Young writers in Dumfries and Galloway are again being given the opportunity to show their talent by entering a short story competition.
The competition, which is running for the second year, is one of the events for young writers and readers that are linked to the annual Kirkcudbright Book Week, the next one of which runs between March 3-9, 2025.
The story competition closes on February 10, 2025. Entrants between the ages of nine and 15, are asked to provide examples of Flash Fiction, a form of short fiction that has become increasingly popular in recent years. It abides by the traditional use of a beginning, middle and an end but stories are much shorter than traditional short stories.
Writers can enter one of three age group categories and the word limits are:
9-10-years-old 500 words top limit
11-12-years-old 500 words top limit
13-15-years-old 650 words top limit
There is no theme for the stories and the competition is being run by book week organisers the Kirkcudbright Book Week Society and Kirkcudbright Library, which is operated by Dumfries and Galloway Council and which hosts a number of the free events for young writers and readers in the run up to, and during, Book Week.
The judges of the competition are Lesley Garbutt, of Kirkcudbright Library, and author and Kirkcudbright Book Week Society committee member John Dean.
Entries can be emailed to John at deangriss@btinternet.com and handwritten ones can be delivered to the library. There is no entry fee.
John Dean said: “We ran the inaugural competition for young writers last year and were impressed by the enthusiasm and energy with which the stories were told. Combined with the terrific imagination and skills which the entrants displayed, judging the stories was a sheer delight. I suspect that this year’s competition will be the same.”
Winning writers will be presented with their prizes at an event during Book Week, to be held at 7pm at the library in Daar Road on Thursday March 6 2025 as part of the free events hosted by the library to mark World Book Day for young readers and writers.
You can read the rules and conditions at
Kirkcudbright Book Week 