Brief
The Write Stuff is celebrating its 10th year in 2024. So, after a decade of competitions, we're throwing a party for our next writing challenge. Your story can contain up to 300 words, plus a title to set the scene.
You can choose the setting, the characters and the plot for whatever kind of party your imagination can conjure up. Your story can contain up to 300 words, while you can add extra words to 'The Party' in your title to set the scene.
For example, you might want to create the start of a murder mystery through a title like 'The Party at Macabre Manor'. Or perhaps you prefer a science fiction setting such as 'The Party at World's End', or want to set up a ghost story with a title such as 'The Party's Last Guest'. It could be a party where something wonderful happens – or the opposite... The choice is yours.
We look forward to celebrating this special anniversary with your stories – and whatever party they bring to the table.
What we are looking for
- Originality and imagination — we are looking for students to produce an original piece of writing that focuses on story and plot
- An impressive quality of writing and crafting of language — your writing should convey a clear sense of occasion.
- The ability to create a story or episode which is vivid, original and memorable to impress the judges.
Prizes
First Prize
£50
Plus a pair of return Aurigny flights from Guernsey to Gatwick, the 2024 trophy, a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration by Sheena Le Messurier and your story published on the website.
Primary / Intermediate / Senior
Second Prize
£25
Plus a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration by Sheena Le Messurier and your story published on the website.
Primary / Intermediate / Senior
Third Prize
£25
Plus a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration by Sheena Le Messurier and your story published on the website.
Primary / Intermediate / Senior
Special Educational Needs
£50
Plus a pair of return Aurigny flights from Guernsey to Gatwick, the 2024 trophy, a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration by Sheena Le Messurier and your story published on the website.
Primary / Senior
Highly Commended Prizes
£10 book tokens
Plus a certificate and your story published on the website.
5 prizes in primary, intermediate and senior. 2 prizes in special educational needs
The Categories
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Primary
Years 3/4/5/6
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Intermediate
Years 7/8/9
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Senior
Years 10+
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Special Educational Needs
Primary & Secondary
Judges
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Rashmi Sirdeshpande
Primary Judge
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is an award-winning children’s author and a former World Book Day author whose books have been published around the world and featured in a number of newspapers from The Guardian to The Wall Street Journal. Her first picture book, Never Show a T-Rex a Book, illustrated by Diane Ewen, won the Society of Authors Queen’s Knickers Awards and the Anna Dewdney Award in the USA and was shortlisted for the Lollies. The sequel, Never Teach a Stegosaurus To Do Sums, was shortlisted for the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards and was a Children’s Book Council Children’s Favourites and Teacher Favourites winner in the USA.
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Sam Copeland
Intermediate Judge
Sam Copeland is an author, which has come as something of a surprise to him. He is from Manchester and now lives in London with one smelly dog, two smelly cats, three smelly children and one relatively clean-smelling wife.
He is the author of the bestselling Charlie Changes Into a Chicken series (the first book of which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize), Uma and the Answer to Absolutely Everything and Greta and the Ghost Hunters and The Bear Behind. With Jenny Pearson, he has also written Tuchus & Topps Investigate: The Underpants of Chaos. His next novel Alex vs Axel: The Impossible Worlds is coming in 2024.
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Frances Hardinge
Senior Judge
Frances Hardinge spent a large part of her childhood in a huge old house that inspired her to write strange stories from an early age. She read English at Oxford University, then got a job at a software company. However, a few years later a persistent friend finally managed to bully Frances into sending a few chapters of Fly By Night, her first children’s novel, to a publisher. Macmillan made her an immediate offer. The book went on to publish to huge critical acclaim and win the Branford Boase First Novel Award. She has since written many highly acclaimed children’s writer; novels including, Fly By Night and the 2011 sequel Twilight Robbery, as well as the Carnegie shortlisted Cuckoo Song and the Costa Book of the Year winner, The Lie Tree. Her latest books are Unraveller and Island of Whispers.
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Huw Lewis Jones
SEND judge
Dr Huw Lewis Jones is a polar-exploring author and naturalist, who grew up in Guernsey. He now lives in Cornwall where he is a professor at Falmouth University, teaching natural history and other creative things. Huw also travels across the Arctic and Antarctica each year working as an expedition leader. He has written numerous books for children, including award-winning Do Bears Poop in the Woods?, Do Penguins Like the Cold?, the Bad Apple series of picture books, and the best-seller Clive Penguin. To date, his books have been published in 19 languages. Huw is a Guest Curator of the Guernsey Literary Festival.
Filter Judges
Filter judges this year include Julia Bichard and Adam Bayfield from the Guille-Alles Library, local author Nick Le Messurier and Suzie Almond, a creative education specialist with experience of first round judging for the BBC 500 words and Settle Stories.