National Writing Day 2020 was framed around a mass participation creative writing exercise, the #247Challenge. As a call to action, it proved to be incredibly popular, with thousands of stories and poems shared online. Here we have collated just a few of the incredible submissions we read.
Rathbones Folio Mentorships 2020-21 Open
First Story alumni can apply until the 31 July 2020 to take part in the 20/21 Rathbones Folio Mentorships programme, for a chance to work for a year with an acclaimed pro author. Two of this year’s mentees, Mariamah Davey and Nidaa Raoof, share their reasons to get involved.
Writing From Home
National Writing Day 2020 takes place on 24 June. With most young people at home due to the pandemic, this year’s programme is being delivered digitally. Our NWD 2020 resource bank includes nine, feature-length creative writing video tutorials led by talented First Story Writers-in-Residence. We’ve been encouraging users on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to give the tutorials a try and post new writing online. Here we highlight a small selection of the pieces shared during May via the hashtag #WriteFromHome.
National Writing Day Ambassadors Announced
The impressive line-up of literary talent helping us celebrate National Writing Day 2020 includes: current and former Children’s Laureates, Cressida Cowell and Malorie Blackman; Scotland’s National Poet, Jackie Kay; Carnegie medal-winning screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce; best-selling author Mark Haddon; writer and illustrator Laura Dockrill; poet Caroline Bird; playwright Vinay Patel; and children’s author SF Said.
Announcing the 100-Word Story Competition 2019/20 winners
We’re really excited to announce the winners of the 2019 100-Word Story Competition judged by the lovely folks at Vintage books.
Regional Writing Stars – Autumn term
We ran a new competition this year – Regional Writing Stars – created to highlight and celebrate regional voices and stories.
Watch: Six Word Story 2019 finalists showcase
The 12 shortlisted stories in this year’s Six Word Story competition, performed by Juno Dawson, Nikesh Shukla, Caroline Bird, Priya O’Shea, Salena Godden, Joe Dunthorne, Bridget Minamore, Tom Holland, Tracy Chevalier, Damian Barr, Katie Thistleton, and Max Porter.
YWF19 Highlights
YWF19 in partnership with the University of Cambridge was attended by over 330 young writers and this year featured headline speaker Juno Dawson.
First Story alumna featured in Rathbones Review
Henna Ravjibhai talks First Story, working with Joe Dunthorne, and writing on the bus to college.
BBC Radio 1 Life Hacks with Chloe Holland
In December 2019, First Story alumna Chloe Holland was invited to BBC Broadcasting House in London for an interview with Katie Thistleton on Radio 1’s Life Hacks show – and she smashed it! Listen to her podcast here.
Supporter reception at Hachette UK
On 18th November 2019, publishers Hachette UK generously hosted a reception for First Story supporters at their London HQ, Carmelite House.
#12Stories Campaign
Celebrate the power of storytelling while raising some much-needed funds to support creative writing by young people. We’re trying to raise £1,000 this festive season, to help fund our two national competitions.