Now this one is definitely for all the authors in St. Nicholas’!! Go for it everybody!!

(Written by John Boyne on the March 18th,2020)

To help foster creativity among Irish children and teenagers during this current crisis, I’m running a SHORT STORY COMPETITION, aimed at 6-18 year olds, with lots of book tokens to give out as prizes.

There are 3 categories:

  • 6-10 year olds
  • 11-14 year olds
  • 15-18 year olds

So this is the way it will work:

  • 3 categories, 6-10 year olds; 11-14 year olds; 15-18 year olds.
  • Each category will have an overall winner who receives € 200 national book token. Each category will also have 5 winners of a € 100 national book token and 10 winners of a € 50 national book token.
  • Therefore, each category has a prize fund of € 1,200, making a total prize fund of € 3,600
  • All stories to be submitted in word document or pdf to: johnboynestory@gmail.com by Wednesday 25th March, 5 pm.
  • Stories must be no longer than 300 words.
  • Entrants need to include their name, email address, phone number, postal address and age, so I know which category they’re entering.
  • Judges will be 6 Irish writers: John Boyne, Anne Griffin, Claire Kilroy, Cecelia Ahern, Paul Murray, Donal Ryan
  • The Gutter Bookshop is supplying the book token cards and envelopes but the book tokens are national book tokens so can be used anywhere in Ireland.
  • All stories can potentially be shared over the radio on RTE’s Liveline by Joe Duffy.

Good luck!

https://johnboyne.com/short-story-competition/