Award-winning poet, playwright and performer, Inua Ellams has been announced as an Ambassador for First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people. He joins the celebrated novelists Patrice Lawrence MBE and Tracy Chevalier FRSL, in the role, to help champion First Story’s work with young people and promote the pleasure and power of creative writing.
Writers-in-Residence Skills Share Day 2024
Our Annual Skills Share Day is a chance for our writers to come together, undertake peer to peer training and hear our plans for the year ahead. On Tuesday 5th September, we welcomed First Story writers from East Midlands, London, the North West and Yorkshire to our 2024 event at our office in London. Writers who are …
First Story Summer Residential 2024
Sixteen young writers from First Story partner schools across England came together for a week at Arvon’s centre in Hebden Bridge.
First Story in Alternative Provision
A key strand of First Story’s organisational strategy is to reach and benefit more of the most disadvantaged young people by increasing access to our Young Writers Programme for students in Alternative Provision (AP) schools. We are grateful for the support of The Portal Trust and The Blue Thread for letting us explore how we …
Folio Academy Mentorships 2024 showcase
In July the Rathbones Folio Mentorships 2021/22 cohort performed their writing at the London Library for an audience of mentors, family and friends.
London Connect 2024
Over 80 students – Year 7 to Year 12 – from six London schools took part in our Connect event at the University of Greenwich in early July 2024. Connect events are included in our offer for Young Writers Programme cohorts. As region-specific provision, these events encourage participants to connect with each other as a …
Manchester Connect 2024
66 students from four Greater Manchester schools took part in our Connect event at the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) in July 2024. Connect events are included in our offer for Young Writers Programme cohorts. As region-specific provision, these events encourage participants to connect with each other as a community of young writers, as well as …
East Midlands Connect 2024
50 students from three East Midlands schools took part in our Connect event at the University of Lincoln in June 2024. Connect events are included in our offer for Young Writers Programme cohorts. As region-specific provision, these events encourage participants to connect with each other as a community of young writers, as well as strengthening …
Eco-Poetry competition winners 2024
The environment is always something which comes up in our school anthologies, so we know it is something which means a great deal to a great number of First Story young writers. The entries to this year’s Eco Poetry competition were testament to this, as they were as evocative and thought provoking as ever.
Winners of the inaugural Philip Pyke Memorial Prize announced
Open to writers of poetry and prose who have completed our Young Writers Programme, the Prize is awarded in memory of Philip Pyke to support young writers as they continue their writing journey. Winners receive prestigious tutoring by acclaimed Arvon authors. You can read the winning pieces by clicking on the title. First Prize Emily …
100 Word Story Competition Winners 2023/24
This year’s 100 Word Story Competition again demonstrated the talent amongst our young writers. Over 270 students from First Story partner schools wrote brilliant stories, taking on the challenge of writing a compelling narrative in only 100 words. Judged by a panel from Vintage Books, the stories were a . We are delighted to be able to …
First Story bursary opportunities for PGCert Teaching Creative Writing at University of Cambridge
For the sixth year running, First Story are collaborating with the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education to offer a bursary opportunity for those applying for the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing course. Open to those working in state-funded or non-profit organisations such as state schools, public libraries, local authorities, health or prison …
A day of creative collaboration – First Story Writers at the Courtauld Gallery
We recently reignited our partnership with London’s Courtauld Gallery, which had previously hosted Schools Connect Events before the pandemic. 10 of our London writers attended a ‘meeting of creative minds’ alongside the Courtauld’s Schools Learning Team. Longstanding facilitator Francesca Beard led a morning of discovery. The aim: to enhance workshop practice by exploring how storytelling and …
Six Word Story Competition Winners 2023/24
Our annual Six Word Story competition is a challenge in concise storytelling. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s famous six word story “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” we ask our young writers to captivate us in just six words – a real skill and testament to their creativity in this flash fiction challenge. Participation was high once again, with 867 …
Six Word Stories auction raises over £16,000
As part of activities during 2023 to celebrate First Story’s milestone 15th birthday, we launched a unique literary auction on 9 October, Six Word Stories. Featuring handwritten, signed and framed stories by a collection of acclaimed authors, the public auction ran online until 2 November. With huge thanks to everyone who placed a bid, our …
‘First Story is 15’ party highlights
On 2 November 2023 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, First Story celebrated reaching a milestone birthday. Our party and fundraiser ‘First Story is 15’ was hosted by First Story Ambassador Tracy Chevalier and attended by writers, friends and supporters.
Announcing: Folio Prize Mentorships 2023/24
In its sixth year, the Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships scheme pairs six talented First Story alumni with acclaimed writers from the Folio Academy, receiving a year of 1:1 mentoring support to further develop their writing craft.
Why six words?
First Story recently challenged best-selling and prize-winning authors, including Michael Morpurgo, Neil Gaiman, Elif Shafak, our Ambassador, Tracy Chevalier and many others, to pen original six-word stories. The handwritten stories, each one signed by its author and professionally framed, are being auctioned during October to raise vital funds for our mission. Six Word Stories auction …
Six Word Stories auction to raise vital funds for First Story
A collection of acclaimed and best-selling authors have written original six word stories to be auctioned in aid of First Story. The unique literary auction Six Word Stories runs online from 9 October to 2 November. Proceeds will support aspiring young writers to develop their voice, hone their writing craft, and have their work professionally …
Summer Residential 2023 highlights
Sixteen young writers from First Story partner schools across England came together for a week in July at Arvon’s Lumb Bank centre in rural West Yorkshire.
It All Started in the Library at The Bulwell Academy
Joel Hunt, school librarian at The Bulwell Academy in Nottingham, has come to the end of his first year as the school’s lead for the First Story Young Writers Programme. Working with First Story Writer-in-Residence Paula Rawsthorne, young writers have participated in workshops, school visits and competitions. Joel describes the impact for students and the …
Writers-in-Residence Skills Share Day 2023
On Tuesday 5th September, 25 First Story writers attended our annual Skills Share Day at our Webber Street office in London. We were pleased to welcome writers new to First Story including Freddie Machin, Ruth Awolola, Sarah Hussain and Arji Manuelpillai who we hope to place in residencies this year along with more experienced writers …
Summer 2023 anthology launch events
All First Story groups work collaboratively towards publication of a printed anthology. Empowered with agency throughout the process, participants choose which pieces to include — learning how to edit, revise and improve their own writing — and together decide their anthology’s title and cover art. Copies are gifted to participants and the school’s library, with …
Huddersfield Connect 2023
35 students from three schools took part in our Yorkshire Connect event at the University of Huddersfield in July 2023. Students from Co-op Academy Grange, Titus Salt School and Carlton Keighley attended our Connect Event, hosted by the University of Huddersfield. First Story writers, Ross Raisin, Maria Ferguson and Sairish Hussain led creative writing workshops for …