A fairy tale writing competition for unpublished authors who want to write for children
Have you always wanted to re-write a classic fairy tale?
Perhaps you would you like Sleeping Beauty to be a little less passive or feel that Gretel should be given the feminist icon status she deserves. Now’s your chance.
However, there is good news and bad news about this competition.
First the good news:
The National Literacy Trust in partnership with Bloomsbury Children’s Publishing (of Harry Potter fame) are running a new competition that allows unpublished authors to capture children’s imaginations with a short story that gives a well-known fairy tale a modern twist.
What the winners get:
The top 10 winning stories will be published in an ebook charity anthology by Bloomsbury Publishing, that will be sold in aid of the National Literacy Trust.
Plus
There’s also a prize of £200 per winning story (I take that to mean all 10 writers will get £200)
Plus
The talented ten will be able to use the “Short Story Prize 2017 Winner” logo for the their website, social media and publications
Plus
There will be publicity via Bloomsbury and the National Literacy Trust
The short story has to be between 2,000 and 4,000 words and aimed at children aged 8 to 12 and you also need to submit a 350 word synopsis, themed around re-imagining fairy tales
Deadline: 5pm on 25 June 2017.
Now for the bad news:
Entry fees
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Early bird entry £15 (available until midnight 31 March 2017)
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Full entry £30 (after 31 March 2017)
This is the kind of hefty fee usually attached to a novel competition and with so much reading to do, you can understand why the organisers charge so much. However, this is the most expensive short story competition I’ve come across. One thing for sure is that only people serious about their writing will enter. Perhaps that is one of the reasons Bloomsbury and NLT have set the entry fees so high. I assume the other reason is because this a fundraiser venture for a worthy cause.
Is it still worth entering?
If you can afford it, if you’re confident about your writing and if you really want to write for children, then yes, it is. One of the things that the competition offers is the chance to come to the attention of one of the world’s leading children’s publishers and that is something you can’t put a price on.
Lots more information HERE and make sure someone else double checks your entry before you send it off. It is so easy to break a rule without realising it (like exceeding the word limit or putting your name on your entry).
GOOD LUCK
19 comments on “A fairy tale writing competition for unpublished authors who want to write for children”
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"Unputdownable" Miriam Stoppard
BRIDGET WHELAN writer 
Love this idea…
Entry fees and prizes aside, this is a great competition.
Reblogged this on All About Writing and more.
Thanks Henrietta
You are welcome!
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
Thanks Chris
My pleasure Bridget 👍😃
Wonderful idea. Shared on twitter @bakeandwrite.
Thanks for spreading the word
Reblogged this on Wind Eggs and commented:
Bridget Whelan dug up a great competition for writers looking to break into the children’s market, if you’re up to it and can afford it. This will be a stiff competition, so make sure to find a good team of beta readers, proofreaders and even an editor.
Thanks for reblogging and the good advice
Reblogged this on Lonely Power Poles and commented:
That is one attractive competition – with a hefty entry fee alright! The terms don’t exclude international entries but I do get a sense of being UK-centric…
I’ve just had a quick look at the T&Cs again and you’re right there’s nothing to say that UK residence is a requirement so international entries – in English – should be fine. I wish competition organisers would be up front about things like that and clearly spell out the position. Writers spend too much time scrambling around in the undergrowth of rules and regulations..
It is true that I scrabbled in the undergrowth for at least 2 pages!
The entry fee will definitely prevent me from entering. Being unemployed means I can only enter competitions that are free.
A lot of people can’t or won’t pay such a serious amount of money and to be honest I was in two minds about publishing it here for that reason. I did because a) it is run by two highly reputable organisations – no way is this a scam and b) because it is a great writing idea – who wouldn’t want to re-write a fairy tale?
But I am always on the look out for free competitions and I will be highlighting some very soon. In fact I’ll write a post on this very subject – you’ve inspired me Kate!