Don’t forget your story doesn’t have to be creepy or involve ghosts! It’s your story – you can take it wherever you want to: a rocket to the moon, an adventure underground, lost treasure, a comedy misunderstanding or a million and one other things! The only limit is your imagination and I can’t wait to see what you write! Good luck and get writing!
Each story can be any length up to 1000 words, should have a title and connect to the starter paragraph. All entrants must live in the UK and be under 19 years of age. Entries will be judged by Prue Goodwin, consultant and lecturer in literacy learning and children’s literature. She says:
‘We will be looking for writing which shows imagination and originality. Use the starter paragraph as a guide rather than a directive – and make sure the story is as engaging and entertaining as possible. We are looking for stories that keep the reader wanting to know what is going to happen from beginning to end, are imaginative and unpredictable (don’t go for the obvious), and are written with a genuine reader in mind ’.
Six winners will be invited to attend the Branford Boase Award celebration party in London in July, circumstances allowing. There they will meet Liz Hyder, author of last year’s brilliant winning book, ‘Bearmouth’ and the other authors shortlisted for the 2021 award as well as editors, publishers, agents, and other professionals in this field. They will receive a copy of each of the books shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award and be able to have their books signed.
Details and how to enter
The closing date for the competition is Sunday 23rd May 2021
Please send your stories to: anne.marley@tiscali.co.uk
Please mark your entries Henrietta Branford Writing Competition 2021 and be sure to include your name, address, contact details and age. You can give it a title as well. If you like.
Teachers, if you are collating children’s entries, please include your name, the name and address of your school and your contact details as well as the names and ages of the young authors.
If you can send it as a Word document, that would be great, but otherwise you can cut and paste it into your email to me. Please do not send as a PDF.
Good luck!