The nights are getting longer, the days colder and the urge to curl up with a good story book is getting stronger.
It can only mean one thing… it’s time for our annual Winter Writing Competition!
Writing Challenge
Once upon a time, before the printing press and spread of books, fairytales bewitched adults and children alike. Magical stories filled with adventure, peril and fantastical characters are still a rich world of inspiration.
So, your writing challenge this winter is to:
Write a 500-word retelling of the Snow Queen!
But that’s not all… this year, we’re running the same competition theme across WriteStorybooks, WriteFiction and WriteRomance, so there are even more chances to take part!
Keep reading for more information on how to enter.
Competition Details
Fairytale retellings are all about choosing a key moment, character or plot point from the original tale and telling that story in a voice that’s unique to you.
You can interpret the theme in any way that you like. In fact, the more adventurous, the better!
-
The word count for each story is 500 words.
-
The competition will run from the 1st to the 31st of December, closing at 23.59 GMT on New Years’ Eve.
-
Winners will receive an Amazon Kindle and a beautiful collection of Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairytales.
-
The winner and any runners-up will be announced in February 2019.
-
You can interpret the theme in any way you like, but it must be connected to the original Snow Queen.
How to Enter
This year is extra special, as we’re running the same competition theme across all three of our writing courses; WriteStorybooks, WriteFiction and WriteRomance!
Our competition is open to everyone, whether you’re a student of ours or not.
The catch? Your Snow Queen retelling must fit the genre and tone of the course you’re submitting to:
WriteRomance...
A romance, heartbreak or tale of friendship!
Think about overcoming the cold, the promise of Spring, or a heart of ice thawing for love… or freezing anyone who comes close.
WriteStorybooks...
A children’s or Young Adult story!
Think about the enchanted mirror, the mysterious Snow Queen, castles made of ice, magical reindeer and the quest in a snowy wonderland to save a friend.
WriteFiction...
A thriller, mystery or horror story!
Think about the loneliness of winter, the Snow Queen’s devilish snow-bees, trolls and hobgoblins and enchanted mirrors that distort the world.
Remember: the closing date is the 31st of December and the word count is 500 words!
Submit Your Story
As always, our dedicated support team is always on hand to answer any questions.
Stories like The Snow Queen have survived for centuries because they capture a kind of magic that we can’t find anywhere else. Reading lets us experiencing this magic, but writing captures it.
We can’t wait to read what you create — Good Luck!
Guidelines
1. Closing date is 23:59 PM GMT on December 31st. Late entries will not be counted.
2. Stories can be a maximum of 500 words or 2,500 characters.
3. Students can enter multiple different stories but duplications of the same story will be removed.
4. Students may not enter the same story to multiple sites; for example, if a story is published on Write Fiction Books, the same story cannot be entered to Write Romance or Write Storybooks.
5. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition.
6. Judges have the final decision.
7. The minimum age for entrants is 16.
8. The winner will be announced in February 2019.
9. Copyright of each entry belongs to the entrant, but submission grants Write Storybooks, WriteRomanceFiction and WriteFictionBooks the right to publish their story on their website(s) and within any promotional material or written publications in the future.
Discover the secrets to writing and publishing successful children's stories
Almost everyone says ‘one day, I’ll write a children’s book’, but for so many people, ‘one day’ never arrives. Whether you struggle to find the time in a busy schedule or can’t find the words to put your amazing ideas to paper, it’s so difficult to know where to begin.
That’s why Write Storybooks for Children is jam-packed with practical, imaginative and engaging guidance that will fill any writer with confidence. Filled with little-known tips and tricks to develop your ideas, write incredible dialogue and bring memorable characters to life, Write Storybooks for Children and the expert development team behind it guide you through every single step of the writing journey.
With our help, you’ll soon be on your way to your very own happily ever after.
