Inspiring Young Writers Celebrate Publication and Awards Success!
Published by St Mary's Calne on Sunday 29th of June 2025
Publication success for UV authors, Willa and Atarhe, who had the excitement of seeing their work in print in the Daunt Books Anthology. Although the talented pair were unable to attend the award ceremony in London (which annoyingly clashed with those pesky things called GCSEs!) they were thrilled to receive copies of the 2025 Anthology, hot off the press, and experience their first taste of being published authors. Scroll through the slideshow to see the beauitful book.
The beautiful anthology of work, with an introduction by the judge – award-winning author Hiba Noor Khan – features the top sixteen stories selected out of hundreds of entries nationwide. Atarhe’s ‘When the Drum Fades’ is a powerful tale of coming of age in Nigeria. Meanwhile Willa’s ‘Jars of Entrapment’ is a gorgeous story of food, family and entrapment. Copies of the anthology are available in all good Daunt bookstores!
Meanwhile UVI Norah finished her A Levels just on time to attend the award ceremony for the Portico Sadie Massey Awards. Run by the Portico Library in Manchester, these awards challenge students to write a story set in the North of England, past or present or future.
As winner of the 14 – 18 Category for her short story ‘Observations of an Extroverted Daffodil’, Norah attended the event in Manchester where she met the judges, Carnegie nominated YA author Josh Silver, and multi-award winning poet and novelist Dr. Reshma Ruia, who commended the sophistication and maturity of her writing.
As part of her prize, Norah received mentorship with The Writing Squad, giving her an opportunity to work with an established writer to develop her craft over the next twelve months. Norah’s story available to read shortly Winners — The Portico Library.
Norah has been a wonderful role model and inspiration to the younger members of Writers’ Guild and she will be much missed as she heads off to university to study English next year!
If you’ve been inspired by Atarhe, Willa and Norah and are looking for writing inspiration over the summer months, check out these opportunities – and make sure you come and join us in Writers’ Guild next year!
Forthcoming writing competitions:
- HG Wells Short Story Prize - The annual HG Wells Fiction Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize and free publication of all shortlisted entries in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology. £1000 Prize. Closing Date: 8 July
- Scottish Wildlife Trust Words of the Wild - Theme: from Source to the Sea Words of the Wild Competition | Scottish Wildlife Trust. Closing Date: 12 July
- The Foyles Young Poets - The Poetry Society. Closing Date: 31 July
- The Young Wild Writers Prize - Theme: Capture the Moment. Closing Date: 6 July
- Earth For All – Stories of the Future creative challenge. Closing Date: 20 July
Mrs Catherine Bruton, Writer's Guild and Teacher of English
