ENTRIES NOW OPEN FOR THE SHORT STORIES YOUNG AUTHORS COMPETITIONS, TO REQUEST DETAILS FOR YOUR SCHOOL OR CHILD TO ENTER PLEASE EMAIL HELLO@THECURIOUSCATBOOKSHOP.CO.UK
According to the National Literacy Trust (2024, Annual Literacy Survey), fewer than 3 in 10 young people said that they enjoy writing in their free time. Findings show that children and young people’s enjoyment of writing, and frequency of writing in their free time, is at an unprecedented low. Increasing evidence of a long-term downward trend calls for urgent action to reconnect children and young people with writing that promotes connection with creativity, self-expression and mental wellbeing.
This is where we want you to help us to engage and promote the love of writing and of reading with your young people.
The benefits of a love of writing and reading for young people include:
- Improves Vocabulary
- Reduces Stress Levels
- Improves Writing Skills
- Supports Mental Health
- Helps Develop Empathy
- Improves Memory Recall
- Boosts Knowledge and Brainpower
- Improves Focus and Concentration
In the Curious Cat Bookshop we believe that successes in childhood and adolescence help to form positive self-concepts that follow us into adulthood. In every School, we believe there are future readers and writers who want support to help find themselves in these passions.
We have decided to launch The Young Writers Competition to give young people the opportunity to become a published Author with the hope of inspiring the next generation of future Authors.
In our local community and within our schools, the next Stephen King or Agatha Christie may be waiting for their opportunity to showcase their potential.
Here’s the Competition
Throughout the Month of September we are accepting entries from School Years 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Each young writer is set a limit of 1,000 words (or an average of 3 sides of A4) to submit a short story of their choosing, the genre must be Fiction but can be General-Fiction, Fantasy or Romance its down to the Young Writer to decide. We would advise them to ensure not to use any real names within their stories.
Entries can be made digitally (saved to PDF) or written on paper, within schools or submitted directly at the bookshop.
Deadline for entries is Tuesday 15th October 2024 at 4pm to be considered by the judging panel.
On the 31st October the panel will decide on 60 short stories as a shortlist with a decision as well on a top three which will be provided the below as a prize:
First Place – Their Short Story Title will form the Title of the Book (example “The Pier Falls and Other Short Stories”). It will be the First Story in the Contents of the book and a £100 Gift Card to spend on Books, Gifts etc at the Curious Cat Bookshop. They will also receive a free copy of the book.
Second Place – Their short story will be Second Story in the contents of the book and a prize of £50 Gift Card to spend on Books, Gifts etc at the Curious Cat Bookshop. They will also receive a free copy of the book.
Third Place – Their short story will be the Third Story in the contents of the book and a prize of £25 Gift Card to spend on Books, Gifts etc at the Curious Cat Bookshop. They will also receive a free copy of the book.
All 60 winners will also be invited to the launch event on the 18th December.
We will call all schools/ parents directly to confirm those that have been shortlisted and follow this up via email.
Once the shortlist has been confirmed consent forms will be sent to all 60 entrants via either the School Contact or the Parent/ Guardian Contact. These must be returned by the 15th November 2024, parents or guardians can choose to publish under an alias name or pen name if they choose.
During this period the short stories will be edited for grammar etc and be sent to the publisher ahead of a Mid-December Launch of the Book. This is set as the 18th December 2024 at a venue to be confirmed. The Book will however be printed by Christmas and will be available to purchase at either the Curious Cat Bookshop and other reputable bookshops or via services such as Amazon etc.
Each school that contributes will also be sent 3 copies of the book to be donated to the school library.
What happens next
Entries are now open for the Short Stories Young Author Competition, schools may request additional information or clarification on the attached Child Safeguarding Policy by emailing Hello@TheCuriousCatBookshop.co.uk
We will be running writing workshops as part of the run in of events at the Curious Cat Bookshop to support parents and their young writers throughout September.
Entries will need the following included in the heading and title area:
Title of Story
Proxy for identifying entrant students – For example we suggest Form/class, Year and Initials eg – W-7-AB or 10-6-BC. If there are students with the same Initials either use a middle name or a second letter from the surname.
Contact Name at the School (Class Teacher/ Form Teacher/ Head of Year/ Parent Details for Direct Entries)
There will be an option for Young Writers to submit their story directly, Parents will be asked to complete a consent form if this is done directly at the Bookshop either by emailing Hello@TheCuriousCatBookshop.co.uk . Only one short story entrant per young writer.
