THE search is underway to find a budding children’s author who can win the opportunity to see their first story in print.
Maximize Education is sponsoring a competition as part of Morpeth Book Festival to find the next JK Rowling or Lewis Carroll.
Budding authors of all ages are invited to submit a short 500-word children’s story into a competition. The winner will have their story beautifully illustrated, printed and distributed to schools across Northumberland and at Morpeth Book Festival over the weekend of Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd March.
The competition will be one of the highlights of the festival organised by Greater Morpeth Development Trust (GMDT) and Northumberland Libraries, which will include a range of well-known authors. It is the first time the event has included a children’s programme.
Maximize Education CEO Christine Jamieson, pictured left, is one of the main sponsors and wanted to support a children’s story writing competition as she is passionate about encouraging more children and young people to read books.
As well as the competition, she is helping to organise the collection of new and good condition books across schools in the Morpeth area, as well as Morpeth Library, which will then be distributed to disadvantaged children who may otherwise not have access to books.
Christine said: “The children’s book competition is a wonderful opportunity for someone who loves writing to get their 500-word story in print and have it read by children. After it has been illustrated, we will provide schools in Morpeth and surrounding areas with five copies each, plus there will be a copy in Morpeth Library and we’ll give away copies at Morpeth Book Festival.
“Reading has incredible benefits to children as it builds language skills, expands vocabulary, fuels their imagination, enhances their attention and cognitive ability and helps them to do better at school. Phones and games are a huge distraction to children but encouraging them to read has so many advantages and opens doors in life. The competition also provides budding authors with a wonderful opportunity to write a story and see it in print.”
Festival director Frank Rescigno, pictured right with Christine, said: “Encouraging children to read has always been a key objective of the festival. Statistics show that children have a much better chance in life if they learn to read.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Christine and Maximize Education for the support they give to the festival and it’s a wonderful gesture to sponsor the writing competition which is going to be very exciting.”
Tickets are now on sale for the event. The festival’s own patron – award-winning Northumberland author and screenwriter Mari Hannah, the creator of the Kate Daniels series, the Ryan & O’Neil and the Stone & Oliver series – will be in conversation with television presenter Steph McGovern talking about Steph’s debut novel, Deadline.
They will be later followed on the festival stage by TV journalist and presenter Sally Magnusson, who will discuss her latest novel. Sally will be in conversation with Edward Bindloss.
How to enter:
Entrants should submit their 500-word story to maximizeeducation@gmail.com and include the following in the subject line: Writing competition: Name of entrant and contact telephone number. Submissions will be acknowledged on receipt.