it a futuristic feel that certainly checked out in her head. The buttons, however, were reminiscent of a lift’s. Inside, the plate below emitted a faint glow in a precise circle, while the rest was still a solid silver steel. Quite intimidating, actually, Niamph thought. Although, the entire situation was intimidating. And ridiculous. A time machine, here? In the middle of some random cave? When she’d followed the light, she’d expected some cave explorer, or something normal. Something familiar. It goes without saying that a time machine was not something familiar. But it could provide her answers. Answers she has hungered, starved for since she was a small child. It was around nighttime, according to her antique watch, assuming this did work, and transported her to the same time of day and same cave, she could get into the library. It’s not like they had much security back then. But still, what if the book was being borrowed? How ridiculous of a thing to be thinking while simultaneously thinking of time travel. Nonetheless, it was a possibility; one that Niamph steeled herself for. If all went as planned, she would have the book. If not? Well…she’d rather not think about that. A prickle of doubt trickled down her spine. Maybe hunger for knowledge really did make you crazy, huh. She stepped in, and before she could think to stop herself, clicked the button. A strange warm sensation prickled around her body. It felt tingly, but pleasant. At first. Then the warmth became slightly oppressive, so she squeezed her eyes and fingers shut, her knuckles beginning to turn white. Luckily, it didn’t last for too much longer, and cold, crisp air gushed pleasantly through the doors as they opened. She clutched the strap of her messenger bag tighter as she warily tip-toed into the damp cave once again. Not much had changed, really, so she continued to the exit. That was when she saw the difference. That was when her breath hitched in her lungs, and she instinctively clutched her bag’s strap even tighter. The scene before her was beautiful. The ruins really don’t do it enough justice, she realised, as she began her light tread down the slope. She took time to appreciate the beautiful architecture of the perfectly carved, detailed, antique walls, and the old-fashioned tables laid outside underneath ornately decorated floral parasols. She crossed through the courtyard of outdoor tables, sneakily gliding her fingers lightly over the rough tabletops. She noted that one table was just beneath an open window. She knew it would be easy, if she couldn’t simply walk through the front door anyways, but geez. The door was unlike anything she’d seen before, even upon the fanciest churches; beautiful, insanely, enchantingly so. It beckoned her to open it, to try. Diligently, she tried both push and pull. To no avail, sadly, and so she sighed and resigned herself to the window. She was careful not to make too much noise as she crashed-landed her way into the library and inconveniently onto a table of piled books, internally apologising to the librarian. After regaining her bearings, and footing, she noted the moonlight poured into a corner through a large window with a wide windowsill. And there lay a half-melted candle! She stumbled on her way there, the place too dark to see properly, until she finally sat heavily next to the candle. She sighed and threw her head back, smoothing her hair that, somehow, seemed to mirror her stress, then began to root through her messenger bag quickly in the moonlight. She carried a lighter around courtesy of some friends. After a little more hurried rummaging, and nervous glances through the windows behind her, she found her trusty red lighter. She grabbed the candle and lit, watching the flame flicker before finding it’s place comfortably onto the wick. She decided to hurry; her first mistake. Believing that a candle would illuminate her path; her second. Before she knew it, her entire body was face-down strewn across the ground, and the candle, the candle, the fire, caught itself on a wooden shelf. Niamph didn’t know how fast fire spread until now, as it engulfed the entire shelf greedily, already reaching out on either side for the next. She shrieked as it crawled towards her, fast, expectantly, hungrily, like a demon ready to feast. It wasn’t an arsonist at all.

Gelato Sorcery

There is only the present. Merlin contemplated the neat paper card, flipping it over in his hand under the firelight at his fingertip. It appeared to be note, a message rather than a clue as to what he was supposed to do now that he was here, a hundred feet below the earth, deep inside a nameless cave where a strange box awaited him. A sigh. Merlin tentatively reached his hands towards the box, unclipping the latches and opened it. There was no brilliant effulgence of anticipation when the box was opened, nothing that would have prepared him for the fantastic nature of what laid inside. A pocket watch, meticulously nestled on a velvet cushion. He knew what it meant, but just what was he to do with it first? Books, studies, research – everything he knew about chronomancy was only ever theoretical. He would be a fool to dive head first into his past, a child playing around with sand as if he were god. It was wiser to take things a step at a time. A shift in space, a slight drop upon the same dusty ground. Nothing else had changed. He was still in the cave. Perhaps the rocks had moved a little, but that was all. He chuckled, and with the snap of his finger, vanished from the darkness of the cave, appearing once more in the sunny streets of a piazza. It was a piazza from his time, the location at least. It was still a piazza a hundred and twenty years ago, though nothing like he remembered. The buildings were far shorter, the skies much bluer, and all the people were dressed in simple tunics and britches. Then he felt a friendly tap on his shoulder that turned him around. Smiling at him in greeting, a couple gelato cups in hand, was a middle-aged gentleman with a goatee and neatly combed hair, clothed in a presumptuous starry robe and shawl – much like himself. “Gelato?” he asked perkily, offering Merlin either one of the untouched cups. He liked chocolate, though the fruity flavor of strawberry would be nicer than a milkier taste on a hot sunny day, but just as he was about to thank the gentleman and take the strawberry gelato, a whoosh like a swooping pelican warped into being beside him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder to stop him. His sudden appearance startled him, and Merlin jumped back a step, throwing his hand away. His hand. Standing before him, was himself, exactly the same as he was now, though just a little different. Most bizarre, he thought, his lips crinkling as his brows lifted. “You should pick the chocolate one,” he said to himself. “Why?” Merlin asked, curious as to what was going on. “Because I picked the strawberry one and it didn’t taste as good as I imagined.” Before he could answer, another whoosh, this time, before his very eye, a twirl of black cloth from a spot in thin air, and out came himself. Again. “No!” he shouted, his hands raised in protest. “You must take the strawberry! The chocolate gelato is laced and shall cause you a week of stomach pains!” “You should still choose the chocolate one,” the second Merlin said sternly. “It is a matter of determining our fate. I chose the strawberry because that is what we’re destined for. If you want to challenge fate, you must choose the chocolate gelato.” “Fate doesn’t matter, you fool!” the third Merlin shook with frustration. “He’ll only choose the chocolate gelato because you hereby told him to! The fact that you are here now is arguably as an agent of fate! Who’s to say we weren’t destined to eat the chocolate gelato this whole time? Because I’m from the future of your future and that’s what happened. And because of it, I’ve got stomach pains.” “Wait, I really ate the chocolate gelato because of me?” the second Merlin asked, confused. “I ate the chocolate gelato because of…” the third Merlin trailed off. “Gentleman,” he calmed himself, “by the rate this is going, a fourth of one us is going to show up any time now and tell him to choose a third flavor for all we know, but he hasn’t shown up yet. That must mean he’s the wiser one out of us all.” “Aye, because he’s me,” Merlin said, grinning. “I have to thank the two of me for coming all this way, but sadly, you must return to whatever paradox you sprung from now, because I have made up my mind. I am going to eat the strawberry gelato.” “Why?” both of himself asked. “There is only the present,” Merlin preached. “You may be from the future, and to you, I, from the past, but where we all stand now, is the present, and the two of you being here is proof enough of that.” Merlin turned to the purple-robed gentleman. “That is what this whole affair was about, yes, Master Blaise?” “You tell me, apprentice – or should I say apprentices,” he chuckled. “I’ve been blessed with prophecies, glimpses into my own future too, and because of it, I’ve often wondered whether I could change them somehow, hoping I might one day unlock the cosmic fathoms of chronomancy that would provide me with the means. But that isn’t what chronomancy is for. Chronomancy is the freedom to roam spacetime, and when you have that kind of power, it becomes redundant to fixate on past mistakes or to exploit your freedom for a ‘better’ future, one you will only get to live once you get there. “Though I’ve seen what’s to come in a hundred and twenty years, as well as hundred and twenty years after that, the truth is, I’m not there yet. And for that, I raise a toast: To living in the moment, because in the moment, I would like nothing more than to have some strawberry gelato.”

1904: The Sole Survivor

The cathedral school, llandaff.

Winner of the Years 7, 8 & 9 category

A stone silent canary stood on top of the plinth on the memorial, overlooking our town, which listed the names of 44 men killed in the Greenhill Pit explosion, but my great-grandfather’s name was missing. I looked at the list of places my grandfather had written in his delicate handwriting. I crossed off ‘memorial’. Fat rain drops started to fall from the sky, perfect, I thought, this school project was turning out to be a real bore. We all had to research something from our family history, but in my family, there were no war heroes, explorers or footballers. But my grandfather had sent me on a quest, his list had so far sent me to the library, the chapel, and the memorial. Now I looked at the next place on his list, this time instead of a placename he had sketched a small map. I trudged off, pulling up my hood against the rain. After hours of climbing, I finally arrived at the X that was shown on the map. I was surrounded by verdant valleys; the view was breathtaking. Weirdly, the X on the map matched a strange etching on the wall of the rocky hill above a cave behind rotten planks. I took in the scenery once more before cramming my body in between the planks, switching on the torch on my phone before plunging into the darkness. I realised very quickly that this was an old mine and I regretted not charging my phone. In the dimming light of my phone I could make out rusted pickaxes, charred TNT boxes and cobwebs everywhere. Everything went dark. My phone battery had died. I felt my way around, brushing my hands on the slimy walls taking careful steps. Suddenly, I stumbled, and fell onto the cold ground. As I lifted myself off the ground a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea hit me. There was an oxidised lift in the shadows. I stepped into the dilapidated lift As I descended, a cool draught of air whipped up my spine. I heard strange sounds like boots on rocks, creaking, shifting timber and amplified breathing. I thought I was alone. Suddenly, the lights illuminate the dank mineshaft, and someone was already waiting at the foot of the lift, holding a wheelbarrow filled with coal. “Oi, who are ya?” Wheelbarrow person grunted out. “I’m Rhys” “New ‘ere ain't ya? Follow Old Rhys, NOW” The air was thick and tasted of sweat and cold rock. Something strange was happening. Glancing around I saw the men and boys were all dressed very differently, no-one was wearing jeans and definitely no-one was wearing Nikes! The TNT boxes were filled with hundreds of waxy sticks of dynamite. Old Rhys looked like someone I had met before, but I couldn’t place him. It was weird that he had the same name as me. “What's the canary for?” I asked, spotting a cage with a yellow bird inside. “Us miners ‘ere don’t know when the gases get too strong, so we take a canary down with us. If it dies, we know it's time to get out.”, He replied in a gruff tone. “Your job is to stand here and watch that canary. The minute it looks a bit ill you yell.” He walked off, leaving me and the canary in the flickering lamplight. Several hours passed. Suddenly I realised something had changed: the bird’s chirping had stopped. It was struggling to breathe. I had to warn them. I ran through the tunnels grabbing old Rhys by the sleeve. I couldn’t breathe or shout, but I pulled him to the lift as fast as I could. He seemed quite heavy, in shock, before he realised what was happening. As the lift ascended, I heard a man shout ‘FIRING’ and the deadly hiss of the dynamite fuse. The lift was climbing metre by metre. There was an almighty BANG. Below, I saw the tunnel engulfed in a bright fireball. The ceiling started to cave in. The lift kept climbing, just escaping the brunt of the flame. We stumbled out and I'd never felt so glad it was still raining. I turned around to check on old Rhys but all I saw was those rotten planks in the same place and the same X etched into them. I started walking back down the hill trying to figure out what had just happened. Had I just bumped my head and fell out of consciousness? I put one hand in my pocket and the other to my head. I pulled out the list and from the envelope fell a sepia photograph, it was the face of a man, Old Rhys. I turned over the picture and on the back was written in my grandfather’s delicate handwriting: ‘Rhys Davies, your great grandfather, sole survivor of the Greenhill Pit tragedy, 1904’.

Cure from the future

Edgeborough school.

Runner up in the Years 7, 8 & 9 category

It was just another hot, dry, sweaty day on the coast of Cornwall, but for me, today was another day that I might lose one of the most important people in my life: My mum. Everyone keeps telling me that she will recover from the cancer, eventually. Obviously, I don’t believe this anymore. These comments only get my hopes up, so I’ve learned to tune them out. It would be a miracle if she ever recovered. Of course, me and Dad did visit her, occasionally. However, over the years, the trips that we have made to the hospital have got less and less frequent, and one day, I suppose they’ll stop altogether. I don’t remember exactly when my mum first got cancer. All I can recall is ‘that day.’ The day she left home and never came back. I guess I’ll never know what I missed in that phonics lesson on the second day of reception. *** I was welcomed into the hospital with sound of beeping machines and crying children. It smelt horrible, like someone had tried to clean but hadn’t quite managed to get the aroma of vomit, blood and grime out of the atmosphere. I had no idea how anyone managed to live there, especially sick people, who are meant to be in the hospital to get better. I lost dad about ten times among the sea of wheelchairs, bawling babies, and old men frantically waving their walking sticks around. I was extremely overwhelmed with it all. I was only four at the time and didn’t really understand what was going on. The state Dad was in however, was another story. He was sweating like a pitcher full of ice water and he was breathing so deeply that you could probably have heard him on the other side of the hospital. When we finally made it to Mum’s ward, Dad started sobbing like a newborn baby. I stood in the doorway, staring at mum. She looked fine on the outside, but I could tell that something was wrong. I sprinted over to her hospital bed, and she pulled me into an embrace. “What’s going on?” I asked apprehensively. “Darling, I’m going to be staying here for quite a while.” “Why, mummy?” “Mummy’s ill sweetheart. I have to stay here so the doctors can make sure I get better. “You will get better though, right?” “Of course I will. I guarantee it.” *** Tears pricked my eyes and I thought about how different my life would be without her. Although, I suppose knowing that she was gone was better than waiting for her to go. There wasn’t much hope left on my part. I knew that I had to clear my head and there was only one place for that. Walsgate Cave. It wasn’t much of a cave, more like a chink in the side of a cliff, barely the size of my bedroom in our cosy cottage on the coast. It was small, dark and damp but something about it calmed me. I could lay down on the sand for hours listening to the gentle crash of the waves and the screeching seagulls. However, when I entered the cave today, I noticed something unusual. There was a small alarm clock carefully placed on top of one of the piles of rocks. The cave was completely abandoned, and I had never seen anyone in here except myself, so I was extremely taken aback when I saw this clock in such good condition. I immediately noticed that the time on the clock was terribly wrong, so I proceeded to correct it. I glanced at my watch: exactly midday. I slowly turned the knob on the back of the clock until every hand was pointing at twelve. The ground started shaking. Was there an earthquake? Hundreds of tiny rocks were being flung all around the cave. What was happening? All went black. I unwillingly opened my eyes and observed my surroundings. I was on the floor, in a cold sweat, shaking. “What happened?” I groaned. I sluggishly walked out onto the beach and headed back to my house, but when I got there, it was gone! Had I taken the wrong path or something? I thought that maybe Dad was at the hospital, so I headed there instead. Luckily, I knew the way there, and didn’t get lost again. When I walked through the double doors, I noticed that it looked different. Cleaner and nicer. I walked up to the front desk and asked to see my mum, but the lady there said that there hadn’t been a Fiona Solace at the hospital for 120 years. “What year is it?” I asked shakily. “It’s 2144 dear, why do you ask?” “No reason. One more question. Is there a cure for cancer yet?” “Of course there is, invented by the amazing Dr Paislee Solace.” “Me?” I whispered under my breath.

The Demons Of Yesterday

Grange school.

My ears perked up at the sharp buzzing sound echoing through the mountains and over the swaying sakura trees. I knew this was a bad idea. How had Chiyo even managed to convince me to do this? It was past midnight, and the only things I had with me were my nearly-dead phone and a half-eaten box of Pocky. What had I gotten myself into? As we ascended the mountain, the buzzing grew louder, and the temperature dropped. With each step, the air grew colder and more oppressive. We struggled to find proper footing, slipping a few times. Suddenly, something caught my eye. I turned to see a large, dark opening on the side of the mountain. I paused to analyze my surroundings, closing my eyes and listening attentively for any sound. But before I could think, Chiyo grabbed my wrist and dragged us both into the dark cave. I switched on my flashlight and scanned the area, studying the inscriptions on the walls. One inscription stood out; it read, “別のタイムラインへの旅,” which translates to “A journey to another timeline.” I was confused. A journey to another timeline? In Mizukaze City, it could mean anything. I looked around again and noticed another inscription further up the wall, partially obscured by a thick layer of dust, suggesting it had been there for a long time. As I wiped away the dust, the inscription revealed itself: "選ばれし 者のみ," translated to "Only the chosen ones." The message sent a chill down my spine. What did it mean? Who were the chosen ones, and why were we here? As we ventured deeper into the cave, the air grew colder, and the oppressive atmosphere intensified, as if the very rock around us was trying to keep us out. Chiyo seemed unfazed, his determination unwavering as he led the way with a confidence I couldn't muster. The walls of the cave were rough and uneven, with jagged rocks jutting out at odd angles. The floor was littered with loose stones, making each step treacherous. I stumbled several times, grateful for Chiyo's steadying hand. The buzzing sound that had drawn us here was now a deafening roar, echoing off the cave walls and sending shivers through my bones. It was disorienting, making it difficult to focus on anything else. As we pressed on, the cave began to narrow, squeezing us into a tight passage barely wide enough to walk through. The air grew thick with dust, making it hard to breathe. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, the weight of the unknown pressing down on me. Finally, we emerged into a large chamber, the source of the buzzing revealed to be a massive metal hive hanging from the ceiling. Thousands of bats swarmed around us, their flapping wings filling the air with a deafening cacophony. Chiyo seemed unconcerned, his gaze fixed on something at the far end of the chamber. I followed his gaze and saw it: a shimmering portal, hovering in mid-air like a rip in reality itself. The inscription on the wall suddenly made sense. We had stumbled upon a gateway to another timeline, and somehow, we were the ones destined to pass through it. A white light flashed before my eyes, and two sentences appeared, floating in thin air. One sentence bright red, and the other one a deep shade of blue. The first one read; “現 在から未来へ120年,” “From the present to the future, 120 years.” And the other one; “現 在から過去へ120年,” “From the present to the past, 120 years.” Before I could think, Chiyo rushed up from behind me and through the portal. Then it began to glow red. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to go in there, but I couldn’t just abandon Chiyo. He was my best friend. I held my breath, closed my eyes, and ran through the portal as fast as I could. I felt an electric current through my bones, running from my head to my toes. I opened my eyes and gazed around the area, squinting from the bright light. It took me a while to notice, but then I realized; there was something different about this place. The falling leaves on the sakura trees were blood red, and the people were dressed in all-white clothing, a few of them stained in what looked like blood. The people looked frightened. I tried to communicate with several of them, asking them if they had seen Chiyo and why they were so frightened. But they spoke a dialect of Japanese that I couldn’t understand. The only word I could understand was “悪魔,” a word that had followed me around since the beginning of time. “Demon,” I repeated the word in my head over and over again, twisting and turning through the winding pathways, keeping my eyes peeled in hopes of spotting Chiyo. Suddenly, I couldn’t walk anymore. I could barely even stand. The world went black. And the buzzing sound continued

Seed of Life

Solefield school.

Winner of the Years 5 & 6 category

I looked around and debated my chances. Others were already scurrying around frantically, trying to find a good hiding spot, when I saw a small entrance of a cavern hidden between two roots of a nearby tree. I left my hiding spot and cautiously shuffled over to the entrance. I heard a twig snap: Peter was near. I took a deep breath before squeezing myself through the small opening. Thump! My body crashed into the hard, stony floor. Anxious, I stood up to see a small amount of light protruding from the hole in the ceiling of the cavern. I suddenly noticed a jumble of pipes and wires in the corner of the room with two doors. I walked closer to investigate. One door was made of dark oak and outlined by black nails. The handle was made of intricately carved gold. The other door was perfectly white and had LED lights rimmed around the edge. I noticed the two signs above them - 120 years into the past and the other 120 years into the future. My mind raced; I could uncover the mysteries of the past or discover the fate of our world. I slowly and uncertainly walked towards the blinding white door. As it slid back, mist bellowed out of the top of the contraption. I was staring into an endless void, very similar to the sea, but swirling around in a hypnotic way. I took a confident step forward. My body warped through reality and the matter in myself became one with the universe, as I broke through the barrier of time and space, cascading into the future, or now the present. In an instant, I was lying spread eagled on the floor of the cavern. I looked up and mantled through back up the bunny hole. I looked around in horror at the barren wasteland. Huge mountains covered the earth, lava spewing out of them. Ash covered the ground like a thick blanket and the sky was no longer lit up by the sun. As I walked around in this hellish place, I thought of how this could be prevented. If I went back to my time, I could warn people but who would believe an 11-year-old boy like me? The fate of this world could not be prevented. Walking back to the hole, to go back to the present, or maybe past, I realized there was something hard in my shoe. I ripped my shoe off and shook it, and saw a small seed fall onto the ground. Suddenly it sprouted. It was like time was sped up here. I watched in awe as the sprout grew into a sapling, then into a small tree. Within seconds, a majestic willow tree was towering over me. Lush grass was spreading from the roots of the tree, like a ripple effect when you throw a stone into the water. Before I knew it, I was looking at verdant fields and many more trees, growing as far as I could see. Something was still missing. Looking up towards the barren, grey sky, I felt warmth on my neck. I turned around to see the majestic fireball that burns out evil and fills our world with light. I gazed around in wonder as I heard birds chirping again. I wondered why the world had turned barren. At that moment, it came to me. Our race had ruined earth and God had wiped us out, knowing that someday a small seed of time would repopulate the earth. The world would be restored to its vivid self. This was Earth’s second chance, but this time without humans. Suddenly, a loud booming voice echoed through the meadow and body suddenly weaved through time and space. I landed with a crash on the stony cave floor. I could hear footsteps above me and Peter shouting my name in concern. I turned around to take one last look at the time machine, but it was gone. I heaved myself out of the cave once again and walked over to Peter. When he noticed me, he turned around and stated, "Sirius, you won the game!’’ As he said that, I silently muttered to myself, “I did a lot more than win.”

Fatal Mistakes

King's college, bangkok.

Runner up in the Years 5 & 6 category

Date: 16 April 2144 Time: 08:58 AM Location: USA They’re coming. I can’t run These were my thoughts before reaching my hand out for the machine before me. My sweaty hand trembled as I touched the knob. My hand clasped the handle and I felt the urge to pull the lever. I couldn’t resist it. They were advancing. My heart stopped momentarily as a memory came to my head… 120 years ago in the year 2024, my great grandfather, Dr. Robert Sanchez, was the scientist who experimented with a virus that rapidly mutated and got out of control. Those infected by the virus will succumb to an excruciating death. Their skin would turn ashen in 3 hours due to decomposition. We weren't able to help them. The virus swiftly mutated to take control of the soulless bodies. The corpse will then be reborn into a gruesome life. These beings will assault and infect other people. They would only target humans as animals couldn’t be infected. They were called Zombies, the living dead and the fallen servants of the virus. If only I could go back in time and save humankind. It was my great grandfather who was the cause of this, therefore, it is my burden to change the course of history. Coming back to my senses I smelled the rotten, abysmal scent of the progressing zombies. I looked down at the time machine my family had kept secret for so long. This was my family’s heirloom. On the panel was a clock with two options. One, to go back 120 years into the past and another to go 120 years into the future. I clicked the button to go back into the past and pulled the lever, traveling into the endless void of time. BLAM! There was a blast of frosty bone-chilling wind that pierced me as I was knocked back by the jolt of the vehicle. A flash of blinding light startled me and I started to regret my decision. This machine can only be used once, so I know I won’t be returning to the present. Date: 16 April 2024 Time: 08:58 AM Location: USA The vehicle stopped. Darkness surrounded me, I was in the cave. Springing into action, I quickly ran out and saw it. There sat the laboratory. Not wrecked. Not burnt. Not even with a scratch on it. I felt relieved. The time machine worked! Maybe there's still a chance of saving humankind! The thought came to my head as a warm spark of confidence lit up inside me. I was ready to stop the creation of zombies. Full of confidence, I opened the heavy metal door, hoping for coolness since there was none this morning. I received more than I had wished for. It was absolutely freezing! Realizing exactly what it was, I was petrified and uncontrollably shocked. It was a morgue. Looking at all the name tags stuck to the freezers, I realized these were the most dangerous criminals of the time. They were the test subjects of the virus. Triggered by this inhumane act I stormed out of the morgue then found another door, which led to the experiment room. In the middle was a metal bed, luckily, it was still unused. Next to it was a trolly with 5 syringes and a flask containing black liquid. The flask was labeled V-8264. This was it. The original virus. “Who goes there?” shouted a guard. NO! I thought, I couldn't be caught this quickly. I grabbed the flask and was going to burn the virus. I bolted for the door but the guard was already there. He tried to grab the flask but I struck him in the stomach. He collapsed. As I was going to run, he grabbed my ankle, tripping me. The flask flew out of my hand as I watched helplessly. It spun in the air and CRACK! The flask broke as it smashed my chest. I had made a fatal mistake. I became the first zombie

The Dwellers

Blackheath prep.

Ben was fatigued. His weak and frail body ached all over. It had been four days since he had last eaten. He was on the run and was sure he was going to die. Ben was an orphan, and the orphanage is where he called home. He was a sickly child who was bullied often. He knew he needed to escape that dreadful place, start afresh, far, far away. Getting out of the dilapidated orphanage was simple, security wasn’t a priority. Cautiously, after lights out he’d climbed through a broken window and jumped down onto the grass below with a relatively soft landing. A light flickered, and he heard a faint clammer in the distance. Ben ran for his life, suddenly realising he had no food or water. Foolish he thought but an urge for freedom drove him on. At his wits end, no provisions, nowhere to go, Ben wondered why he’d been so reckless, after a few days he felt doomed. Unexpectedly, late one night something flashed and caught his eye. It appeared metallic. Steadily, he crept towards the mysterious object. He thought he was hallucinating. Curiosity got the better of him however, and he entered the machine. It was magnificent! Cogs and wheels spinning around inside a pure white, futuristic mechanical structure. Marvelling at the complexity, a striking voice shocked him: “Ben. You have had a challenging life. You deserve more. You have two options. Travel 120 years into the past or zoom 120 years into the future." It’s a time machine! Ben’s frail body was trembling. He had no place in this world. He always dreamed of going to the future and had imagined what it would be like. The choice was easy for him. “Take me to the future please!” Ben said nervously. Abruptly, a door slammed behind him, and the hefty contraption began to shudder. Crack! Bang! A great flash of bright light, and then everything was ominously still. It was as if the world had ended. Ben began to lose consciousness. Coming to his senses, he saw he was in a muddy plain. He was panicked by a poisonous smoke that was drifting up. Ben cried out in fear like a banshee. “Hey! What’s your name?” Boomed a deep distant voice. “Ben.” He whispered, obviously afraid. “Ben?” The voice exclaimed. “Come with me to the haven, where you can explain what you are doing out here. It’s not safe.” The voice ordered. “What is the Haven?” Ben asked. “Come.” Concluded the voice. Ben saw that there was no point resisting and followed the voice to the ‘Haven.’ They entered a large underground dome with the most advanced technology Ben had ever imagined. This must be the Haven, he thought. Amazingly, and to his total surprise inside the dome there were ordinary people. A society, people walking around, chatting, and laughing. Ben was shocked. From what he’d seen outside he thought humanity had ended, and those that had survived would be struggling to survive! They however appeared to be prospering! “Come to the meeting room!” said the voice, which in the light was shown to come from a man, with a warm smile. “OK.” Ben said, reflecting a smile back. Over the next few hours Ben learned that that a meteor had slammed into the earth in 2032, obliterating almost all life on the surface. Fortunately, there’d been time to prepare; scientists, engineers, doctors, and other important people had been sent to underground vaults where they spent 50 years in stasis waiting for conditions to improve. Now Ben found himself in the society that they had begun to rebuild, the dwellers, as they called themselves. Sadly, they had lost much of the history of the world from before, and Ben realised that this was now his purpose. To teach them about his world, and to learn more about theirs. This was it, he thought. Finally, somewhere I belong

Never Forget the Elephants

Cumnor house girl's school.

Winner of the Years 3 & 4 category

The scorching savannah rocked back and forth, blown by the ruthless wind. The crisp grass danced wildly. From our Jeep, I saw a majestic but seemingly sombre creature stumbling around by itself. Something was wrong. Experts might say it’s impossible, but I swear I saw a tear running down that elephant’s cheek. “Just over 100 years ago there was a tribe called the Waka Pichu that poached the African Forest Elephants for their valuable ivory tusks. Now, only one elephant remains.” explained our guide. As I stepped out to get some fresh air, I caught sight of a gargantuan cave; it had a miniscule entrance that you could easily have missed but it caught my eye and I felt drawn to it. Once inside, I feasted my eyes on towering piles of shimmering gold, illuminating the mysterious cave. I filled my pockets to the brim; I was rich! I rummaged excitedly through the greatest array of treasures to have been discovered since Aladdin’s cave. Suddenly, I chanced upon a peculiar looking, rusty alarm clock. I decided to press ‘Play’… “You have two options,” a booming voice bellowed. “You may either travel 120 years into the past or 120 years into the future. Choose wisely…” Instinctively I wanted to choose the future; I had always thought it would be so cool to travel forward in time. But then the image of the sorrowful elephant flashed across my mind, and I realised by going back 120 years I could save the elephants! As I pressed the rewind button, my heart skipped not one, but two beats. With a hurling puff of smoke and the blink of an eye, I was outside the cave again, but the atmosphere had transformed. I could hear hypnotic chanting and I nervously followed the sounds. “Excuse me, do you know where the Waka Pichu tribe is?” I asked bravely. A man with a surprisingly friendly demeanour (for someone with such a tall and powerful stature) came forward and told me they were the Waka Pichu tribe and asked me how they could help. As I contemplated my next move, I noticed the gaunt and wailing children longing for food and it dawned on me why they needed the ivory; the Waka Pichu were poor. At that moment, an idea hit me like a large hail stone. What if I could give them something more valuable than ivory so they wouldn’t need to poach the elephants? The only thing I had to trade was the gold but that was for me! Once again, my mind replayed the elephant’s lonely face, and I knew what I had to do. My pockets and heart were both feeling lighter as I returned to the time machine and said a quick prayer for the elephants to be saved. When I got back the sun was shining gleefully, and the African Forest Elephants were thudding around freely. Mission accomplished! Suddenly, I felt a playful tickle and an elephant’s trunk was stroking my back. It was almost as if he knew I had saved him! I guess what they say is true: an elephant never forgets! I reached back into my pocket and pulled out a glistening gold necklace…you didn’t think I would give all of it away, did you?

The Only One Left

Runner up in the Years 3 & 4 category

"Backwards" or "Forwards" it said on the glittering dial. "Does it really mean backwards or forwards in time? That can't be true. Anyway, even if it is, I'm getting out of here!" Lettice thought to herself. From the outside, it had looked like an ordinary rocky cave but inside, colours took over the cave like a whole new world of imagination. It looked like paint, but Lettice knew it couldn't be because this was a time machine that she had discovered during her walk along the cold autumn beach. Lettice slowly backed away from the dial, trying to get out of the time machine. But what she didn't see was the slippery rock that her foot landed on. Whoosh! She slid backwards, her foot kicking the lever to "Forwards". Lettice's eyes popped open. She was lying on the ground. She crawled towards the entrance of the cave and peered out. "Where am I?" she said, worried. All she could see were trembling volcanoes, grey treeless mountains, and giant cracks in the ground. And strangest of all - no people. Suddenly, a dinosaur emerged from behind a boulder. It took one look at Lettice and started clomping towards her. She started to run, her muddy trainers squelching in the earth. Lettice realised that she couldn't outrun the dinosaur so she clambered into a ditch and scrunched herself into a ball. She could hear her heart thumping in her chest but no sign of the dinosaur. After about ten minutes, she started to feel relieved but her happiness faded when the dinosaur's humungous head peered at her. "What are you doing?" said the dinosaur in a sassy tone of voice. "I'm hiding from you!" said Lettice, surprised. "No offence", Lettice added. "Offence taken," said the dinosaur. "Anyway, how can you talk? I didn't know dinosaurs could talk." "They can't. But I'm a robot." "A robot? What? Where am I? What year is it?" asked Lettice. "It's 2144, obvs!" said the dinosaur. "That would mean I'm 129 years old!" exclaimed Lettice. "Have you seen my mum?” "No" said the dinosaur. "There are no people here." "Why not?" "The robots took over the world a hundred years ago." Lettice felt devastated. She couldn't believe the words that had just come out of the dinosaur's mouth. Tears dripped down her cheeks. The dinosaur took his hand and stroked her hair gently. "Wait!" she shouted. "I've got to warn everyone." "I can't let you do that," growled the dinosaur, fiercely. Lettice knew that she had to get to the cave and into the time machine. "Hey, isn't that an ice cream van?" said Lettice, pointing behind the dinosaur. The dinosaur turned and Lettice began to run. She could see the cave, a tiny grey dot in the distance. Running as fast as she could, she kept her eyes on the cave and didn't look back at the dinosaur, which had just realised she had escaped. The dinosaur was catching up with every booming step he took. Lettice reached the cave, but when she looked inside, her jaw fell open... The time machine was gone.

The Secret of a National Heritage

Pembridge hall school.

Emma hadn’t meant to wander into the mysterious cave. She’d just been bored waiting for her dad to come back with the Stonehenge tickets, and her mum and brother to return from the gift shop. She squinted at the big black metal clock on the ground in front of her. It had two buttons, one black and one blue. The black one said, ‘Travel 120 years into the past’, and the blue one said, ‘Travel 120 years into the future’. She immediately pressed the black button, and there was a flash of light, and then darkness, and then broad, bright daylight. Emma ambled out of the cave. She could smell fresh grass, and it was strangely quiet. She couldn’t see any tourists, and the barriers had vanished. But without any hesitation, she recognised the place. It was still Stonehenge! She subtracted 120 from 2024 and realised it must be 1904. It must have been a real time machine! She saw a smartly dressed man in a tweed suit with a waistcoat and tie, and a bushy brown moustache. He saw her and held his hand out. ‘Cecil Chubb,’ he said, shaking her hand. ‘I’m Emma Jones,’ she replied. ‘Are you visiting the Antrobus family too?’ he asked. ‘No,’ she said. ‘I’m a tourist. Who are the Antrobus family?’ ‘You’re not allowed here,’ he said. ‘The family doesn’t allow tourists at the moment.’ ‘What do you mean?’ said Emma. ‘Everybody’s allowed to visit Stonehenge. It belongs to the nation, and to English Heritage.’ ‘Ah no, Stonehenge belongs to the Antrobus family, not to the nation, or to English Heritage,’ he said. ‘Who or what is English Heritage, anyway? I have never heard about them, young lady.’ ‘It cares for England’s historic sites and allows us to visit them,’ said Emma. ‘Well, it sounds a good idea to me,’ he replied, ‘because the Antrobus family just lets people chisel and destroy the stones.’ He pointed to the great, noble stones. Emma saw fresh marks on them where they had been chipped away. ‘Look, those ones are almost falling over,’ he added, pointing to some that had been propped up with wooden planks. Emma gasped. Her blood went cold. ‘Someone must do something!’ she exclaimed. ‘I agree,’ he said, ‘but I don’t think the Antrobus family want to give it to the nation.’ ‘Then someone good-hearted like you should buy Stonehenge from them, and give it to the nation yourself,’ she said boldly. ‘You have a point, my dear young lady,’ he said warmly. ‘Thank you for convincing me. Well, goodbye Emma, and please do call me Cecil.’ ‘Goodbye Cecil,’ she said, and ran like the wind to the cave. When she reached the time machine, she looked back once more at the stones, and pressed the blue button. She saw a flash of light, then darkness, then broad, bright daylight once again. As she walked out of the cave to rejoin her family, she passed a big information sign with the history of Stonehenge on it. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a black and white photograph of a familiar face, with a familiar bushy brown moustache. She smiled to herself and walked back towards her family.

We use necessary cookies that allow our site to work. We also set optional cookies that help us improve our website.

For more information about the types of cookies we use, and to manage your preferences, visit our Cookies policy here.

Wicked Writers: Be the Change

Our 2024 Wicked Writers Winners

After another excellent year of the Wicked Writers: Be The Change writing competition, we had 1,600 entries from across the UK and our judges were overwhelmed by the talent and the passion.

This year's theme was the environment and the winners and runners-up have been announced on Earth Day (22 April) to celebrate pupils' passion for nature and our planet.

Thanks to everyone up and down the country for taking part – join us again next year for another round of Wicked writing!

9 to 11-year-old Winner

Sebastian kesley, 10 from hiltingbury junior school.

The winner in the 9 to 11 age group is Sebastian Kesley from Hiltingbury Junior School in Hampshire, who wrote an inspiring tale about plastic pollution told from the perspective of the ocean.

Sebastian said: “I am excited and flabbergasted that I was chosen as the winner, I didn't expect it. I enjoyed the thrill and suspense of the competition. I am enthusiastic about this topic and I thoroughly enjoyed writing as the sea to share this message.”

11 to 14-year-old Winner

Luo chen, 13 from co-op academy stoke-on-trent.

The winner in the 11 to 14 age group is Luo Chen He, 13, from Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent, who impressed the judges with a creative tale about the importance of activism and the struggle to change the world.

Luo Chen was thrilled to be chosen as the winner, saying: “From all the fabulous applicants, I am amazed and grateful that I have won this competition. I tried to make my approach to the theme unique by focusing on human thoughts about the environment. I totally recommend anyone to enter this competition next year, and to be original with their piece.”

Our runners-up

The runner-up in the 9 to 11 age category is 10-year-old Arthur Stock from Stanford Junior School in Brighton, who wrote a tale about a lonesome turtle caught in plastic.

The runner-up in the 11 to 14 age category is 14-year-old Samsritha Vakani from West Bromwich Collegiate Academy, with a poem about planet earth’s two potential futures – one positive and bright, and one destroyed without intervention.

A huge congratulations to all our winners and runners-up, all shortlisted pupils and everyone who submitted their wonderful writing.

To read the full shortlist, including the winning entries, read our full announcement .

A paperback version of this year's Wicked Writers Anthology is also available on Amazon .

"Thanks for organising such an inspiring competition; all the children were motivated and highly engaged in writing a piece that meant something to them." Teacher, 2023 Competition

About the competition

We are proud to partner with the acclaimed stage musical Wicked for a persuasive writing competition open to young people aged 9 to 14.

For Wicked Writers: Be the Change this year, we asked your students to write a piece of persuasive writing about any environmental issue that is important to them, for example, the climate crisis, pollution or endangered species.

Making a positive change is a key theme in Wicked and the subject of the song For Good .

Furthermore, our research on writing has shown that for young people writing to support causes and issues that they care about acts as a strong motivator.

Taking part in our Wicked Writer Competition

The competition came complete with a full set of learning resources combining engaging persuasive writing lesson plans and content to inspire your students.

Entry to the competition was open to all UK schools and entries were judged anonymously in two age categories:

• ages 9 to 11 (KS2/P6, P7)
• ages 11 to 14 (KS3/S1, S2, S3)

The competition included a chance of winning a range of exciting prizes to be awarded to winners, runners up and shortlisted students.

The closing deadline for entries was 11 March 2024.

Key information

Eligibility.

Open to all UK schools, for students aged 9 to 14.

Entries must engage with the environmental theme.

Entry submission

Teachers can submit an unlimited number of entries

Entries must be submitted in a typed Word document or PDF. Do not include students' names on the entry.

There is a word limit of 300 words for the younger age category (9 to 11), and 500 words for the older age category (11 to 14)

A winner and runner up will be chosen in each age category. Shortlisted students will have a chance to be published in the Wicked Writers Anthology .

Competition Essentials

Download the teaching resources designed to develop pupils’ writing and vocabulary skills as they embark on a journey to explore and analyse persuasive writing and create their own competition piece to inspire change.

• Lesson Plans Download plans
• Lesson 1: Explore and Analyse Download lesson 1
• Lesson 2: Plan your Writing Download lesson 2
• Wicked Writers Transcript 1 Transcript 1
• Wicked Writers Transcript 2 Transcript 2
• Wicked Writers Transcript 3 Transcript 3
• Wicked Writers Word Template Download Word Template
• Terms & Conditions Download Wicked Writers Ts &Cs
• Certificate of Participation Wicked Writers Certificate

"When I heard I had come first in the competition, I was overjoyed… I am so excited to see Wicked with all my classmates." Winner, Younger Category, 2023

• Four schools received free class tickets to see the stage musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London, including a travel subsidy.
• The two winning schools will receive free writing workshops in school.
• 16 shortlisted schools received a book bundle.
• 16 shortlisted students have had their writing published in print in an anthology which will be distributed to their schools.

Entries were judged this year by a fantastic judging panel, including children's author M. G. Leonard, teacher-influencer Holly King-Mand, Wicked Executive Producer Michael McCabe and National Literacy Trust CEO Jonathan Douglas CBE.

If you have a question about the competition, please email Wicked Writers .

You can also read more about last year's winners .

In partnership with Wicked Active Learning

Praised by educators as “the gold standard for West End shows reaching out into education” and “enriching, engaging, and easy to use”, Wicked Active Learning is the London stage musical’s cultural and social education programme.

“Packed with content that mirrors the framework for personal development” (Belleville Primary School), Wicked provides a range of free classroom resources and lesson plans, a popular programme of official workshops, and post-show Q&As to maximise the educational value and learning potential of school trips to experience the award-winning musical.

The in-house Wicked Active Learning education team are on hand to provide expert advice and school trip planning support, including materials to assist in the completion of risk assessments.

The Big List of UK Writing Competitions

When it comes to getting your work noticed, there’s little better than winning or being shortlisted for a writing competition… and the odds of that happening aren’t as long as you think. Every competition listed here produces one or more winners every year, as well as numerous honourable mentions and shortlisted writers.

But in order to be selected, your first have to pick a competition to enter. Thus we present our list of excellent writing competitions based in the UK. To appear here a competition must run at least every year , and must have a prize that justifies the entry fee .

If you want to suggest an addition or correction for this list, you can do so using the Big List Update Form .

Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

[ Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize Website ]

Awarded for the best piece of previously-unpublished writing on the topic of “Forgiveness and Retribution” – the theme of the 2020 Alpine Fellowship Annual Symposium. In addition to the main prize, the winner and two runners up will be invited to attend the symposum in Venice.

Anansi Archive Writing Awards

[ Anansi Archive Website ]

Anansi Archive is a new website dedicated to supporting writers with their endeavours. It runs three quarterly competitions in Flash Fiction, Poetry (no more than 500 words) and Short Story (no more than 3000 words). It offers free entry for a chance to win some small, yet worthwhile cash prizes.

The Annual Wenlock Olympian Society Short Story Competition

[ Wenlock Olympian Website ]

The Wenlock Olympian Society, in collaboration with Much Wenlock and District U3A ‘Writers on the Edge’, has arranged this creative writing competition. Stories can be on any theme, and no more than 2500 words.

Anthology Poetry Prize

[ Anthology Magazine Website ]

Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, this competition is open to original and previously-unpublished poems in the English language. Entries are invited from poets of all nationalities, living anywhere in the world. Each competition has a theme to which entries must conform.

Anthology Short Story Competition

Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, this competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. Stories submitted must conform to a specific theme, which changes each year.

Aurora Prize for Writing

[ Aurora Prize for Writing Website ]

The winners, in each category, will receive a cash prize of £500, feedback on a piece of work of their choice from a leading literary agent (or Editor as appropriate) and a year’s free membership to the Society of Authors, which includes access to advice and resources on all aspects of the business of writing.

Bare Fiction Competitions

[ Bare Fiction Website ]

* CURRENTLY SUSPENDED* A yearly set of competitions administered by the literary magazine Bare Fiction . There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in each category, and the winners are published in an issue of the magazine. Different guest judges are bought in each year to select the winners. *CURRENTLY SUSPENDED*

Bath Flash Fiction Award

[ Bath Flash Fiction Award Website ]

The goal of this contest is to promote flash fiction for both writers and readers, and to bring the genre to a wider audience. Running three times a year, it has substantial prizes and the chance of publication for winning writers. There is also a novella-in-flash award.

Bath Novel Award

[ Bath Novel Award Website ]

An award for unpublished or independently-published novelists. Send along the first 5,000 words of a manuscript of a minimum of 50,000 words in length. A large percentage of shortlisted novelists have gone on to secure a publishing deal. There is a separate competition strand for children’s novels .

Bath Short Story Award

[ Bath Short Story Award Website ]

An international competition that welcomes stories of up to 2,200 words on any theme or subject. Stories must be previously unpublished. The prizes available are £1,200 for 1st place, £300 for 2nd place, and £100 for 3rd place, as well as a special award for the best story by a writer who does not yet have any publications.

BBC National Short Story Award

[ BBC Short Story Award Website ]

One of the most significant short story competitions in the UK, this prize is awarded yearly by the BBC. Entrants must have a prior record of publishing creative work in the UK. Stories up to 8,000 words are accepted, and may be submitted by the author or by their agent. Shortlisted stories are awarded a prize of £600.

Beechmore Books Annual Writing Competition

[ Beechmore Books Website ]

A free writing competition from London-based stationary brand, Beechmore Books. It has a different theme each year and this year (2021), the theme is PERSPECTIVE. It is open to writing of any form. Monetary awards and (some beautiful) writing journals are given to the top two placed entries.

Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award

[ Blue Pencil Agency Website ]

The Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre. The competition was founded in 2017, and is overseen by the Blue Pencil Agency. The winning writer receives a cash prize and an introduction to an agent.

Bridport Prize

[ Bridport Prize Website ]

A prestigious annual competition with different strands for novels, short stories, memoirs, flash fiction and poetry. As well as the prize money there are several supplementary awards, including one for young writers. Selected entries are published in an anthology. They have a bursary scheme for under represented writers.

Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize

[ Brick Lane Bookshop Website ]

This prize, run by Brick Lane Bookshop , is open to all UK residents for original short stories between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Its aim is to celebrate short stories and to give emerging writers encouragement and a little financial space to write. Winners are published in an anthology in addition to receiving prize money.

Bristol Short Story Prize

[ Bristol Short Story Prize Website ]

 An international short story competition opened to published and unpublished writers anywhere in the world. In addition to the main prize, all shortlisted writers are published in an anthology distrubuted by Tangent Books, and receive £100 in prize money. Stories must be under 4,000 words in length.

Caledonia Novel Award

[ Caledonia Novel Award Website ]

Now in its ninth year, this competition is for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres for adults and YA. They are Edinburgh-based but open to international submissions. As well as the cash prize, the winner of the best novel in the UK & Ireland, will receive a free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre.

CAS Short Story Competition

[ CAS Short Story Website ]

This bi-annual competition is to celebrate the best short stories from across the world. It is open to published and unpublished authors, and entries must be between 2000-4000 words. Each of ten shortlisted stories will be published on this site, and there are three cash prizes of £800, £400 and £200.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize

[ Commonwealth Short Story Prize Website ]

A competition run by Commonwealth Writers, designed to reward and promote the best new writing from across the Commonwealth. Prizes are awarded for the best stories overall, as well as the best stories from a given region. Stories must be 2,000 – 5,000 words in length and previously unpublished.

Costa Awards

[ Costa Awards Website ]

A series of book and short story awards for authors from the UK and Ireland (previously known as the Whitbread Book Awards). One of the only UK awards open to children’s books as well as adult. The short story strand is narrowed down by judges and then decided by a popular vote.

Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition

[ Cranked Anvil Website ]

A quarterly flash fiction competition open to any theme or genre. There is a maximum word limit of 500 words. Monetary prizes for the top two placed flash fictions as well as (online) publication.

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition

A quarterly short story competition that is open to any theme or genre. There is a maximum of 1,500 words and you can enter three stories each quarter. Monetary prizes and (online) publication for the top three placed stories.

Creative Future Writers’ Award

[ Creative Future Writers’ Award Website ]

The Creative Futures Writers’ Award is an annual national writing competition and development programme which celebrates talented, underrepresented writers – including those who lack opportunities due to mental health, disability, health, and from working class, LGBTQIA+, and Black, Asian and other global majority backgrounds. 2023 is the 10 th  awards and the theme is ‘X’.

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition

[ Creative Writing Ink Website ]

Creative Writing Ink’s short story competition is looking for stories on any topis of no more than 3000 words; prizes include the £1000 top prize but also publication on Creative Writing Ink’s website and a free creative writing course of the winner’s choice. Submissions must be made through Submittable

Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction

[ Story Awards Website ]

Open to writers worldwide and stories on any topic up to 250 words. Top 20 stories offered publication in an annual anthology. Top 20 writers awarded free ticket to the annual Flash Bash awards event at the Scottish Arts Club in Edinburgh. Managed by the Scottish Arts Trust. All proceeds used to support the arts in Scotland.

Elmbridge Literary Competition

[ Elmbridge Literary Comp. Website ]

Jointly run by the R. C. Sherriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council, Elmbridge Literary Competition is now in its 17th year. This year, they are looking for short stories and poems on the them of ‘Enigma’ from people of all ages. There are a wide range of age categories and prizes of cash and publication.

Encore Award

[ Encore Award Website ]

This prize is awarded annually for the best second novel published in the UK. The organisers say, “The award fills a niche in the catalogue of literary prizes by celebrating the achievement of outstanding second novels, often neglected in comparison to the attention given to promising first books.”

Exeter Writers Short Story Competition

[ Exeter Writers Website ]

Exeter Writers runs an annual short story competition. The competition began in 2009 and is very popular, receiving entries from all over the world. You can consult anthologies from previous competitions to get a sense of what judges are looking for, and to read winning entries.

Fiction Factory Short Story Competition

[ Fiction Factory Website ]

Fiction Factory are welcoming stories of all genres (excluding Children’s and Young Adult Fiction) for their short story competition. The maximum word limit is 3000 words; entries should be on a Word document, and there is the optional critique of your work for an additional £20.

First Drafts

[ First Drafts Website ]

Previously unpublished writers are invited to submit entries of up to 5,000 words from a novel, narrative nonfiction or short story collection in progress. The prize is a week-long writing retreat at West Dean College, a centre of creativity and tranquillity near Chichester in West Sussex, plus detailed editorial feedback from the judges and six months’ mentoring from a Myriad author.

Forward Poetry Prize

[ Forward Poetry Prize Website ]

The largest annual poetry competition in the UK, this prize rewards the best collection, best first collection, and best single poem in the UK each year. All works put forward for the prize will also be considered for publication in  The Forward Book Of Poetry , a yearly anthology. Entries must be published works, and individual poets cannot enter their own work.

Frogmore Poetry Prize

[ Frogmore Press Website ]

The Frogmore Poetry Prize (sponsored by the Frogmore Foundation) was founded in 1987 and has been awarded annually since then. The Prize is set at 250 guineas… but the true Prize is the kudos of joining a select band of winners which includes many notable poets.

Frome Festival Short Story Competition

[ Frome Festival Website ]

The Frome Festival Short Story Competition is an annual, international short story competition looking for the best unpublished stories between 1,000 and 2,200 words. There are cash prizes for the top three stories and an additional prize for the best story by a local writer under the age of 21. For an additional fee, the competition also offers a critique service for your short story.

Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize

[ Galley Beggar Press Website ]

Galley Beggar Press is an independent publisher committed to publishing daring, innovative fiction creative non-fiction. Their annual prize has a top award of £2,000, along with several other smaller prizes, including cash, books and book vouchers.

Globe Soup Poetry Competition

[ Globe Soup Website ]

Globe Soup are looking for the best poem of up to 50 lines. The theme for Globe Soup Poetry Competitions is always, “Poetry with a Sense of Place”. They accept all forms and styles of poetry.

Globe Soup Short Story Competition

Globe Soup are looking for the best short story of no more than 5,000 words. Every Globe Soup short story competition features a different country which all participants must set their story in. Entrants only find out which country after they enter!

Globe Soup 7 Day Story Writing Challenges

Globe Soup are running a programme of 7-day writing challenges to which writers sign up. At an unspecified time, the registered writer receives a secret theme, a randomly assigned genre and just 7 days to write a story of no more than 2000 words.

Green Stories Writing Competitions

[ Gree n Stories Website ]

Organised by the University of Southampton, Green Stories is a ‘free’ writing competition project with a range of categories for novelists and short story writers. Entries should conform with positive visions of more sustainable futures and/or the inclusion of green solutions but needn’t have an explicitly green theme.

Grindstone International Novel Prize

[ Grindstone Literary Website ]

This competition is open to writers from anywhere in the world, writing in any genre other than children’s literature. Entries are judged by a literary agent, and all longlisted and shortlisted entries are packaged in a chapbook and sent to a selection of literary agencies. Feedback is available on entries for an extra fee.

Hastings Literary Festival Competition

[ Hastings Literary Festival Competition Website ]

This competition is a little different: yes, a monetary prize (£100) but up to 12 competition winners will be invited to an all-day workshop in Hastings on September 23 to work with editors to complete their pieces ready for the printers. The resulting anthology will then be launched at a special event less than two days after the workshop.

Hysteria Writing Competition

[ Hysteria Writing Competition Website ]

This competition offers 3 x £300 cash prizes for each of the overall category winners, with this year’s theme being ‘peace’. Any genre is accepted (except erotica or horror), and there are word limits in place: short story – 1000 words / flash fiction – 250 words / poetry – 12 lines. Winners are published in Hysteria 9 alongside 9 runners-up from each category.

Impress Prize for New Writers

[ Impress Prize Website ]

Impress Prize is an annual literary prize run by Impress Books for writers who have not been traditionally published before. They are looking for manuscript samples from a variety of genres within fiction and non-fiction (but no poetry please!).

Indigo International Wild Nature Poetry Award

[ Indigo Int. Wild Nature Poetry Awar d Website ]

Indigo Dreams Publishing are running a competition in conjunction with the League Against Cruel Sports to find the best poetry on the themes of: Cruel Sports (Hunting/Shooting/Animal Fighting); Wildlife; the Natural World and the Environment. A top prize of £200 and anthology publication. League Against Cruel Sports members are also eligible for the League Prize, £75 and a goodie bag!

Ironbridge Festival of Imagination Open Poetry Award

[ Ironbridge Poetry Competition Website ]

Ironbridge Festival of the Imagination is holding its first ever poetry competition to poets from across the globe, welcoming poems on any and every subject. First prize in our competition will win £300, with a second prize of £125, and three third prizes of £25 each. In addition, poems sent in by people living in a TF postcode will also be eligible for our local prize of £50. Poems will be read, and winners chosen, by our judge Simon Fletcher.

Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

[ Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Website ]

Run each year by the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society, this competition offers a top prize of £1,000 and several runner-up prizes. Poems can be in any form or style, but must be previously-unpublished and under forty lines in length. Postal and online entries are accepted.

La Piccioletta Barca Competition

[ La Piccioletta Barca Website ]

La Piccioletta Barca is an independent arts magazine pursuing the essence of human thought. Their goal is to embrace and promote substantive creative work produced by both emerging and established artists. They run an annual competition which seeks work in response to a given theme or stimulus.

Ledbury Poetry Competition

[ Ledbury Poetry Festival Website ]

The Ledbury Poetry Festival Poetry Competition has been an important first step in many poets’ careers. The Competition is increasingly international with several international winners. The Festival prides itself on a lasting relationship with its competition entrants and winners: many are asked back for performances, residencies and workshops.

Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

[ Letter Review Prize Website ]

The Letter Review Prize is a short story competition seeking 200-4000 word entries. It is open to writers from across the world and there are no genre or theme restrictions; three winners receive publication within the Letter Review as well as cash prizes.

Live Canon Poetry Competition(s)

[ Live Canon Website ]

Live Canon are an ensemble performing poetry (from memory) at theatres, festivals and events throughout the UK, recording poetry for radio and CDs, and creating poetry installations and digital projects. They have three poetry competitions across April and May: a poetry collection (35+ poems) competition where three winners are selected for publication and promotion; a single poem competition where first prize is £1,000 and a pamphlet (18-35 poems) competition where three winners are offered a publication contract.

London Magazine Competitions

[ London Magazine Website ]

The London Magazine ‘s annual competitions seek to recognise new talent, and promote unpublished poems and stories from around the world. Winning entries appear in the magazine, and authors and poets are invited to a London-based networking drinks reception.

Mairtín Crawford Award

[ The Mairtín Crawford Award Website ]

These Awards are aimed at writers working towards their first full collection of poetry, short stories, or a novel. Both published and unpublished writers are invited to submit between 3-5 poems for the poetry award, and a short story of up to 2,500 words for the short story award, with the only stipulation being that they have not yet published a full collection of poetry, short stories, or a novel.

Manchester Cathedral 600 Poetry Competition

[ Manchester Cathedral Website ]

This year’s (2021) competition celebrates the 600 year anniversary of the founding of the Collegiate Church, the precursor to the Manchester Cathedral. Poems must reflect, express or connect to the cathedral in some way and be broadly religious or spiritual in nature; poetry from all faiths is encouraged. There is a maximum line length of 15 lines. There will be 10 winners awarded £100 and publication in a booklet of the winning poems.

Manchester Writing Competition

[ Manchester Writing Competition Website ]

Each year this competition awards a prize of £10,000 for the best short story and best short portfolio of poems submitted. It is run by the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. The compeition is open to anyone over the age of sixteen.

Mogford Food And Drink Short Story Prize

[ Mogford Food and Drink Website ]

This annual prize is open worldwide. Sponsored by the Mogford Hotels And Restaurants Group, it seeks to reward the writer of an unpublished short story not longer than 2,500 words which revolves in some way around food. The winner is announced at an annual prize-giving event and as well as the monetary reward, will receive online and (mini) print publication and their story professionally recorded by The Story Player.

Moth Prizes

[ Moth Prizes Website ]

These international prizes are open to everyone over the age of sixteen, and awards a top prize of €10,000 for the best poem and €3,000 for the best short story submitted. It is run by The Moth Magazine , with winners published in the magazine and invited to special prize-giving events.

National Poetry Competition

[ National Poetry Competition Website ]

One of the biggest single poem competitions in the world, the National Poetry Competition is open to anyone aged 17 or older. The competition is for previously unpublished poems of up to 40 lines in length. As well as the top prize, there are nine other small prizes for second place, third place, and commended entries.

New Writers Flash Fiction Competition

[ New Writers Website ]

The inaugural New Writers Flash Fiction Competition is seeking entries of imaginative and thought-provoking flash fiction of up to 300 words. Entries must be in English but can be on any subject. The competition is open to writers from anywhere in the world. £1 from each entry will be donated to First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people.

Outsideleft Short Story Competition

[ Outsideleft Short Story Competition Website ]

This is the first annual short story writing competition from Outsideleft – an online midland’s based magazine where pop culture writing matters. This year’s theme is ‘Concrete’; it is free to submit and the upper word limit is 1000 words.

Ovacome Writing Competition

[ Ovacome Writing Competiton Website ]

Ovacome – the UK’s national ovarian cancer support charity – are running a short story competition on the theme of ‘Connected’ with a word limit of 2000 words. They can’t wait to read inspiring and creative stories from writers whatever their previous experience.

Oxford Poetry Prize

[ Oxford Poetry Prize Website ]

This is the inaugural Oxford Poetry Prize, and will be awarded to the best single poem in the English language. The guest judge for 2022 is Emily Berry and first place will receive £700, second place, £200, and third place, £100. All winning poets will be offered publication in Oxford Poetry. The competition closes at midnight GMT on Wednesday, August 31st, 2022. Submissions are welcome from poets worldwide.

Parracombe Prize

[ Parracombe Prize Website ]

The Parracombe Prize is in its second year and looking for the best short stories that weigh in at under 2022 words. Winners are awarded cash prizes and will feature in their second anthology of short stories.

Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry

[ Patricia Eschen Prize Website ]

The inaugural Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry 2022 is sponsored by the Dennis Myner Trust in collaboration with Cornwall’s only independent library, the Morrab Library in Penzance.

The competition will open for entries from Friday 1st July 2022. Both the adult’s and children’s categories will be judged by Katrina Naomi and Penelope Shuttle, two multi-award winning poets based in Cornwall.

The 2022 competition does not have a theme; poems can be on any subject to a maximum line length of 40 lines for each poem. The competition is open to international entries, entry is free and limited to one poem per individual. Poems must be written in the English language.

PBS/Mslexia Women’s Poetry Competition

[ PBS Website ]

The Poetry Book Society and Mslexia have teamed up for two competitions for women poets. The Women’s Poetry Competition offers a £2,000 prize, a mentorship with PBS Book Selector Sandeep Parmar and a Cove Park writing retreat. The winner of the Women’s Pamphlet Competition will receive publication by independent UK publisher Seren.

Pen to Print Competitions

[ Pen to Print Website ]

The Pen to Print is a creative writing network, funded by Arts Council England and run out of Barking and Dagenham Library Services. They host free writing events, classes and competitions. The competitions are held annually, and prizes range from audio recordings of the winning entries to tablets and electronic publication.

Perito Prize

[ Perito Website ]

This annual competition is run by an inclusive environment consultancy, and seeks stories that touch on the theme of accessibility. Entry is free, and there’s a top prize of £500. More specific information on what they’re seeking – and the wider work of Perito – can be found on the website.

Poetry Book Awards

[ Poetry Book Awards ]

The series of awards is looking to recognise the best independently published and self-published poetry books from across the globe. The winner also receives a year-long subscription with PN Review and some promotion from the team behind the awards.

Poetry London Prize

[ Poetry London Website ]

The Poetry London Prize is a major international award for a single outstanding poem. The total prize fund is £8,000, with all prize-winning entries published in Poetry London magazine. The organisers provide a number of free entries for people on low incomes, and discounted entries for subscribers to Poetry London .

Prole Laureate Competition

[ Prole Website ]

This competition welcomes entries of previously-unpublished poems, with a particular focus on poems that are engaging, accessible, challenging and entertaining. Guidelines are open regarding length, style and content. Winners and runners-up are published online.

Prole Poetry Pamphlet Prize

This competition seeks a poetry collection that epitomises the values of Prole : writing that engages, challenges and entertains the reader. The winning entry will receive publication as well as the prize money. Collections should be less than 35 pages in length.

Reader’s Digest 100-Word Story Competition

[ Reader’s Digest Website ]

The Reader’s Digest 100-Word-Story Competition is a chance to show the world your story-telling talents. There are three categories—one for adults and two for schools: one for children aged 12–18 and one for children under 12. Stories should be original, unpublished, and exactly 100 words.

RSL Christopher Bland Prize

[ RSL Christopher Bland Prize Website ]

The RSL Christopher Bland Prize is an annual award of £10,000 to a debut novelist or non-fiction writer first published aged 50 or over. The Prize was launched in 2018 by the Bland family and friends, with the RSL, in memory of Sir Christopher Bland who died in 2017.

RSL Literature Matters Awards

[ RSL Literature Matters Awards Website ]

The RSL’s Literature Matters Awards aim to reward and enable literary excellence and innovation. Each year, after an open call for proposals, the Awards are given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. A total of £20,000 is available. Priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters

RSL Ondaatjee Prize

[ RSL Ondaatjee Prize Website ]

An annual award administered by the Royal Society for Literature which goes to the work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry that judges feel best evokes the spirit of a place. All prize winners also receive a paperweight clock, which they are awarded at a celebratory dinner.

Rhys Davies Short Story Competition

[ Rhys Davies Competition Website ]

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition recognises the very best unpublished short stories in English in any style and on any subject up to a maximum of 5,000 words by writers in/from Wales. Entrants must have been born in Wales, have lived in Wales for two years or more, or currently be living in Wales.

Saveas Writers’ International Writing Competition

[ Saveas Writers Website ]

To celebrate the centenary of TS Eliot’s visit to Margate, Saveas Writers are looking for the poems (60 lines maximum) and short stories (3500 words maximum) on the theme of “horizons”. There are three prizes available in both categories and a reduced entry fee for three pieces in either category.

Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition

Open to writers worldwide and stories on any topic up to 2,000 words. Chief judge Ian Rankin. Top 20 stories offered publication in an annual anthology. Top six writers awarded free ticket to the annual Story Awards Dinner at the Scottish Arts Club in Edinburgh. Managed by the Scottish Arts Trust. All proceeds used to support the arts in Scotland.

Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition

[ Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition Website ]

Winners are published in Southword . Previous prizes have also included a week-long residency and an expenses-paid trip to the Cork International Short Fiction Festival. The organisers say, “The Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition […] is dedicated to one of Ireland’s most accomplished story writers and theorists, sponsored by the Munster Literature Centre.”

Searchlight Awards

[ Searchlight Awards Website ]

Searchlight Writing for Children Awards 2022 is open for entries. There are two competition categories: Best Picture Book (text only) and Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults. Winners will be chosen by BBC Children’s Writer and Director Kayleigh Keam and Literary Agent Amber Caravéo. The top ten stories in both categories will feature in an agent/publisher pitch book, as well as published in an annual anthology.

Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition

[ Sentinel Literary Quarterly ]

This quarterly poetry competition seeks out original, previously unpublished English-language poems on any subject. Prizes of £250, £125 & £75 for the top-three placed poems, and 3 x £30, 3 x £20 and 3 x £10 for Highly Commended, Commended and Special Mentioned poems, respectively.

Southport Writers’ Circle Annual Short Story Competition

[ Southport Writers’ Circle Website ]

With an upper limit of 2000 words, SWC are looking for original, unpublished short stories on any theme. They encourage online entries and winners will be published on SWC’s website.

Stroud Book Festival Writing Competition

[ Stroud Book Festival Website ]

In addition to the main strands of poetry and flash fiction, this competition also has a mainstream fiction category, which seeks a synopsis and extract from a longer work of mainstream fiction. The prize for this category includes a five-day writing retreat.

Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award

[ Sunday Times EFG Award Website ]

One of the most valuable short story prizes in the UK. “The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Award honours the finest writers of short stories in the UK and Ireland. Worth £30,000 to the winning author, it is open to anyone with a previous record of publication in creative writing in the UK or Ireland.”

Sussex Poetry Competition

[ Brighton + Hove Arts Council Website ]

Split between its ‘main’ competition and student competition, the Sussex Poetry Competition is held in conjunction with the Sussex Poetry Festival. Its organisers are looking for poems on any subject that are not more than 40 lines in length. Entrants must have a link to Sussex – either having lived, studied, worked or been born in the county.

The Anne Marie Gracie Memorial Poetry Competition

[ The Anne Marie Gracie Memorial Website ]

The Anne Marie Gracie Memorial Poetry Competition was launched in 2022 to celebrate the life of Anne Marie Gracie, who sadly died of cancer in the May of that year. The link above allows people to read her work and enter the poetry competition in her memory. All profits go to Ayshire Cancer Support.

The Bedford Competition

[ The Bedford Competition Website ]

The Bedford Competition is looking for poems (of 40 lines) and short stories (up to 3000 words) on any theme; they are a non-profit group with all net proceeds from the competition going to charities that support and promote literacy/literary skills.

The Bi-monthly Free Flash Fiction Competition

[ The Free Flash Fiction Website ]

The Bi-monthly Free Flash Fiction Competition promotes the work of flash fiction authors, offers a cash prize to one winner, gives book prizes to two highly commended, and publishes all the stories that make the shortlist on its website. In a novel twist, the winner of the current competition is then be invited to be the judge for the next competition.

The Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award

[ The Blue Pencil Website ]

The Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre. To submit for the competition, they require the first chapter(s) of the novel – up to 5000 words -, a 300-word synopsis and cover letter. There are also up to 20 free entries to UK based writers on low incomes.

The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition

[ Canterbury Tales Comp Website ]

This competition was set up by the Chaucer Heritage Trust to create further interest, understanding and appreciation of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, his life and times and influence. This year’s theme is  promises, promises ! The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities, but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations.

The Liverpool Poetry Prize

[ The Liverpool Poetry Website ]

Run by Liverpool’s ‘The Brain Charity’, The Liverpool Poetry Prize has two poetry categories celebrating neurodiversity this year. Poet, Brian Patten judges over the submissions, which have a 40-line limit, and a reading of winners will take place later in the summer.

The Michael Marks Awards

[ The Michael Marks Awards Website ]

These awards aim to raise the profile of poetry pamphlets, and increase the recognition of the enormous contribution that they make to the world of poetry. There are four awards: a best poetry pamphlet award, a best publisher of pamphlets award, best illustrated poetry pamphlet, and an environmental poet of the year award; and the awards often collaborate with a range of interesting institutions: The British Library; Wordsworth Grasmere, and Harvard.

The Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour

[ The Morley Prize Website ]

The Morley Prize is looking for unpublished writers of colour, and intends to nurture and provide opportunities for aspiring novelists of colour and promote diverse fiction across the broader literary landscape of Britain. They want 30 pages of the book’s opening, an overview summary of the book and writing samples.

The Scribble Magazine Ongoing Short Story Competitions

[ The Scribble Magazine Website ]

Scribble – the short story magazine, was launched at the beginning of 1999 and has developed into one of the UK’s most popular general fiction magazines. Scribble is published quarterly, and contains a wide range of high quality fiction from new and established writers. The three prize-winning stories are chosen each quarter by a readers’ voting system.

Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition

[ Chicken House Website ]

The main prize in this competition is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a £10,000 advance. The winner will also receive an offer of representation from a top literary agent. The winning entry will be the novel that, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates the greatest entertainment value, quality, originality and suitability for children.

Troubadour International Poetry Prize

[ Troubadour International Poetry Prize Website ]

The Troubadour International Poetry Prize is an international competition, with entrants from all over the world. Judges read every poem submitted. This competition has been running since 2007, during which time it has recognised the work of hundreds of poets. Administered by Coffee House Poetry.

TS Eliot Prize

[ TS Eliot Prize Website ]

Awarded annually for the best collection of verse published in the UK or Ireland that year. One of the most prestigious British poetry prizes. This prize is administered by the Poetry Book Society and supported by the estate of reknowned poet TS Eliot, after whom it is named.

Val Wood Prize

[ Val Wood Prize Website ]

Free international competition open to anyone over the age of 16. Welcoming previously unpublished stories on the theme of Now and Then; they want uplifting and feel-good short stories. The Prizes available are 1st place, £100, £50 for 2nd place and two special commendations of £25. There is also a special ‘Yorkshire Prize’ for residents of Yorkshire. Winning entries are published on Val Wood’s website and across social media.

Virginia Prize for Fiction Competition

[ Virginia Prize Website ]

Administered by Aurora Metro Books, this competition is open to women of any nationality from any country, aged 18 and over. They are looking for entries of completed, unpublished novels for adults or YA readers, of at least 45,000 words in length.

VS Pritchett Memorial Prize

[ VS Pritchett Memorial Prize Website ]

An annual prize administered by The Royal Society of Literature for the best unpublished short story of the year. Winners are published in Prospect online and the RSL Review . The prize was founded to commemorate writer and critic Sir Victor Sawden Pritchett.

Wasifiri Queen Mary New Writing Prize

[ Wasifiri Website ]

This prize (first run in 2009) is administered by British literary magazine Wasifiri . Winners of each category and fifteen short-listed writers will be published and mentoring opportunities made available. The competition is open to anyone worldwide who has not published a complete book in their chosen category.

Watson, Little x Indie Novella Prize

[ Watson, Little Website ]

This prize is for under-represented writers of fiction of all lengths (novels, novellas, stories); it is open to all unpublished (self-published are accepted) UK-based authors aged 16 and over, and invites entries under the three themes: Community, Climate & Crime Fiction. The judges want the story’s opening 5,000 words, plus a 300 word synopsis forming the first page of the submission.

Wells Festival of Literature Competitions

[ Wells Festival of Literature Website ]

The Wells Festival of Literature has administered competitions for almost three decades, and attracts entries of an extremely high calibre. The poetry prize is awarded after a reading at the Festival in October each year, and there is a supplementary prize for young writers with a lower entry fee.

Welsh Poetry Competition

[ Welsh Poetry Competition Website ]

The first Welsh Poetry Competition was set up by poet & writer Dave Lewis in 2007. Officially launched on St David’s Day, the aim was to encourage and foster the wealth of creative writing talent that existed in Wales but at the time languished in the doldrums. The aim remains to inspire people to capture life in the present day and to give a voice to a new generation of poets and writers. Poems should be no more than 50 lines in length.

White Review Short Story Prize

[ White Review Website ]

This annual short story competition is aimed at emerging writers. It awards £2,500 to the best piece of short fiction by a writer resident in the UK and Ireland who has yet to secure a publishing deal. “The judges will be looking for short stories that explore and expand the possibilities of the form. We encourage submissions from all literary genres, and there are no restrictions on theme or subject matter . “

Wigtown Poetry Prize

[ Wigtown Poetry Prize Website ]

Refreshed and rebranded in 2019, the Wigtown Poetry Prize welcomes entries from poets writing in English wherever they may live. Separate categories celebrate the best of Scottish Gaelic and Scots language poetry, a special category acknowledges a rising talent in Dumfries & Galloway, and a pamphlet prize is named in memory of Alastair Reid – local poet and one of Scotland’s foremost literary figures.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize

[ Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize Website ]

A competition for fictional adventure writing. The prize is split into two separate categories – an award for the best published adventure novel and a award for the best unpublished manuscript by a debut author. Consult the website for details of exactly what adventure writing is, past winners, and information concerning fees, feedback supplements and concessions.

William Soutar Writing Prize

[ Culture Perth & Kinross Website ]

Culture Perth and Kinross invite individuals to take part in the William Soutar Writing Prize. This highly-regarded writing competition attracts writers from across the globe to take part, as well as many local Perth and Kinross entrants.

Wolverhampton Literature Festival Poetry Competition

[ Wolv. Lit. Fes t Website ]

WoLF Poetry Competition 2023 is open until December 31st for poetry submissions on any theme. Judged by Jane Commane of Nine Arches Press, there are cash prizes and a special prize for people who live in the WV postcode.

Women’s Prize for Fiction: Discoveries

[ Women’s Prize for Fiction Website ]

Discoveries invites unpublished women writers from the UK or Ireland to submit the opening of a novel in English, of up to 10,000 words. Unlike most initiatives of this kind, writers are not required to have finished their novel, and Discoveries is completely free to enter.

In partnership with Audible, Curtis Brown Literary Agency, and the Curtis Brown Creative writing school, Discoveries is more than a traditional prize whereby the winner receives an offer of representation and a cash prize; it is a pioneering development initiative which offers practical support and encouragement to aspiring female novelists of all ages and backgrounds, from across the UK and Ireland.

Writers’ & Artists’ Working Class Writer’s Prize

[ Writers’ & Artists’ Website ]

A free-to-enter opportunity for writers who identify as working-class; submit the beginning of your unpublished work in progress and a one-page synopsis of the full manuscript for the chance to received a cash prize, mentoring and membership to The Society of Authors.

Writing Magazine Grand Prize

[ Writing Magazine Website ]

This popular magazine for writers administers a number of competitions throughout the year – this is their biggest. Entries in any genre are accepted up to 2000 words, and there are reduced entry rates for subscribers to the magazine.

1 thought on “ The Big List of UK Writing Competitions ”

Wow, this was exactly what I had been looking for. Such a wide range of opportunities gathered in one place that makes them easy to find!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Basket

• About the Prize
• The 2024 Prize
• The Borders Book Festival

The Young Walter Scott Prize

• Past Prizes

YOUNG WALTER SCOTT NEWS

News archive.

• February 2024

6th April, 2022

The ultimate guide to competitions for young writers 2022

Getting words down onto the page isn’t the hard part for many keen young writers, but making the time to polish a story or poem can be hard. That’s especially true if you’re in school and juggling other demands like exams or extracurricular activities. But entering a writing competition is a motivation to do the editing that will turn your inspired draft into a shining example of your craft. Here’s a list of competitions aimed at young writers and poets; why not give one a go? We’re starting with our own, of course, which opens next month.  Good luck!

Organised by ourselves, the Young Walter Scott Prize is the UK’s only creative writing prize for budding historical fiction authors. You can enter if you’re between 11 and 19 and live in the UK.  You could win a £500 travel grant, an invitation to one of the UK’s best book festivals, and a chance to see your own work in print. Stories must be between 800 and 2,000 words, set in a time before you were born. For details of the next competition, opening in May 2022, and copies of previous winning entries go to this  website page or follow the YWSP on TikTok www.tiktok.com/@walterscottprizes  and YouTube www.youtube.com/c/walterscottprizes

Orwell Youth Prize

The Orwell Foundation’s Orwell Youth Prize is open to you if you’re between 8 and 13 years old. You’ll need to write a story, essay or write your own game, and the themes they’re looking for vary from year to year. This year you’ll also need to answer a question about what you think should be done about the climate crisis. Find out more at  https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/

War Through Children’s Eyes

Organised by the Azerbaijani Community in the United Kingdom, this is a new art and creative writing competition set up as part of the 30th anniversary commemoration of the Khojaly massacre in Azerbaijan in 1992. If you are a UK resident aged between 7 and 17, you can enter with an artwork or a written piece inspired by the themes of war and peace; written work should be no more than 1,000 words. The deadline is 10 May 2022 and entry is free, although participants are encouraged to make a donation to War Child. For more information, see https://www.warthroughchildrenseyes.org.uk/

Green Stories Writing Competitions

This short story competition is run by the University of Southampton and aims to inspire green behaviour; stories need to be between 2,000 and 5,000 words and include a synopsis. You’ll also need to show that you’ve read previous published work from the Green Stories project. Entry is free and the winner will take home £200. The 2022 deadline has passed, but keep an eye on the website for future competitions.  https://www.greenstories.org.uk/upcoming-competitions/short-stories-competition-for-under-18s-deadline-march-2022/

Young Poets’ Competition

Organised by the Wells Festival of Literature, which celebrates its 30 th anniversary in 2022, this competition looks for poems on any subjects but not more than 35 lines long. First second and third places all win cash awards, plus a year’s subscription to the Poetry Society. You must be between 16 and 22 years old and you can only submit one entry. Find out more https://www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk/2022-young-poets-competition/

Wenlock Olympian Society Writing Competition

This competition welcomes stories and poems and is open to young writers from around the world. There are awards in three medal categories – gold, silver and bronze – and all medallists receive their own Wenlock Olympian Society medal. Find copies of winning stories on their website, where details of the next competition will also be published later in 2022. http://www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/creative/

Author of Tomorrow

The Author of Tomorrow prize, founded by the writer Wilbur Smith, is open to young writers in a range of age categories, from 11 and under, up to 21 years. The competition aims to find the adventure writers of the future and offers a cash award, book tokens, and digital publication in an anthology. Find out more at https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org/awards/author-of-tomorrow-2019

Solstice Prize

Organised by Writing East Midlands, the Solstice Prize is open to writers aged 11 to 17; you can submit stories or poems and the prizes on offer include a cash award and a book voucher for your school. Watch the website, which has copies of previous winning entries, for details of the next competition at https://writingeastmidlands.co.uk/young-writers/solstice-prize/

Write on Art

If you’ve ever been moved by a work of art, then Write on Art is a wonderful opportunity to put your thoughts into words. The prize is organised by Art UK and the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. To enter, you should be aged 15 to 18 and residing in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland; choose one artwork from artuk.org that fascinates you. For details and guidelines see https://artuk.org/discover/stories/how-to-write-about-art-and-how-to-enter-the-write-on-art-competition

BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University

This writing prize, run by the BBC along with Cambridge University, could be for you if you’re aged 14 to 18 and live in the UK. You’ll need to write a story of up to 1,000 words; the shortlist will be announced on BBC Radio 1 and the winner will be announced live on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. Learn more at http://bbc.co.uk/ywa

The John Byrne Award

Another opportunity here for writers both young and old, but you must be living or studying in Scotland and be aged over 16. The John Byrne Award is reorganising in 2022; see its website for details at  https://www.johnbyrneaward.org.uk/enter-now/

You’ll never know how you’ll fare in a competition unless you enter, so give it a try! Whether you’ve ambitions to become an author or just enjoy working with words, it’s fun to take part. Why not take a look at our YouTube channel to meet past winners?

You’ll also find inspiration on our TikTok , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and our website .

• Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility

+44 (0)1892 710877

Writing Competitions and Events

If you are looking to take your writing to the next level, then entering a writing competition often provides that extra impetus to refine your work.

This is by no means a full list of competitions. Some writing competitions require an entry fee. Others don’t. This seems to be the norm these days and there are credible competitions that require an entry fee. Always check that you are comfortable with sending money to the organizers if this is the case.

Please contact the competition organizers directly if you have any queries. UK Writers College cannot be held responsible for the conduct of any third party competitions or events.

The Basics of Creative Writing Course

Competitions and events.

FFF – Free Flash Fiction Competition Deadline: 23 August 2024 More details here

Calibre Audio Short Story Competition Deadline: 31 August 2024 More details here

Submissions for 21 Futures anthology Deadline: 31 August 2024 More details here

WOW! Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Deadline: 31 August 2024 More details here

SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition 2024 Deadline: 31 August 2024 More details here

Crowdpen Writing Challenge Deadline: 31 August 2024 More details here

New2theScene Writing Competition Deadline: 1 September 2024 More details here

Ink of Ages Fiction Prize Deadline: 15 September 2024 More details here

Dryad Press Open Submission Deadline: 30 September 2024 More details here

The Writers College Annual Short Story Competition 30 September 2024 More details here

The Letter Review Prize For Short Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Unpublished Books Deadline: September 30 2024 More details here

Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative Deadline: 2 October 2024 More details here

EYELANDS BOOK AWARDS 2024 Deadline: 20 October 2024 More details here

Bedford Writing Competition Deadline: 31 October 2024 More details here

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024 Deadline: 15 November 2024 More details here

Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest Deadline: 30 November 2024 More details here

Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition Deadline: 31 December 2024 More details here

Next Generation Short Story Awards Deadline: 27 February 2025 More details here

To Hull And Back humorous short story competition Deadline: 30 June 2025 More details h ere

Monthly Entries

Dark Tales Short Story Competition

The Global Short Story Competition

The Short Story Writing Course

Weekly entries.

The Telegraph Travel Writing Competition

The Long and Short of it – Unity Books Short Story Competition

The Write a Novel Course

Regular entries.

Tortive Lit has a monthly 101 word creative writing competition. The prize is dictated by the number of people who enter. Each entry is £1.50. More information at www.tortivelit.com/flashfiction101

The Future Scholar Foundation run monthly short story competitions. Deadline: 28th of each month More details here

Andromeda Magazine Monthly Short Story Competition More details here

The Plaza Prizes run many writing competitions throughout the year. The purpose is to discover, publish and promote talented new writers. You can see their upcoming competitions here .

Northern Life Writing Competition run regular writing competitions. More details here

Anthology run many competitions throughout the year. Check their competitions here .

The Letter Review runs regular competitions throughout the year. Genres include Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and Unpublished Books.  Details here.

The Writers College My Writing Journey Competition . Free to enter, open to writers around the world. Regular submissions accepted. Details here>

Almond Press runs a writing competition event calendar  that is updated on a daily basis

In kitt  maintains an excellent website documenting lots of international writing competitions Details here>

Storyhouse | Contests for previously unpublished writers Details here>

Cranked Anvil Prompt Competition DEADLINES: 10am GMT on 1 April; 1 July; 1 October Details here>

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition DEADLINES: QUARTERLY: January; April; July; October. Details here>

Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition DEADLINES: QUARTERLY: February; May; August; November Details here>

Want to Transform Your Writing? Get Your Free Report!

Running a competition or an event, let us know and we'll add it to our competitions and events page., journalism courses, writing articles for websites and blogs, freelance journalism for magazines and webzines, advanced freelance journalism, travel writing, write a non-fiction book, creative writing courses, basics of creative writing, advanced creative writing, short story writing course, advanced short story writing, write a novel, write a romance novel, advanced novel writing, writing science fiction and fantasy, an introduction to poetry, advanced poetry, scriptwriting, advanced scriptwriting, writing for video games, writing books for children | part one, writing books for children | part two, write your memoir, advanced memoir writing, business & grammar, grammar for writers (english 1st language), grammar skills (english 2nd language), business writing toolkit, writing coach course, mastering punctuation, report writing and presentation, write better newsletters, specialist courses, copy-editing and proofreading, press release and media writing, copywriting, writing seo copy for websites, self-publish your e-book, writing intensives, self-guided 14-day creative writing intensive, self-guided 14-day story-building intensive, free 5-day creative writing challenge, buy a gift voucher, writing services:, writers and editors for hire, how we train, terms and conditions, privacy policy, connect with us, © 2005 - 2024 the writers college all rights reserved, [email protected], get your report, how can we help, we would love to chat to you if you have any questions about our courses. if you need advice about the best course for you, drop us a line below or email us at [email protected], we look forward to hearing from you..

• Short Story Competitions
• Writing Competitions

Writing Competitions Search and Views Navigation

Writing competition views navigation, august 2024.

21 Futures: Financial Fallout Anthology Competition

Deadline:  31 august 2024.

• Entry Fee: FREE
• Prizes: 1st place: $1,000 + feature interview; 2nd place: $500 + podcast appearance; 3rd place: $250 + social media shoutout; 4th place: $100 + signed book
• Word Limit: 3,000 words (not including title)
• Theme: ‘Financial Fallout’
• Category:  Short Story Competitions
• Competition Website: 21futures.com/submissions/

SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition 2024 – Prose

Deadline:  31st august 2024.

• Name:  The Canterbury Festival Fiction Prize sponsored by Canterbury Festival
• Theme  Risking All
• Entry Fee:  £5 per short story, £12 for three
• Prizes:  First: £200; Second: £100; Third: £50
• Word Limit:  3,500 words
• Category:  Short story competition
• Judge:  Frances Knight
• Competition Website: saveaswriters.co.uk/competitions/risking-all

Scottish Wildlife Trust Words of the Wild Writing Competition

• Adult Prizes: A pair of Osprey ED binoculars from Viking Optical, An Environmental Book Subscription from The Mainstreet Trading Company, A £200 NHBS voucher, A year’s membership to the Trust or one of our wildlife adoptions
• Word Limit: 1,000 words
• Categories:  Short Story Competitions, Poetry Competitions, Non Fiction Competitions
• Competition Website: scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/wordsofthewild/words-of-the-wild-competition

Inclusive Voices Short Story Competition

Deadline:  5pm (uk time) on 31 august 2024.

• Entry Fee: Free
• Prizes: The winner of each age category with receive various prizes including a day in the Calibre Studio in Buckinghamshire with the opportunity to record their story/hear their story being recorded for inclusion in the Calibre Collection
• Word Limit: 550 words
• Theme: Entries should feature a character with a print disability; open to residents of the UK
• Categories: Under 11s, 11-17, 18-25, 26 and over
• Competition Website: calibreaudio.org.uk/50th-anniversary/inclusive-voices

September 2024

New2theScene Short Story Competition

Deadline:  1 september 2024.

• Entry Fee: £5
• Prizes:  First prize: Interview for the New2theScene podcast; £50 New2theScene vouchers; ‘Spotlight author’ and winner’s blog, with the story featured on the New2theScene website (and possibly an anthology); Notable mentions: £15 New2theScene vouchers; possible publication in anthology
• Word Limit: 4,000 words
• Theme/Genre: Any - let your imagination free!
• Competition Website: new2thescene.co.uk/new2thecomp

Ink of Ages Fiction Prize

Deadline:  15 september 2024.

• Entry Fee:  FREE
• Prizes:  Various prizes from World History Encyclopedia and Oxford University Press
• Word Limit:  1,500 to 2,000 words (800 to 1,000 for the Youth Prize)
• Genre Guidelines:  Historical Fiction or Mythological Fiction (see site for details)
• Competition Website:   fictionprize.worldhistory.org

UK Writers College Short Story Competition

Deadline:  30 september 2024.

• Prizes:  Winner: NZ$1,000 , Second: NZ$500, Third: NZ$500; the three winning entries will be published in an anthology
• Word Limit: 2,000 words
• Theme: ‘It didn't have to be this way’
• Competition Website: ukwriterscollege.co.uk/the-uk-writers-college-annual-short-story-competition

October 2024

Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction

Deadline:  1st october 2024.

• Entry Fee:  FREE (for one entry, $5 for each additional entry)
• Prizes:  Two to four winners share in the $1,000 USD total prize pool
• Word Limit:  5,000 words
• Competition Website: letterreview.com/information/

The Bedford Competition – Short Story and Poetry Awards

Deadline:  31 october 2024.

• Entry Fee: £8.50 (or three for £17). Students: £6 (or three for £12)
• Prizes: 1st: £1500, 2nd: £300, 3rd: £200
• Word Limit: Stories up to 3,000 words; poems up to 40 lines
• Eligibility: Entrants must be aged 17 or older, but from anywhere in the world
• Category:  Short Story Competitions, Poetry Competitions
• Competition Website: bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk

Solstice Nature Prize For Young Writers

• Prizes: 1st: £100 plus publication in the Solstice Anthology (see notes for other prizes)
• Word Limit: 500 words (stories or blogs) or 40 lines (poems)
• Eligibility: Entrants must be UK residents in one of the following age categories: 7-11* years, 12-14* years, 15-17* years and 18-25 years (*entrants will need permission to enter)
• Judge: Gill Lewis (multi-award-winning and best-selling author)
• Competition Website: writingeastmidlands.co.uk/young-writers-groups/solstice-writing-prize

November 2024

Creative writing ink short story competition 2024, deadline:  4:00 pm on 15 november 2024.

• Entry Fee:  £9
• Prizes:  1st Place: £1,000 plus online publication and an online creative writing course; two runners-up prizes of £200 each
• Word Limit:  3,000 words
• Judge:  Helen Moorhouse
• Competition Website:   creativewritingink.co.uk/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2024

To Hull And Back – A Humorous Short Story Competition

Deadline:  23:59 (uk time) on 30 june 2025.

• Entry Fee: Early bird (until 31st March 2025): £10 for 1 story, £17 for 2 stories, £20 for 3 stories. From 1st April 2023 to 30th June 2025: £12 for 1 story, £20 for 2 stories, £24 for 3 stories
• Prizes: 1st Prize: £1,000, your face on the To Hull And Back Anthology cover and a trip to Hull on a Harley Davidson; 2nd Prize: £200; 3rd Prize: £100; 3 x Highly Commended: £70; 14 x Shortlisted: £35
• Word Limit: 2,500 words maximum including the title (no minimum)
• Judges:  Christopher Fielden and others
• Competition Website:   www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-competition
• Google Calendar
• Outlook 365
• Outlook Live
• Export .ics file
• Export Outlook .ics file

• Students, Staff and Alumni
• Search Students, Staff and Alumni
• Course finder
• International

Young Writer Competitions

Our writing competitions for young people aged 16-18 aim to uncover the next generation of writing talent.

Young Writer Winner 2024

We are pleased to announce that this year’s winner of the Young Writer competition is Valerija Savicka of The Bishop of Winchester Academy. Our judges said this about the entry:

• "This inventive, formally daring story is experimental in the truest sense, tackling questions about humanity and the natural world through an unassuming yet philosophical non-human lens." (Livia Franchini)
• "Truly visionary in its rendering of a fox's perspective and its place within the world, this story brings together spiritual musings and cruel violence in an unexpected way." (Winnie M Li)
• "There’s a compelling sense of incomprehensibility in how the fox’s mind is expressed that avoids neat anthropomorphism." (Thomas McMullan)
• "A whip-smart, explosive and unafraid story that is full of ideas. I feel very excited about reading this writer's future work!" (Dizz Tate)

The runner up was James Taylor of The Cotswold Academy.

Read Valerija's winning submission:

Back Once More - Valerija Savicka

 Dry ground crunched, flopping sounds of birds on a faraway tree, dots of sunlight flickered as the leaves lazily swooshed back and forth.  

 It doesn’t matter for our little point of focus.  

 It’s moving in swift, deliberate motions. Wind touching the red fur on its back. Sensitive nose; sensitive paws; sharp vision. It was made to be quick and It didn't want to lose this opportunity. 

 Now, reader, foxes cannot think in a human understandable way. It doesn't mean they cannot think at all. This particular one thought “Sun, down, soon, fast” , encouraging itself. Ooh and this one was not a usual fox as well; it was the Fox .  

 Diving under the fallen tree, vaulting over a small stream and then to the overgrown display board it rushed. Exhibiting there was a map, moulded, yellowy-brown; it was not looked at by any eye in something between a decade and forever. Except this is not entirely true: one particular pair of deep, hazel eyes were looking at it right now and had looked at it a month before and a month before and more and more.  

 The Fox stops before it, examining the washed-out picture. It's a tradition, a second of praise and acknowledgement because the Fox has been here many times and knew the path inside out but this was the place it learned the right way. “ Thank you”, it thought in a usual manner. 

 But just a second, it then turned and continued on its way. “ Fast! ”.  Sky was becoming darker; as our Fox moved the sun inhaled what was left of the light, it was harder to see but the path was remembered. Just a few more jumps, passing by the big stump and out of the bushes. If foxes could smile in a human-understandable way it would grin instantly. “Finally”   

 The Fox felt relieved to be in its usual place - a small part of the colossal hill where there were no trees or bushes. Occasional litter was here and there, of course, but it didn't distract from the view.  From the top of this land our Fox could see the whole of the forest and ocean. It was magnificent. This was not what we're here for.  

 Stepping slowly to catch its breath the Fox moved to the edge. It sat down in a comfortable but honourable way. It finally looked up. A blanket full of bright lights was stretching all over it, becoming even brighter as the sun disappeared entirely. Filling every part of the Fox with a heavy feeling of belonging. Existing. A deep inhale. An exhale. It relaxed. Feeling soft air circulating through. It felt where it always should have been. Home. 

Our Fox never knew how it learned that the dots were in fact a faraway light and not just painted on. Probably always knew. But to sit there was a relief. At first, it was just a fun activity. Then a day to wait for. Then a reason to live. Then a reason to fight through the day. 

Peace. The Fox looked at the lights and began its ceremony. Inhale. “Dear light, my light” . Exhale. “I ask, soft bed, food more. Me, become you, after” . It stood up carefully, still looking above. Bowed its head as close to the ground as it could and closed its eyes. It then sat again to try and feel the usual connection. Our Fox believed it to be stronger if it sat for a few minutes and thought really, really hard about it. It didn't want to come back yet anyway. At our Foxes home they didn't notice that it was gone, they wouldn't notice even if a day passed.  This tradition was important in a way people feel towards their childhood habits. It was like reading a bedtime story or taking all your plushies to sleep so they won't feel excluded. It was that sense of pleasant warmth that you don’t realize fully until you lose it.   Now, let me tell you how it started. The first time our Fox found the place was an acci-   There were footprints on the ground. -de- um -nt. Alright. Anyway i-   There were cans from beer laying near the bush. I’m sorry, what are you doing? Why are you bursting in? That’s not how I remember it. St- There were two men hiding. No. What is happe- They saw their prey and were taking out the knives. Knives? No, that's… you need to st- One of them whispered “look she’s curling again” and the other sneered soundlessly.  It what..? Oh.

  The Fox bowed respectfully in a thankful manner. It decided to say the last words of the ceremony and head back. It thought “Dear light, my light”    The weapon was gripped, they were ready to catch. No, please, wait a moment! “I promise, my light” I don't want to see this, please, I’m begging you, let the Fox get out, please!  The first man started running towards.  No, no, no! “Promise, return, next month. Promise, repeat, pray–”    Two men took their prize by the shoulders, fixing in a position. They were using the knife to threaten and put fear. You remember shame. The hands all over you and the fogging vision and cold air where it wasn't supposed to be. You don`t remember the details, your mind erased it.  Others did not believe you. The men were never caught.   I’m sorry. 

 “As I laid there the lights were looking at me. I knew they were telling me it was okay. I knew that they would never leave me and one day I would join. I didn’t feel my legs and arms and hoped the moment to join would come soon.”  

 You will have to face the truth. Another time you will come back, once more. 

Young Anthropologist Winner 2024:

The winner of the Young Anthropologist competition is Leo Muhibzada of the London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham . Our head judge said this about the entry:

“We were wowed by Leo’s moving and compelling essay that deftly balances the personal and the political. We were taken on a journey that retold world events through the perspective of the individual. Leo’s writing carries weight and the ability to inform and educate, whilst retaining character and emotion. Congratulations!”.

The runners-up were Torikubu Issah of Brampton Manor Academy and Yngie Buelvo of LaSWAP Sixth Form.

Read Leo's winning submission:

What Story Does My Name Tell About My Cultural Heritage? Leo Muhibzada

On 17th June 2022, sat in my year 10 classroom in Catholic school and surrounded by people who had been on a journey with me, the register came up on the digital whiteboard in the middle of the lesson.  

My friend behind me leans over her desk and excitedly taps me and my partner on the shoulder, pointing towards the screen: ‘Look! Look! It says Leo on the register!’ Her face is pure joy, excitement, pride. It swells in my chest. My partner throws her hands up to her mouth, ‘Oh my God!’ She turns to me and shakes me, screaming ‘Oh my God!’ She turns around and announces it to the class. Both friends are cheering now. Clapping arises from some corner of the room and now everyone is cheering or clapping or congratulating me.  

And if I’m being honest, I never even saw what was on the register that day. Now I only remember their faces, the feeling of freedom. That’s all that matters.  

But it's not like I didn’t have a name on the register before. It’s just that my teachers had become used to seeing one name and saying another out loud. We establish relationships with other people through our names, but at some point I had to decide how I was going to establish myself, not only in relation to others but also to myself.  

Some months after I gave myself the first name ‘Leo’, I felt a strange sense of loss. My name was no longer an identifier of my cultural heritage–itself a difficult question to answer. I am the child of first generation Afghan immigrants who grew up during the war and under the Taliban government. But as a queer and mostly white-passing individual with the name ‘Leo’, I noticed a shift in the perception of my cultural identity, and a lack of relatability to my family members who I hoped would eventually come to recognise my gender identity, and refer to me as such. 

With this realisation, I stayed up until the early hours of the morning, researching Afghan boy names until I finally found one that I felt fit. My brother’s first name is ‘Ahmad’, yet in the family we use only his middle name ‘Faisal’. This initially led me to a compromise of sorts, which is my middle name, ‘Kaihaan’. Its meaning is ‘solar system '. It holds the gravity which maintains the orbit of my first name around my last. It is the bridge between my identity and my cultural heritage. 

I have been to Afghanistan three times in my life. The most recent is the only one I can remember: In the summer of 2018 I was 11 years old, and together with my uncle’s family, I stayed a month and a half in the capital city of Kabul. I was always travelling between my mum’s side in Karte Parwan and my dad’s side in Bibi Mahru, by the airport where the planes were always jetting back and forth through the sky. Most nights with my paternal relatives we ate dinner as a massive family in the garden on the ‘suffa’, barbecuing kebab while the sun went down. With my maternal relatives we drove down to the Panjshir River or Qargha Reservoir and sat cross-legged in little huts suspended above the water, eating fresh fish or drinking tea, playing cards and eating slices of watermelon. And there were never enough seats in the car, so two or three of us would sit with our knees up in the sweltering boot, simply for the thrill of it. 

On Eid-al-Adha I watched the Qurbani take place. A yearly practice for my cousins at home but it was the first time for us newcomers. We fed the cow apples that we picked off the trees in the garden and filled up its water bowl with the hose we used to wash the car—or have water fights. On the day we were told that we couldn’t watch, but I stayed transfixed throughout the whole thing. A halo of people around my cousin and his axe, one swift motion cut through the chorus of ‘Allahu Akbar’ and blood spurted out from its neck, before settling in a pool on the patio floor. And when it was done we spent the afternoon separating the meat into equal parts and distributing it to people in the area. 

In August of 2021 the Taliban regained power, dispersing my family, with some fleeing to America and some being halted from the course of their lives. My cousins who are girls can no longer study, their futures dependent on their ability to find suitable husbands. During the day my mum kept the living room curtains closed, for fear that every time she looked out there would be soldiers and rockets outside the window of our third floor council estate flat. Watching from behind the TV screen, I felt powerless, so I spent hours filling out countless applications for my family members to find refuge in safer countries.  

You see, the cultural heritage in my name is a story I cannot tell on its own. My cultural identity is inextricably linked to both political and gender identities.  

Yet despite how distant I feel from my heritage at times, being fully integrated into western society and culture, my life continues to orbit around those memories of home. The feelings of estrangement towards my family will never outweigh the stories I carry with my name. Gravity returns me to the feeling of having experienced true freedom, and it propels me to search for that in every aspect of my life. 

My name is Leo Kaihaan Muhibzada, and it is the symbol of my freedom. 

Read the shortlisted sumbissions for the 2024 Young Writer and Young Anthropologist Competitions.

For the Young Writer's Competition, all entries were to be given the title “Back Once More” and had to include a map and the line of dialogue “that’s not how I remember it”. The word count could not exceed 1,000 words.

For the Young Anthropologist Competition, entrants were asked to write up to 1,000 words in response to the question “What story does my name tell about my cultural heritage?”

Young Writer Shortlist 2024

Back once more - sarah mcguire.

Death was close, invading his sleep. Someone was at the door again, his peace denied by another tiresome nurse. A greeting he could not respond to, he was beyond polite words now, beyond any words.  

Why don’t we let the light in, dad?   

There was light enough, the room illuminated beyond his eyelids, useless now save for the odd flutter when she touched his forehead, his hand, his cheek. Nell, yes, it must be, his only child, the circling of her thumb over his knuckles. There now, there now…  

He was a boy again, running along the strand. Arms out, wind caressing tender skin, threatening to lift his young body up, up, up, shirt catching like the ruffling feathers of a swan, in motion, in flight. On he ran, over sand parting in his wake, a trail of small, rapid footprints. The crash of the tide, its hasty retreat, attack, retreat, rush out to sea. The little boy, army of one, modern day Caligula, freezing Atlantic tide breaking around his knees. Standing with his arms out, take me, take me, echoing the cross. Come for me. Squawking seagulls overhead, swooping low, snatching what they can, the most arrogant of thieves. Then he too retreats, called back from play, from delirium to the rocks where his uncle stands, arms crossed, squinting at the boy against the sun, back to the looming mountains. Running back, socks soaking, forgetting to fear anger, snatching final moments of elated freedom.   

Look, there’s the swans coming up the canal. Ach aren’t they gorgeous, Dad? Didn't you used to paint them, the swans from home?   

There was a lightness in his bones - that was new. Almost like youth returning, ebbing like the tide. The nurse, in her sickening tone, had promised relief. Perhaps this was it. Yet, the room was full. A chorus of ancestors, suffocating him, their voices so loud in his ears and clearer than anything he had heard in years.  

I’m here now, like I promised you. I’m here.   

Harry’s voice, known from those early days when they were christened twin prodigies, kings of the classroom, drunk on youth and their own wasted talents. It was more than that. Harry’s familiar sent of cigarettes and cloves mingled with sea salt and sweat.  

A boat of their own, begged and bargained for, treasured, despite its size. Inexperienced sailors, their knees knocking together, their useless map spilling out over the side, soaked by the spray. Rocked by gentle waves with no destination except for the vast expanse of blue, or maybe Hy-Brasil. Harry singing, caring not for the words, delighting in the sound of his carrying voice. That melody passed from his mother’s people, thrown out across the waves, allowed to soar towards the dark cliffs and home again to his throat. That's not how I remember it, Harry. He’d heard the song often enough and loved it well. He laughed and kept singing, louder, louder, king of their stretch of coastline.  

Nell at his right hand, Harry too, drawing the life back to his fingers, growing ever colder now. They prayed with words he no longer understood, his heart beating slow to their steady rhythm, almost a chant, a vigil at his bedside, cast in the role of a dying saint. Behold, the great artist on his deathbed. He always imagined he would die at sea.  

It’s been a good life, hasn’t it?   

Were those tears which wavered his voice? Or age perhaps, finally catching up with him. There was something he needed to remember. A promise? No. The map, where was it? He needed it now to show him the way forward, to run his fingers along the coastline and the notes they made on that trip together, back to the kingdom of his childhood, only seventeen and so sure of themselves. Outside the window, a seagull shrieked, angered at some small defeat, a packet of crisps dropped into the canal.  

The sea, the sea. Vast Atlantic, gateway to the new world, giver of life, father of the port, his port. Somewhere in the first bloom of boyhood. Busy little harbour, sailors converge with wide brimmed hats and deep-pocketed overcoats, weather beaten, wind cutting deep creases into young skin. Restless horses, whinnying at idle carts, laden with goods, exotic, essential, world renowned. Hooves and feet and squawks and rolling barrels, ale splashing the wooden walls, a turbulent sea. He in the middle of it all, greedy senses hoarding the scene, captured in a few quick lines, sketches made perched on the harbour wall. Here old men came to relive youthful dreams of adventure. His home-made map, the first of its kind, gripped in his small hands, an early masterpiece. 

That was gone too. Where was Nell, where was Harry? Alone at last? No. In the corner, his brother stood, hands held out. Have you come to take me? Is she with you? Anne, she was close, he knew it, she was there, just beyond. He shook his head, for a poet he kept his words close, never letting them slip from his grasp., He looked younger than he had in years, his hair long, out of fashion with his high collared shirt, worn some fifty years ago for an occasion he no longer recalled. Where is she, my Anne, my love? Someone was singing a mourning song. A snatch of blue fabric, Anne’s wedding coat, a flash of her dark hair, long and free as it had been the day he first walked at her side along the strand. The veil was lifting.  

You’re going home, my boy.   

Whose voice was that? Rough with the gravel of a sailor, those words he had heard before and wept over. A young boy pleading to his uncle, this is my home, I belong here, with you. No tears came now, an aching relief, the decades falling away. No more pain. Silence. There it was, at last. The sea, the sea, the sea.

Back Once More – Britney Olaniyi

Bordering the sheet is the rushed silhouette of a body. Each dashed route and pathway is smudged into an indistinct blur. Tacked under colourful pushpins are the capitals—every landmarked organ that we mythicize in midnight poetry. Marvel at the overcrowded heart; lungs scrubbed raw; the insect-littered stomach, a reservoir of emotion; or perhaps the fallen brain, crossed out ten times over with feverish red ink.

Clutching this unconventional map is I, the uneasy explorer. This body is mine. Or, was mine. It’s been so long—or maybe just so intense—that navigating myself is now an impossible task.

Not too long ago, I gave away everything I had.

Yearning. Desperately chasing. Running after love. This process engulfs your being, until that’s who you become; that’s all you are. A yearner, a chaser, a lover. I wasn’t merely myself anymore. The graph of my body and all its functions, every secret location and treasured monument—it all belonged to you.

There was always something about you. You were not like me: the common earthly map—static, unchanging, comfortably traditional. Perhaps the best way to describe you was as the print of the universe. You were the wonder and ineffable fear of gazing up into the dark. The incessant movement of the stars from a planet where they seemed endlessly at rest.

That was the problem. You were always out of reach. I’d send my love into space—scream my amateur sonnets into the night sky. Then constellations would form, burning with flushed potential. You were beautiful, of course. Beautiful, and scary. But you wouldn’t accept my love, not really. You couldn’t.

I didn’t accept this for a long time. But, inevitably, the night broke into restful dawn. Moonlight was replaced by the tender colours of the sunrise. And with the morning haze came realisation.

I had to find myself again.

The stomach in particular scares me. The butterflies you could once find here—maybe photograph in brilliant shades of orange and blue—had decayed into mounds of coppery dust, swirling with flat emotion. The larynx isn’t much better, either. Another graveyard. I kick aside scraps of all the words we used to exchange, dead and hollow things. I look for the brain, too. Grab onto shattered nerves, marvel at the glow of pulsing signals under my fingertips and climb through torrents of crude emotion all until I find my destination. Completely deserted. “OUT OF COMMISSION”, a sign reads. I chuckle.

And then there’s the heart, of course. I don’t even stop to examine the damage. A predictable sight—the shattered pieces, the desperate bandages. Classic. And tiring. But there’s somewhere I know I need to reach in there—a remote location, a place even I can find without guidance.

I get there before I know it, pulling away the screaming caution tape holding me back. Everything my heart has ever whispered about you, and every wave of emotion that your memory triggers lives here. Imprints of you in stuttering, sad colours: your undefinable stare, the overcast expression you’d have most days. The pain, and the fear, and all the emergent shadows that buried you as far away from me, and everything else, as you could get.

It had been so dark here. Everything would power on for those special few weeks, then come crashing back down into lonely quiet. It was hard to do anything in the dark. Walks down linear roads distorted into labyrinthine streets. Chasing you down monstrous paths, through stifling gloom, to no avail. Loving you became a bitter and barren task—lost all its brilliance and joy. Our manmade attempts to forge your smile, or to switch on ‘happy’ in you, will always flicker off into stinging nothingness. I know, because it happened every time.

But there’s something here. Something… different. A dim glow is pulsing from within, the colour of trembling hope. Strange. With a shallow breath, I place my hands on the blushing walls, expecting them to waver under my touch. But I only feel a restless movement—the shaky excitement and blooming warmth of first meetings. Still there.

Under my feet, something vivid remains—the rolling anticipation of locked eyes; the potential energy of your hand in mine. The soft echoes of the vast waters, and wistful, storybook sunlight that drifts over warm, winding roads. It all dances around me—through me and beyond me.

With awe, I trace the branching pathways that sprawl from vein to vein. Everything’s still here, and more. It all flows back. A confession, your embrace, the solidity of your arms in spite of it all. That heavy closeness, enduring emotion, feverish dreams… and the past, and the future, and now. Right now, I saw… beauty. 

It was strange. It was all so strange. You were hiding. Running. Gone. Yet, you’re… here. And… you’re happy.

It seems like you’re happy.

“But… that’s not how I remember it,” I breathe softly to myself. “You were…”

I trail off into the sounds of laughter and airy chirping—nature’s song. A quilted blue sky with porcelain clouds. Cool, easy shades of green, and the stillness of concrete under my feet. A familiar, bright ambience I knew by heart.

Here. Everything brought me here. I’m outside a park again, suspended in motion at a simple black fence. Waiting in the exact spot you had looked at me so differently to anyone else, a vague wonder in your eyes.

“Close your eyes,” you had softly requested that day, in front of some postcard-looking tree. A picturesque location, yes, but nerves had stripped my mouth dry with unidentified emotion. So, I waited for another, braver day—a better time.

And we kissed eventually, under weeping skies, in the middle of throbbing rain—the memory now a permanent landmark in my mind.

I look down again; the map is gone. But now, I can finally see what’s in front of me, just like it was before: great, brilliant trees, with riches of flowering white blossoms, towering into the afternoon sky, embraced by the breeze.

It was beautiful. I hadn’t even noticed.

Back Once More – James Taylor

You see these lines? Carl asked, circling his finger around a point on a large paper map sprawled open on the dashboard. The fold-lines were sharp, the map had not left the glovebox of the old Ford in years. They’re called contour lines, he said. It means there’s a hill there. The closer together the lines are, the steeper the hill. You can’t see it on this, but your new home is just around here. Grace’s face flickered tentatively between smiling and crumpling. 

                  Is mummy coming with us?  

Carl was hardly used to her being able to talk coherently. He paused for a few seconds and stared at her. Mummy is gone, Grace, he said. Her mouth opened slightly but she made no sound. 

Come on, Carl, leave it there, he thought, don’t lie to her. He wanted to be honest then, but when he met his daughter’s pooling eyes, he added; So we need to make the place look perfect and loved for when she gets back! The three-hour drive turned into four and then five as the little car, packed full of luggage and unanswerable questions, struggled up the hill. As they pulled into the driveway, the rusted gates welcomed Carl home like his mother’s open arms used to – his childhood home was perfectly isolated, the gift of an introverted architect, and had sat gutted and abandoned for years watching over the forest. Carl’s grandfather had left it to his daughter, who in turn left it to Carl. He had not been back since he first left. Grace was more helpful than one would expect a four-year-old girl to be; she moved box after box from the boot into the blank house with enthusiasm. They stopped for a moment to rest from the heavy lifting and to appreciate the view of the forest from the balcony. Grace jumped on Carl’s back for a minute to see over the balcony, then climbed back down. We are very far away, she said.  

Yes, that’s the beauty of the place. 

                  What if mummy cannot find us out here? 

Carl raised his eyebrows and inhaled deeply. She’ll find us, he said, she could always - can - can always find places. I’m going to explore a bit more. don’t lift anything until I get back. His face tensed into itself as he walked away from his daughter.  The bathroom had a cabinet over the sink with a mirror on the front. Gripping the sides of the sink Carl stared into his own eyes, commanding them not to well up. His orders were ignored, and he crumpled like tissue. He sat crying on the cold bathroom tiles for some time, massaging his forehead with one hand and stifling his cries with the other. Grace had been running about the house looking for him. She called something up the stairs. He composed himself, and called back down to her, One minute Gracie. His call echoed in the bathroom, and sounded back to him in some shaky, unrecognisable parody of his own voice. He got up and washed his face with cold water. The red residue of his tears was persistent, he quickly gave up trying to hide it. He unlocked the bathroom door and walked downstairs. He could not find Grace downstairs. He called her name to no response, and she wasn’t in the Ford. He started to run around the house shouting her name, chased by Loss itself, his imagination performing all the worst possible scenes; she was lost in the forest, fallen off the balcony, crawling on the roof – all of these were true to him at once, and he ran faster.  He finally saw her out of an upstairs window. She was sitting in the overgrown garden, reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. See you soon, Loss said, giving up the chase and dissipating like an anticlimactic raincloud. Carl caught his breath and walked slowly down to the back door. Grace smiled and dropped her book when she saw her father.  I couldn’t find you, Grace, I was worried. Don’t wander off like that. 

                  Sorry, I was in Wonderland. She smiled, picked the book back up and held it to her chest. 

Be careful with that book. It’s a first edition. An heirloom.  Grace lost her smile, upset by his tone. Carl sighed and sat down next to her in the grass. He took the book and threw it to the whim of gravity; it landed heavily in the dirt a few feet away from them. You know, the last time I was here, I was packing, ready to move with your mother into the city. Grace said nothing. Carl had given up smoking after Grace was born, but he longed for a cigarette.   It’s so empty, isn’t it? That’s not how I remember it at all. My mum, dad, brothers, sister, however many cats, were around constantly, noisy as the city. Just us now. Me and you against the world, Gracie. Grace smiled softly. When mummy gets here, she will make it more happy, she said. Tell her, Carl, explain to her, be a father, he thought. Let’s go bring the rest of those bags in, so that mummy doesn’t have to carry anything when she gets here, he said. The sun set late, about eight o’clock, and they watched it fall below the trees from the balcony.  Where does the sun go after it sets, daddy? What? When the day is finished, and the moon comes. Where does the sun go? Carl thought for a long time. They sat in silence watching the moon materialise above them. Somewhere nice, Gracie. I’m sure it goes somewhere nice. And it still keeps us warm: in fact, all the light the moon gives us is really the sun’s light, reflecting. Even when the sun is gone, Gracie, it still keeps us warm. Remember that, Gracie. Remember that. 

Back Once More - Humayra Vohra

Two girls lie on their backs in a meadow, cabbage butterflies flittering over their heads and summer air cloying and sweet in their mouths, teeth numb with sun and teenage thrill. Lips pink. Minds racing. A discarded map lays in the grass next to them. 

 “Told you, Cissa.” Alice grins. “All this, an hours walk from your house.”

Hills dotted with daffodils and wildflowers sprawl out at their feet — endless exploration and escape that they’d found from a red cross scribbled on an old map in Alice’s dusty attic. Treasure spot, she’d told her.

“I had to jump out the front window for this, you know,” Cissa rolls over onto her back, gold hair catching sunlight. “My mother will kill me.”

Alice tilts her head. Her eyes are hiding things, flecks of green crawling as ivy does, to shield, to protect. “You’ll be okay, though?” She swallows. “I didn’t mean to make you come out.” 

“Of course I will.” Cissa lies, picking at the grass stains on her knees. “Why don’t you tell me about the new Beatles album, Alice.”

Her eyes crinkle like she knew they would, and she watches the way Alice lights up: waving her hands, all rosy and passionate. Spools of honeyed light dance over their arms, thread falling from a celestial bobbin. 

“What?” Alice stops with a laugh. “Why are you looking at me?”

“Nothing. I’m not looking at you. Just—” A soft wind tickles her skin, ruffles Alice’s dark hair. It’s shining with a myriad of brightly coloured ribbons — candied fruit, sharp jewels. “Colour looks good on you.” She settles on.

Alice raises a brow. “Thanks, I suppose.” She considers, splaying her hands out into the dirt. “Colour would look good on you too, if you let it in.”

Cissa attempts to hide her smile. “I was thinking I might try red lipstick. It could be my thing.”

“I can’t wait to see that.” Dimples pop up on Alice’s face. “You always reminded me of cherries.”

Youth is whimsy and pretty on the girls as wise, knobbly trees twist up and over them, small fingers of shade for sweet flesh. Summer dares Cissa to search for secrets: constellations of freckles on Alice’s round cheeks, and to count them up and store them for the winter when they disappear. There is a beat of silence.

“Can we be here forever?” Alice whispers suddenly. “Just us and this, where your mother doesn’t hate me and where she isn’t mean to you. Where we don’t have to grow up. Where we can be girls with each other. You and your ocean eyes and me.”

“I wish,” She trails off. Alice — girl that belongs to the wild and adventures and wearing pants and riding bikes. And Cissa. No. She shakes her head. No, it’s impossible. There’s a lump in her throat. “Let’s just remember this, then? This moment.”

Slowly, Alice reaches for Cissa’s hand.

A thrum pulses beneath her fingers, and she knows that they are watered and fed by hope and laughter. Summer ripens her dear fruits for inevitable plucking, leaving them to lie until they are scooped up into a casket. 

December 2023

Alice knows that she was young, once, even if she doesn’t exactly remember the raw taste of childhood, the bright pulses of teenage years and the slow, fast descent from adulthood to where she lingers now. 

Blink and you’ll miss it. 

She mourns her salad days all the same.

Wrinkles sink and raise her skin, a tram on uneven ground, lightning streaking the sky. There is something divinely torturous about existing for this long. Having such thin, stained, ancient eyes. 

Who will miss her? Well Alice has visitors, yes, of course, who remember her even when she forgets them. There is a boy that turned into a man in the blink of an eye, and a strange woman who sits, throat bobbing. She never speaks. Actually, she hasn’t visited Alice’s ward in some time.

 Inhaling, Alice shuffles out of her bed with a good degree of effort. For years, she’s been asking herself who she is. Why she’s here, because she’s a forgetful soul, at least that’s what the nurse tells her, with a pitiful smile and shake of her head. You can never cling to one bit of information for long, Alice dear. That’s just how you work now, and it’s terribly sad and frustrating, I know that. But it’ll all get better soon, and you’ll be happy. 

What she means is Alice is dying. 

Something urgent striking her, she digs for the shoe box under her mattress. The map crinkles, a red cross faded pink; so fragile that Alice thinks it treasure.

Like magic, for a moment she is whisked back to a golden time. A meadow. A girl.

But Alice stumbles on icy ground. Winter has settled here: cold teeth tearing into flesh, starving for a good hunt in the barren lands she cultivates — sitting on a throne of yellow carcasses. Naked toes in snow. Demanding sacrifice. 

An unkindness of ravens blots out the weak water sun. 

“That’s not how I remember it.” Alice croaks, clutching the map, half-delirious and looking for—

A young, skinny girl with blonde hair and eyes that twinkle like oceans gives her a smile. Her form flickers, bright around the edges. 

Grazed knees and turned backs. A burst of colour. Scars and regrets. Bones knocking and leaving.

For a second, a sea, a river, all the water on the planet rushes forth, frothing in white delight. Fizzling over into space. The earth rolls her shoulders back with a sigh, relishing.

“Hello.” The girl says, looking somehow blissful and sad. “Alice, my girl.”

“I’m not a girl.” She replies hoarsely. Alice’s heart is pulling, unravelling over miles of ground she’s never felt.

“We were.” The girl is firm. Her lips are red, like cherries. “We soon will be again, I hope.”

Young Anthropologist Shortlist 2024

What story does my name tell about my cultural heritage gehhna arora.

‘Call me Violet,’ –

I distinctly remember saying this to my parents around age 6, attempting to convince them to change my name. Going to a predominantly white primary school and being surrounded by phonetically obvious names, I often found that mine was difficult to comprehend. 

When asked how my name was decided, my parents provided an anecdote detailing how they had watched a Bollywood movie where the heroine’s name was Gehna, and had immediately loved it. More than this, they admired the meaning behind the name - jewel - and always encouraged me to stick with it, emphasising how, at least to them, I fit this description. 

Having migrated from India to the UK in the late 1990s, my parents were faced with the added complexity of how my name, as it was pronounced in India, would not be read the same way here. To overcome this, they went through a series of trials, testing the name on their English friends and seeing whether they were able to say it. From the data of these surveys, they realised that for it to maintain its closest pronunciation to the Indian one, they needed to change something. Hence, they landed on my current first name: Gehhna. 

Despite all their efforts, my name is consistently mispronounced. For example, I’ve been referred to as: 

• Jenna And many more.

My name has also, to my surprise, not been an obvious indicator of my ethnicity. As someone who considers themself quite obviously Indian it was a shock to me when people thought I was Latina, Malaysian, and even Bulgarian. Regardless, what shocked me most was when Indians themselves failed to recognise me as a fellow Indian, often guessing my roots lay elsewhere. It made me realise the reliance I had placed on my name to allow people to place me. My name seemed to play a greater role than simply a reference for me, rather, it provided a means of recognition, a connection between me and my cultural identity. I questioned whether, in adding addendums to my name to make it easier for me to assimilate into this new culture, I lost a certain connection with my heritage. 

Perhaps it was the way my name was pronounced, my mother always placed a certain emphasis on the ‘h’ (hence the addition of an extra one just to make sure it really stuck). Because of this, phonetically my name, when pronounced by non-indians, sounds like ‘Ge-heh-na’. Unfortunately for me, because of this overly clarified pronunciation, people often spelt my name as ‘Gehenna’ - in Christian belief a place of eternal punishment and torment. Although this has never personally affected me, nor has anyone I’ve met ever mentioned this curious fact, living in a country where, at least according to my Religious Studies GCSE, Christianity is considered the main religious tradition, I can’t imagine this is a great reputation to have attached to me. 

Nonetheless, it fascinates me to see how my name, with roots in Sanskrit, has such a different meaning to the Christian meaning, which has roots in Greek, and yet can sound so similar. It made me question whether and in what way, say, a devout Christian who believes in this place of ‘Gehenna’ would view me differently to how an Indian woman, born and brought up in India who spoke Hindi, would if they each met me for the first time. Does my name really speak volumes about my cultural heritage if other cultures and religions hold different meanings for the word, and has the westernisation of my name (whether by pronunciation or spelling) impacted the extent to which I’m perceived as Indian? 

When speaking to my parents about their experience when first visiting the UK, I began to further realise their motivation in altering the spelling of my name. My mother’s first visit was in 1989 to Birmingham. Being her first long term stay, she was visited by many of her English-Indian cousins, most of whom warned her about crime rates and racial abuse, instructing her not to go out by herself. Coming from a small town in Punjab where her father was a police officer, she was not accustomed to such rigid restrictions and infringements upon her lifestyle. Quickly, she felt restrained and viewed the UK as unsafe, especially for her as a brown woman. Moreover, her cousins would joke about her pronunciation of words, mimicking her and highlighting how her English was different from theirs. Needless to say these jokes stuck with her. Although light-hearted in spirit, with the ever present pressure of having to assimilate into a foreign culture post marriage, each joke felt less and less humorous. Even still my mother never held a grudge. Being Sikh, a religion in which even the concept of revenge or ‘badla’ doesn’t exist, she truly retained the spirit of her culture despite the move. When I was younger she would often speak about her desire for my brother and I to adopt what was referred to as ‘the Queen’s English’. This signified the posh, perfect pronunciation people jested she did not have. In some ways, this wish of hers for my brother and I explains the need for the extra letters in my name. She wanted my name to have the same clarity to the English that this ‘Queen’s accent’ had, a clarity those around her joked she did not. 

Therefore, I find my name speaks further than simply to my lineage. It speaks to the need to assimilate, the feeling of belonging, and the journey that my immigrant parents took, like many others, to bring me to where I am today. Throughout periods of confusion and even desire to change my name, it stayed a constant in my evolving identity. Because of this, I now feel an immense sense of pride in it, knowing that it helped to connect me to India and England, my two cultural identities, at the same time. 

What story does my name tell about my cultural heritage? Yngie Buelvo

“Do you still want to change your name when you’re older?” 

I am in the passenger seat of my dad’s car when the question leaves his lips, and a pang of guilt reverberates through my body. It comes off light-hearted – like most things my dad says – as if out of curiosity or like it had just been a passing thought. And yet, as he looks out to the traffic light ahead of us, I imagine he is reminiscing on my primary school years and the first time I had asked if I could change my name. I worry if his heart sank. I wonder if my mother regretted the name she chose after hearing her little girl express a burning desire for a new one. They both laughed off the request when I was 6, but in the car, years later, I feel the impact of my thoughtless wish, which weighed down on my parents’ minds and hearts. It became a concern – they think I hate my name. 

My name is Yngie, pronounced ‘In-Jee’. My mother’s name is Filipina, shortened to Ynah, and my father’s name is Regidor, shortened to Regie. My name is an amalgamation of theirs, a symbol of their union, a ‘ship name’ even. As a child I was unaware of how common practice this method of naming is in the Philippines. Mashing their names together is a way for parents to gift their child with a unique title, one rarely ever heard or seen before. And yet, I never appreciated the thought or the tradition. All I understood was that it was absurd to most, a name that nobody else has, which I interpreted as a name that nobody wants.  

While my feelings towards my name have changed considerably since my childhood, I can still recall the reasons I so desperately sought a new one. The obvious is something most people with eccentric names can relate to; my name is typically met with jokes, rhymes, mispronunciations and misspellings. The latter two are so common, at some point it gets tiring to correct every wrong form your name takes. They are inconvenient, but for the most part carry no ill-intention. What were slightly more harmful to the 6-year-old me were the jokes, and laughter that followed them. I could sometimes understand how a pun might be funny, but the jokes were more often alienating, with little me left in the dark, suppressing the suffocating embarrassment, laughing along only because everyone else did too.  

My name was just another thing that othered me, another non-conforming aspect of my being. My Catholic primary school community was largely white, black and mixed-race kids. You could count the number of Southeast Asian children on your fingers. Consequently, the friends I made came from cultures that contrasted mine, as did their appearances. Being immersed in a multicultural community is a blessing that I believe has positively shaped my perspective of the world. But in my younger years, I found myself wanting to assimilate, rather than indulge in and endorse my own culture. White friends, white princesses and white female leads on American TV shows were the building blocks for my standard of beauty. Wanting to pick a new name went hand in hand with wishing my hair were golden blonde and that my skin would magically appear some shades lighter after every shower. Younger Yngie wanted nothing more than to wake up and see a white girl in the mirror. Fortunately, with age comes experience, discovery and growth. I learned more about my own ethnic background and saw myself represented in Asian media. As of writing this, I have never been more comfortable in my body and name.  

 I now partake in the same unyielding Pinoy pride instilled in most Filipinos from birth. However, being raised in London means there is an unfortunate disconnect with my heritage. My parents have done everything in their power to incorporate Filipino culture into my daily life, but it is inevitable for diasporic children to lose parts of the full experience. I am fed Filipino food; I celebrate Filipino traditions; my parents employ Filipino customs in our house and speak Tagalog. I comprehend everything they say, but speaking will not come as easily, especially when success in professional aspects of my life have required nothing less than impeccable English. I do not know what it’s like to wake up to street vendors bellowing ‘Taho!’, or what it’s like to practise dancing the tinikling for school festivals, jumping over bamboo sticks to the rhythm. My knowledge of Filipino history comes down to independent research I've done during school projects in which my pride as a Filipino takes lead when choosing a topic. There are many aspects of being Filipino that I haven’t gotten to know, and yet, I’d like to believe I have experienced, in full , the most important aspect of it, the most basic Filipino value: the unbreakable family bond. My name exhibits the thickness of blood; it signifies every sacrifice they have made for me; it is my mother’s and my father’s and mine .  

The name ‘Yngie’ was never something to be embarrassed about. It’s not a name I’ll ever see on a keychain in a souvenir shop, and it will always be met with hesitation, followed by a ‘How do I pronounce this one?’ when next in a roll call. It’s not a ‘white’ name, but one that carries my Filipino lineage with each letter. It is a learned lesson, a testimony that I journeyed to feel safe in my skin and admire the person I see in my reflection. It is distinctive, innovative and, most importantly, a gift from the most important figures in my life, who named me with undying love.   

The traffic light turns green, and my dad shifts gears. I reassure him with unwavering certainty.  

“I don’t want to change my name. I promise, I won’t.”  

What story does my name tell about my cultural heritage? Torikubu Qismat Issah

Torikubu Qismat Issah. 

“That’s too long.” 

“Too confusing.” 

“I can’t pronounce that; do you have a nickname?” 

Fine, ill be Tori. The loud one. The large one. The annoyingly opinionated one. This condensed version of my name came from a single day – my first day – in a new school after moving from the cultural mixing pot that is Forest gate, to the less diverse, more conservative Hornchurch. The neighbours, less neighbourly. The home, less homely. And for the first time in my extremely short life, I felt incongruous. A black stain on the perfectly white backdrop I had fallen upon, I had to become Tori.  

On my first day, a little boy approached me. My new school wasn’t what sent me home in tears that day, instead, it was the earth-shattering question he asked me the second I entered the room. 

“Why are you black?” 

I stood in shock, confusion.  

Why was I black?  

The first day of year one was the first day I felt different. Different in so many ways. 

Firstly, I wasn’t Emily. I wasn’t Rose or Jessica. Nor was I Maisie, daisy, Annabelle or Christelle. My name didn’t sound pretty nor flowy nor airy. Torikubu is tribal. Torikubu is neanderthal. Long, confusing, too much, too dark, too heavy. All what I connoted to this one word that I never noticed before. 

Secondly, I wasn’t a smith. I wasn’t a Jones or a Williams. Nor was I a Thomas or Taylor, Brown or Barnes. I was an Issah. I had Islamic roots deeply woven into my being, and a name showing a devotion – a devotion my grandmother (A revert) had cultivated in her kitchen in Ghana, feeding it to her kids who fed it to me. And I had carried with pride until that day. 

Lastly, I was black. Plain and simple, the only black person in the year, hoping and praying for someone familiar, something familiar, to appear in the classroom to comfort me. A yearn took over me. A yearn I had never been plagued with before. I yearned to fit in. I craved conformity. I needed to change, and that started with the only thing I could control – my name. If I had to be different, I could do it under the table, like a shameful secret or shady deal. If I had to stand out, I could at least make my boldness easier for my new surroundings to stomach. Less uncomfortable to deal with.  

The idea of condensing my name into a box of normality, slicing it into the Overton window felt strange. Torikubu had only ever been shortened to “Kubs” by my brother. Ironically, his full name had also been cut for the ease of the English lounge from Yeng-balang to Yeng. But he can’t be blamed, he followed the footsteps of my father Atta-Ullah Issah, who for business reasons, had reformed his name into just “Essa”; not only neglecting his forename entirely, but respelling his surname to be more phonetic. Easier. Less confusing. Less himself.  

And who could he follow? Only those who had migrated before him, or those who had seen success through suppression of their names. Idrissa Elba to Idris Elba. Thandiwe newton to Tandie newton. Any way to avoid the side-eyes or snickers that slither through a classroom when a teacher struggles through the few syllables your name contains, isolating you from the Eurocentric norm. So – like I did – they all oppressed to assimilate.  

And even at the age of 6, this didn’t feel right to me. Although it may not seem like a big deal, the weight that came with these names was lost completely eradicating history, culture and identity by eradicating one or two syllables. Tandie newton lost her Zimbabwean name, translating to beloved. Her name meant to love, to cherish, to adore and yet Thandie was seen as more fitting. My brother’s name translating to “Wisdom is not combined” is shortened to just “wisdom”, losing its full meaning with only a few tiny cuts. My dad’s Wala and Arabic name mirrored that of his father, translating to “Gift of god”, which is exactly what mine translates to.  

Torikubu; gift of God.  

Qismat; faith.  

Issah; messenger of God, God's promise. 

That day – my first day – was the first day I had chosen to adopt Tori, as an alternative to what I chose to cover. However now, with over ten years more experience and knowledge, I have come to the controversial conclusion that it was not a choice. A choice indicates I was left with viable options, which the little girl stood in Mrs. Wilsons year one classroom, being faced with massive, formidable questions, feeling helplessly alone and sticking out like a raven in a dove’s territory, I was faced with no choice. Torikubu wasn’t wanted anymore, Tori needed to take the reins. 

It took time, but now I can proudly say I am Torikubu Qismat Issah. Although the majority of those I meet call me by my abbreviated alternative, I am no longer afraid of the secret getting out. I am proud to be god’s gift, I am proud to be faith and I am proud to be a messenger of God. The English tongue may not like the taste of my West African seasonings, it may be spicy and too unfamiliar. However, with the support of every person who worked incredibly hard to get me to stand in the position I am today, as well as the love that I have for the girl I see in the mirror, and therefore my heritage. I am from Ghana, I am from a long line of religion, I am not too big, confusing or too much.  

I am Torikubu Qismat Issah.  

Who are you? 

What story does my name tell about my cultural heritage? Rebecca Tidswell

I am Scottish, my name is not.  

My name is Hebrew. My name is English. My name is Rebecca Isabel Alison Tidswell, and my name is not Scottish. 

“What story does my name tell about my cultural heritage?” Reading that question left me discouraged and frustrated. Heritage for me has always been my home, the city and country I live in and the culture surrounding it. My heritage is intertwined with my Scottish roots, becoming one and the same in my mind. I thought it impossible to talk about my cultural heritage without mentioning Scotland. But now I cannot; because my name is not Scottish. 

I did not know what to write, how to start, or what the focus could be, but was told by a friend, “What about your last name? Where does it come from?” Truthfully, I did not know. I knew it was English; my father, from whom I inherited the name, was a white South African and English man with an English name, making me English. I don't feel English. I was born in Scotland with a Scottish mother and a very Scottish grandfather. However, it was part of my cultural heritage that I knew nothing about. So, this essay became an investigation, and you are going to learn about my cultural heritage right alongside me. 

Upon exploring, Tidswell turned out to be a locational surname hailing from a place called Tideswell in Derbyshire, England. Research of the name “Tideswell” itself showed me that it is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name “Tidi.” This then combined with “wella,” which meant spring or stream. Meant that the name Tidswell may be interpreted as “Tidi’s spring” or “stream belonging to Tidi.”  

The discovery to me that my name had a place and was not some meaningless word used to identify me was surprising. However, what touched me was the fact that I had a starting point. This is where my family began many years ago, and though they have spread across the world in dozens of branches, I can still look at a map and say, “there, that's where I came from. That's where my heritage started.”  

This discovery left me spiralling. I was enticed and intrigued by the revelations of my heritage, their origins that had previously been meaningless to me. So, I turned to my middle name or one of them, Alison. The name Alison itself is not important, but why I got it is. Alison is my mother's name. Where I get my Scottish blood and a direct connection to my culture.  

This may be a cliche line, but I feel in this instance it rings true; that in order to know about me and my culture, you have to know about her. My mother was raised in Scotland on a farm by her father, a farmer – which is probably why she and all my siblings are so stubborn – and a schoolteacher, her mother. It was her mother who taught her to sow, and her who taught me, and I have even taken up embroidery like my grandmother. Clearly a passed down passion. She is the reason I use the words “Chuffed” and “fath” and that I know how to make a mean plate of stovies. Why I slap my knees and go “right” when I go to stand up from the couch. 

She is the one that made pillows with depictions of family trees for friends and relatives. She has a love of highland cows that I share and tones of different scarves and candles that I too have started to collect. She shares my dislike for riding and my love for curry. While possessing a mind-boggling amount of patience that I presume you can only achieve by raising three kids that love to bicker and is so forgiving it's frustrating. She is my point of reference for everything, a reliable constant that shaped the image of my cultural heritage. 

My mother is my cultural heritage in the way that she represents what I have learned (actively or not) about it. She is where I came from, who I learned from, the reasons for many of my habits and preferences and is the most important part of my origin and the way I live my life by a landslide. My mother is the perfect living, breathing reminder of my cultural heritage, and she is who my name represents. 

I considered none of this before. I ignored my names; I ignored their meaning, and I did not value how grateful I should be to be sharing a name with someone who represents so much for me or possessing a surname that allows me to uncover my history.  

I must say thank you for making me dig a little deeper in this essay. In the end, I learned a lot about my name. I learned that while I don't feel English, I am. I don't feel South African, I am. I am Scottish but also more, even if my names are not 

Block container

Young Anthropologist

For those interested in writing about identity and culture.

Young Writer

A short fiction competition for creative writers and storytellers. Your story can be any genre or style.

Previous winners

If you are in need of some inspiration, read our previous winners' entries.

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Best Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 384 contests that match your search.

WOW! Women on Writing Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

WOW! Women On Writing

Genres: Flash Fiction, Fiction, and Short Story

Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity and great writing and provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants. Guest Judge: Tom Bromley, Head of Learning at Reedsy

$600 cash, Reedsy's How to Write a Novel class ($1249 value), $25 Amazon Gift Card

Additional prizes:

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024

The Reedsy Prompts Contest

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Every Friday, Reedsy sends out five writing prompts. Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy’s literary magazine, Prompted.

$25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

3-6-9 Poetry Contest

FanStory.com Inc.

Genres: Poetry

This poem has three stanzas. Each stanza has three lines that follows the 3-6-9 syllable count. The first line has 3 syllables, the second line has 6 syllables and the last line 9 syllables. The subject can be anything.

📅 Deadline: November 15, 2024

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Iridescence Award

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Science Fiction

Kinsman Quarterly seeks fiction and poetry submissions from BIPOC authors for the Iridescence Award by December 31. Themes should include the supernatural, extraterrestrial, paranormal--urban fantasy, magical realism, science fiction, Afro-futurism, etc. Winners receive cash prizes up to $500 USD and publication in our literary magazine and E-book. No fees required.

Publication in Kinsman Quarterly and the Iridescence anthology

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

Bridport Novel Award

Bridport Arts Centre

Genres: Fiction and Novel

Your novel doesn't have to be finished. We initially need only 5,000 to 8,000 words plus a 300 word synopsis. If you're long listed we'll ask for a total of 15,000 words, including your original word count. Shortlisted? Then we need a total 30,000 words, again including your original entry and long listed word count. It all adds up to an incredible opportunity.

£750 for the runner up and three prizes of £150

💰 Entry fee: $29

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)

Best Indie Book Award

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The annual Best Indie Book Award® (or BIBA®) is an international literary awards contest recognizing self-published and independently published authors from all over the world. Entries are limited to independently (indie) published books, including those from small presses, e-book publishers, and self-published authors.

💰 Entry fee: $65

📅 Deadline: August 15, 2024 (Expired)

Non Fiction Writing Contest

Genres: Non-fiction

We are looking for personal essays, memoirs, and works of literary non-fiction on any topic. It doesn't matter if it's spiritual, political, intellectual, emotional, funny, serious, or an essay about your DVD player.

📅 Deadline: May 08, 2022 (Expired)

Michael Waters Poetry Prize

University of Southern Idaho

A prize of $6,000 and publication by SIR Press is awarded annually for a collection of poetry written in English. All entries are considered for publication.

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)

Muriel Craft Bailey Poetry Contest

The Comstock Review

Here 's how it works: our editorial staff chooses approximately fifty to sixty finalists. The highest scoring finalists (25 or so) are considered Special Merit poems. Special Merit poems go to the judge. The judge determines the top three prize winners. The entire editorial staff then selects the Honorable Mentions from the remaining Special Merits.

Publication by The Comstock Review

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Optional Publication of Excerpt, Letter of Recommendation

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

Two Line Poem

Write an essence poem. This is a poem of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

📅 Deadline: December 05, 2022 (Expired)

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize 2024

Oxford Flash Fiction

Genres: Flash Fiction, Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Write yourself into history and become one of the greats with the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. For centuries, the greats have come to Oxford to ink masterpieces. Now, in one of the oldest towns, where the history of the English language can be traced back to its ancient streets, we are celebrating one of the newest forms in literature – flash fiction.

2nd Prize: £200 | 3rd Prize: £100 | New Voice Prize: £200

💰 Entry fee: $9

MoonLit Getaway Grand Opening Contest

MoonLit Getaway

Genres: Flash Fiction and Poetry

This contest is intended to promote our website’s September 23, 2024 launch, while providing opportunities for fiction writers, poets, and visual artists.

Publication for runners up

📅 Deadline: August 01, 2024 (Expired)

Bridport Short Story Prize

Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.

£1000 for 2nd, £500 for 3rd

💰 Entry fee: $17

Writing Peers Summer Short Story Prize

Writing Peers

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Horror, Mystery, Romance, and Thriller

Are you seeking lots of feedback? Ever wondered what it’s like to step into the shoes of a jury? Pick one of our prompts and let your creativity soar. Submit your piece, then review other entries and develop an eye for what makes a story stand out. Receive detailed feedback, evolve as a writer and you might even walk away with the prize money!

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: June 21, 2024 (Expired)

Environmental Writing 2024

Write the World

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The writer and activist Bill McKibben describes Environmental Writing as "the collision between people and the rest of the world." This month, peer closely at that intersection: How do humans interact with their environment? Given your inheritance of this earth, the world needs your voices now more than ever.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)

Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition

Minds Shine Bright

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Minds Shine Bright is an arts business based in Melbourne Australia committed to supporting the arts and writers. We run two fiction writing competitions; Minds Shine Bright Confidence, a longitudinal look at the theme confidence in fiction and poetry, and Seasons a competition with a changing external theme. Light and Shadow is currently open.

2nd: $400 AUD | 3rd: $300 AUD | 4th: $200 AUD | Commended entries: $100 AUD

💰 Entry fee: $3

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Every Tuesday at 12pm (Irish time) from 9th April 2024 – 28th January 2025, five words will be posted on this competition page. Entrants will have one week to compose and submit one or more poems which include all five words given for that week. The winners & shortlist are announced around the first week of March.

Publication in Five Words Vol XVIII

📅 Deadline: January 28, 2025

Flying South

Genres: Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

All entries will be considered for publication. Winning submissions in each of the three categories (Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry) will be awarded prizes of $400 for First Place, $200 for Second Place, and $100 for a total of $2,100 in prizes. All finalists will be accepted for publication and will receive one copy of the current issue of Flying South.

2-4-2 Poetry Contest

Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. It has three lines. The first line has 2 syllables, the second line has 4 syllables and the last line has 2 syllables again. The subject can be anything. The winner takes away a $100 cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.

📅 Deadline: December 11, 2024

Autumn House Poetry Contest

Autumn House Press

For the 2023 contest, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Toi Derricotte. The winner receives publication of a full-length manuscript and $2,500.

Book publication | $1,000 honorarium | $1,500 travel/publicity grant

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)

Genre Smash Short Story Challenge

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

For this short story challenge, all participants will be randomly assigned a genre pairing. As soon as you receive your ‘smashed’ genres you'll have until the closing time to write and submit a short story of any length up to 5,000 words, that perfectly and seamlessly combines both genres into one amazing short story.

💰 Entry fee: $11

📅 Deadline: October 23, 2023 (Expired)

Fish Poetry Prize

Fish Publishing

The top ten poems of the annual Fish Poetry Contest will be published in Fish Anthology. First prize winner will receive €1000 and the second prize winner will receive a week in residence at Anam Cara Writers ' Reatreat. 3rd: €300

2nd: writer's retreat | 3rd: €300

💰 Entry fee: $14

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

Wilkes University

A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a novel-in-progress by a U.S. writer who has not published a novel. Runners-up will receive $1000. A selection from the winning work is published in Provincetown Arts.

💰 Entry fee: $33

📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)

Personal Essay Competition 2024

Genres: Essay and Memoir

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024 (Expired)

NOWW 26th International Writing Contest

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Open to all writers in four categories: poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and critical writing.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

The Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers.

💰 Entry fee: $28

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards

Columbia Journalism School

Two J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards, in the amount of $25,000, are given annually to aid in the completion of significant works of nonfiction on topics of American political or social concern. Recognizing that a nonfiction book based on extensive research often overtaxes the resources available to its author, the project envisions the Awards as a way of closing the gap between the time and money an author has and the time and money that finishing a book requires.

📅 Deadline: December 07, 2023 (Expired)

Tor House Prize for Poetry

Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation

The annual Tor House Prize for Poetry is a living memorial to American poet Robinson Jeffers. The contest is open to well-crafted poetry in all styles, ranging from experimental work to traditional forms, including short narrative poems. Poems should be no longer than 3 pages.

$200 for honorable mention

The Porter Fleming Literary Competition

The Morris Museum of Art

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Script Writing

Welcome to the 2024 Porter Fleming Literary Competition, now in its twenty-ninth year of recognizing outstanding writing and writers. The competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming, one of Augusta, Georgia’s leading citizens and foremost philanthropists. The competition is administered, with the support of the Porter Fleming Foundation, by the Morris Museum of Art, the first museum in the country to focus on the art and artists of the American South. Writers, ages 18 and older, who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, D.C are invited to apply.

1st place in each genre category: $1,000

2nd place: $500 & 3rd place: $250 in each of the four genre categories

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Writer's Games

The Writer's Workout

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Writer's Games is a free competition with six surprise challenges over six weeks, designed to help each individual writer improve his or her craft fast. ​FREE registration is required in advance (opens May 1, 2024). Every entry from a registered participant receives honest, unbiased feedback from multiple judges. There's no elimination; push yourself to try each challenge and see what you alone can do in 72 hours each week. The top five winners each week are published in a competition anthology (that's 25 chances, plus the Judges' Choice!).

Publication in anthology, 72 Hours (26+ spaces)

📅 Deadline: July 22, 2024 (Expired)

Scriptwriting Scholarship

Gotham Writers Workshop

Genres: Script Writing

The Gotham Scriptwriting Scholarship is open to people of color who have an interest in writing scripts for movies, TV shows, or plays. Any level of experience is fine. All we ask is the desire to write scripts. Three scholarships will be offered.

2 10-week script-related courses | 3 Intensives | 1 12-hour Mentorship

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)

International Voices in Creative Nonfiction Competition

Vine Leaves Press

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

Small presses have potential for significant impact, and at Vine Leaves Press, we take this responsibility quite seriously. It is our responsibility to give marginalized groups the opportunity to establish literary legacies that feel rich and vast. Why? To sustain hope for the world to become a more loving, tolerable, and open space. It always begins with art. That is why we have launched this writing competition.

Book publication

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024 (Expired)

The Bath Novel Award

The Bath Novel Awards

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult

The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for emerging writers of adult fiction. Submit the first 5,000 words plus a one-page synopsis of your novel for adults or young adults. Shortlisted entrants will receive feedback on their full manuscript and all listees will receive editorial director feedback on their extract and synopsis.

£1800 for one longlistee

💰 Entry fee: $38

CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition

Crime Writers Association

Our mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery — one that fits into legendary crime writer Margery’s definition of what makes a great story: “The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.”

Two passes to Crimefest & a selection of books

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course : How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

• "How to Craft a Killer Short Story" ( Click here )
• "The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction" ( Click here )
• "How to Write a Novel" ( Click here )
• "Understanding Point of View" ( Click here )
• "Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love" ( Click here )
• "Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character" ( Click here )
• "Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine" ( Click here )

On Editing:

• "Story Editing for Authors" ( Click here )
• "How to Self-Edit Your Manuscript Like a Pro" ( Click here )
• "Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites" ( Click here )
• "How to Write a Novel: Steps From a Bestselling Writer" ( Click here )
• "How to Write a Short Story in 9 Simple Steps" ( Click here )
• "100 Literary Devices With Examples: The Ultimate List" ( Click here )
• "20 Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft" ( Click here )
• "How to Write Fabulous Dialogue [9 Tips + Examples]" ( Click here )
• "8 Character Development Exercises to Write 3D Characters" ( Click here )

Bonus resources

• 200+ Short Story Ideas ( Click here )
• 600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You ( Click here )
• 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors ( Click here )
• Story Title Generator ( Click here )
• Pen Name Generator ( Click here )
• Character Name Generator ( Click here )

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Save your shortlist

Enter your email address to save your shortlist so that you don't lose it!

By continuing, you will also receive Reedsy's weekly publishing tips and access to our free webinars.

We sent over your shortlist. Thank you for using Reedsy's Writing Contest Directory, happy publishing! 🙌

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024

Competition Information

The Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024

Open to writers across the globe.

Stories do not need to follow any particular theme or genre, but must be written in English.

Maximum word count : 3000 words.

Prizes: -1st prize: £1000, plus a free creative writing course of the winner’s choice and publication on our site. -2 runners-up: £200 each.

Entry fee: £9.

Final judge: Helen Moorhouse

Helen Moorhouse is the author of five novels ‘The Dead Summer, ‘The Dark Water’, ‘Sing Me To Sleep’, ‘Ever This Day’ and ‘The Gallery of Stolen Souls’ published by Poolbeg Press. A lover of stories, particularly the paranormal, her writing was featured in two anthologies – ‘All I Want For Christmas’ (2012) and ‘If I Was A Child Again’ (2013), and her short story ‘The Night Nurse’ was commissioned as the 2018 RTE Radio 1 Book Show Christmas ghost story.

A DIT journalism graduate, she has extensive copywriting experience across many areas – commercial radio advertising and branding, corporate video, speechwriting and speech consultancy, long and short form articles and more. Helen was an op-ed contributor to the Irish Independent 2012-2014, and has published articles and stories across many Irish newspapers and magazines.

Deadline: 15th November, 2024 at 4pm (GMT).

Find out all the details here.

• How to Enter

Our 2024 Writers' Award competition is now closed. All entrants will be contacted by the end of September. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date about the winners' announcement and 2025 competition.

The 2024 competition is now closed. All entrants will be contacted by the end of September.

The theme for 2024 is ‘ Reveal .’ The theme is a creative prompt, not a requirement. Send us your best work!

You can submit  ONE piece of writing , up to and not exceeding the word limits ( not including the title, section/stanza breaks, or epigraphs):

• Poetry : 50 lines
• Fiction : 2,000 words
• Creative Non-Fiction : 2,000 words

Please click here to read the full rules

The competition is only open to underrepresented writers in the UK who are over 18 years old. Please click here for the full eligibility criteria

Please ensure you read the rules and eligibility criteria before submitting.

The best way to get a sense of what we’re looking for is by  purchasing a previous anthology here . For more about our new genre, creative non-fiction, please  read our blog post here .

• Online - We are using Zealous as an entry platform and cannot offer technical support. If you have problems making an online entry, please contact http://help.zealous.co or e-mail [email protected] . You can also use one of the other methods of entry.
• By e-mail - download an entry form and return it with your submission to [email protected] .
• By post - download an entry form and return it with your submission to: Creative Future Writers' Award Community Base 113 Queens Road Brighton BN1 3XG

Postal entries must be received by Monday 20 May.

We cannot accept submissions without an entry form.

Download CFWA 2024 Entry Form

Download CFWA 2024 Large Print Entry Form

If you have any questions, get in touch on 01273 234780 (Tuesdays only) or  [email protected] .

We are a small part-time team and may not respond right away, but will do so as soon as we can.

To stay up to date, please subscribe to our newsletter .

Sign up to our Mailing List

Sign up to receive communications from Creative Future, including opportunities, updates on activities and more.

Privacy Overview

• Meet the Creative Future team
• Our Funders
• About the Award
• Anthologies
• Our Partners
• Writers’ Day
• Writer in Residence
• The Book Makers
• Workshops for Writers
• Resources for Writers
• HERA Partnership
• Arts & Health Network Brighton & Hove – Meetings
• More Culture Less Medicine
• Research – ours & others
• Pathway Guides
• £0.00