The Magical Power of Books
Often, we hear children talk about the magic they find in books. They love a magical world within the one they know. They like the idea of an ordinary object or person taking a magical form. More importantly, magic teaches children to look at themselves in a new empowering and imaginative way.
If books written by other people can have this influence, consider what a child will feel by seeing their own stories in a book. With technology becoming a bigger part of our lives, it’s important to switch off and go back to the most wonderful past-time of all, writing stories for others to enjoy and learn from in the old-fashioned way.
New for 2024 is the Young Author Competition. This is an opportunity to truly empower children through their story-telling talent publishing their work in a real paperback book.
The Young Author Competition Launches on World Book Day (7th March 2024)
Writing stories is something your children are brilliant at doing. Their imagination is limitless which is why The Young Author Competition takes pride of place in our publication schedule this year.
Reading the stories of children and being delighted with their no-bounds imagination, their empathy and their creative flair in story telling is one of those captivating things in life to behold. To honour this, we invite children to submit their stories to us to be considered for Young Author of the Year 2024.
Though we pride ourselves on our North Wales location servicing the publishing needs of our local community, this competition is open to every child across the UK.
Young Author Creative Resources
To get children off to a flying start, we’ve put together a few downloadable story resource guides. You can either follow the link into Canva (a free online tool) and fill in your resource digitally, or you can print a pdf. These resources are to help children consider their story elements: characters, plot and language, conflict and resolution. There’s a space to draw images of their characters too!
Download Young Author Story Resources:
Writing Stories Children’s Workbook
Story template
Story Ideas Survey
Story Ideas Feedback
Story Picture Template
Story Checklist
Download Spooky Story Writing Resources:
Spooky Story Writing Workbook
Spooky Story Ideas Survey
Spooky Story Ideas Feedback
Spooky Story Picture Template
Spooky Story Checklist
Spooky Story Template
Download Story Writing (Narrative) Resources KS2
KS2 Writing Narrative Workbook
KS2 Story Idea Survey
KS2 Story Idea Feedback
KS2 Story Template
KS2 Story Picture Template
KS2 Story Checklist
What Types of Stories can be Submitted?
Your child can choose any type of story from any genre with any theme. We do not want to limit their creativity.
If they have a talent for a certain story, send it in! We’d love to read it and consider it for our Young Author Competition.
The only thing we ask is to take a look at the downloadable resources and check that you story has all the bits and pieces that make stories loved by everyone.
There’s also a helpful story checklist, a breakdown of the creative pieces such as characters, plot, conflict and resolution, as well as, a handy hint when it comes to writing descriptively.
There is even a space to draw a character – and you can submit this along with your story by email to cheryl@cherylhart.co.uk.
Competition Entry Details
Children aged 5-6 can submit up to 250 words. Children aged 7-12 can submit up to 500 words. Children aged 13-16 can submit up to 750 words. All story submissions are to be typed in point 12 (parents/guardians can help with this). You’re also invited to send one illustration of a character with your story submission. This will need to be scanned and emailed with your story submission. Stories and illustrations will be printed in black and white.
Each story submitted will be read. The best stories will be published in a paperback book of short stories which will be available to pre-order at the price of £12.99 per copy. This will include postage costs.
1 winner will be chosen from each age category and will be awarded a creative writing bundle prize.
All submissions to be emailed to cheryl@cherylhart.co.uk
THE YOUNG AUTHOR COMPETITION CLOSING DATE IS AUGUST 31ST 2024
GOOD LUCK!!
Opportunity For Schools
We also work with schools on private projects. We met with schools and freelance workshop organisers to understand what was important to schools when it came to creating opportunities for pupils. One of the findings of this research was that budgets were already feeling the pinch. Which is why, not only will this opportunity not cost your school a penny, it can also run as a school fund raiser.
You will receive £1 on every book pre-ordered.
The published book will be made available to family and friends of the young authors to pre-order. You have the opportunity to either save your funds raised through book sales, or you could choose to make sure that any under privileged families within your school community don’t go without, by gifting one book to each of these families.
If you’re interested in running a private publishing project for your young authors at your school, please get in touch by emailing cheryl@cherylhart.co.uk.