The environment is a frequent focus in the creative writing produced by First Story participants. Every year the contents of our published anthologies demonstrate how much young people care about the …
News archive
Pilot of First Story’s new CPD course for teachers, ‘Think Like a Writer’
Supporting teachers has always been an important part of First Story's work. Through our flagship Young Writers Programme, we freely share creative writing classroom resources with our partner …
First Story Young Writers Festival 2022 – a writer’s perspective
I first attended the Young Writers Festival in Cambridge in 2019, the year before the cliché of the solitary writer became a reality for everyone, even people who aren’t writers. Not only was it my …
100 Word Story Competition Winners 2022
The entries for this year's 100-Word Story Competition were as vibrant and thought provoking as ever. We were completely blown away by the creativity and craft of the young writers who took …
First Story partners with Goldsmiths University to further the careers of emerging young writers
“Working with First Story has been a beautiful life experience” In 2021 First Story were thrilled to partner with Goldsmiths University once again, offering a student completing an MA in Creative …
Tracy Chevalier announced as First Story Ambassador
Best selling novelist Tracy Chevalier is the latest high profile writer to support First Story as an Ambassador. She joins the celebrated YA author Patrice Lawrence MBE in the role, to help champion …
First Story Writer-in-Residence, Cecilia Knapp wins Ruth Rendell Award
First Story Writer-in-Residence, Cecilia Knapp has won the 2021 Ruth Rendell Award, which honours the author or writer who has had the most significant influence on literacy in the UK over the past …
Six Word Story 2021 shortlist and winners announced
The 2021-22 academic year went off with a bang with the Six Word Story Competition! Inspired by Ernest Hemingway's six word story, we challenge our young writers to entice us in just six words, a real …
FIVE First Story bursaries for PGCert at University of Cambridge
This is the fourth year that First Story will be collaborating with the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education to help educators share the power of creative writing. Open to …
Patrice Lawrence MBE announced as First Story Ambassador
Carnegie Medal nominee, Patrice Lawrence MBE has been announced as Ambassador for First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people. Lawrence will champion First Story’s mission …
Young writers exploring higher education through Connect events
Held during the autumn term, our region-specific Connect events are designed to connect young writers with each other and with local education and cultural opportunities where they live. Each event is …
Young Writers Festival 2021 Highlights
First Story's Young Writers Festival is an annual celebration of writing for, and by young people. For the first time in First Story history, 2021's celebrations took place entirely online, with …
Passing the virtual baton: corporate fundraising success
In September 2021 marketing localization agency, Wordbank approached First Story with an idea: to raise donations for our Young Writers Programme through fun, collaborative activities with their team. …
Announcing: Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships 2021/22
This is the fifth year of our partnership with the prestigious Rathbones Folio Prize, through which talented First Story students benefit from working one-to-one with an acclaimed writer from the …
WATCH: Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships 2020-21 Showcase
Now in its fifth year, our exclusive partnership with the Rathbones Folio Prize offers a unique opportunity for talented First Story alumni to be mentored for an academic year by five acclaimed Folio …
Patrice Lawrence MBE announced as First Story Ambassador
Carnegie Medal nominee, Patrice Lawrence MBE has been announced as Ambassador for First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people. Lawrence will champion First Story’s mission …
Summer 2021 residential highlights: another digital success
Our annual summer residential programme is usually hosted at Lumb Bank, Arvon's idyllic venue in rural West Yorkshire. The pandemic kept us away for a second consecutive year. But after last year's …
‘First Story is life-changing’: Young Writers Programme in Alternative Provision
In 2021, First Story facilitated a sixteen-week Young Writers Programme at Haringey Learning Partnership: Commerce House, an alternative provision school and service in Wood Green, London, offering …
‘I am so grateful to have had this experience’
Michelle Burke is a First Story Lead Teacher at Haringey Learning Partnership: Commerce House, an alternative provision school and service in Wood Green, London offering specialised teaching and …
National Writing Day 2021 #FilltheBox Challenge Highlights
The fifth annual National Writing Day took place on 23 June 2021, celebrating the power and pleasure of creative writing. This year's celebrations took place both online and in schools, to ensure as …
Celebrating our very first set of ecopoetry competition winners!
What a year it’s been! A year more turbulent than ever with the effects of a global pandemic creating an acute social, political and economic crisis more pressing than any other in living memory for …
Young Ambassadors programme pilot
We announced First Story's new Young Ambassadors programme with much excitement in autumn 2020. At that time, we had no idea what lay ahead in terms of the impacts of the pandemic; contending with …
First Story Co-founder, Katie Waldegrave receives MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours List
First Story are thrilled that one of our founders, Katie Waldegrave has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021. Alongside 1,000 individuals, Katie has been honoured for her …
100-Word Story Competition winners 2021 – What a year!
It’s almost unimaginable to think back to last year’s 100-Word Story Competition, the deadline for which closed just before the first ever lockdown. How things have changed since! How our stories have …
