22 June 2023

Redwings and UEA launch Creative Writing Competition!

Redwings-UEA Creative Writing Competition

Are you a budding young writer? Do you love animals? Enter the Redwings-UEA Creative Writing Competition!

Write a story or poem in the voice of an animal for your chance to win:

a copy of the new edition of Black Beauty
a year's sponsorship of a horse from Redwings
the chance to see an extract of your writing published in Young Reds Magazine!

Five runners-up in each category will also receive a copy of Black Beauty.

Categories:

Ages 7-12

Word limit: 500 words

Prompt:

This competition is inspired by Anna Sewell’s book Black Beauty, which told the world what it was like to be a horse in the nineteenth century. Anna Sewell hoped her book would teach people to be kinder to animals, and give a voice to creatures who can’t speak to us.

For your piece of writing, imagine you are an animal. What is your life like? What would you want people to know? What adventures might you have?

Black Beauty starts with the horse remembering his early life. You could start your own story or poem with “I remember…”

Tip: when you are imagining life as your chosen animal, spend 5 minutes thinking about all 5 senses. What can the animal see? What can they hear? Smell? Taste? And what can they feel? This will help you gather lots of details for your writing.

Ages 13-18

Word limit: 750 words

Prompt:

What might animals want to say to humans? And which animals need a voice the most? Write from their perspective, and channel Anna Sewell’s mission to “induce kindness, sympathy and an understanding treatment” of animals.

Closing date: Friday 29th September 2023.

How to enter: Email your typed-up piece of writing to stories@redwings.co.uk. Make sure you include your name and age so you’re entered for the right category as well as your contact details so we can let you know if you've won!

If you have any questions about the competition, please get in touch with Redwings - education@redwings.co.uk.