Search on for young writers to tell stories of Scotland

Today the Evening News launches an exciting competition to unearth the best stories about the Capital, the Lothians, and the country.

We have teamed up with the publishers of a new book – My Scotland – for the literary contest, which is open to any child aged between eight and 12.

The winning entry will be included in the book and also published in the Evening News.

My Scotland will be released by My World Publishing in November and is a “snappy, stimulating superstore of stories covering Scotland’s history, landscape and people”.

Written by Richard Callaghan and David Simpson, it will feature 366 stories bringing Scotland’s history and culture to life for readers of all ages.

There is a story for every day of the year, including a leap year, and 12 entries from children across Scotland will also be featured.

Richard Callaghan said: “I think this is a great opportunity for aspiring young writers from Edinburgh to get their work published –that’s a fantastic achievement for anybody. This is a great competition in terms of giving people a chance to express what they love about Scotland – and that’s what we’re really interested in.

“We want to know what the kids from Edinburgh and the Lothians say about their area.”

Stories should be a maximum of 250 words and can be written in any genre or style. Entries have already been submitted from outside Edinburgh and the Lothians, but now it is time for the area’s creative minds to show off their talents.

David Simpson said: “We’ve been struck so far by the imaginative writing and the sense of pride that young people have in their nation. We’ve had entries from all over Scotland including the Outer Hebrides, the Borders and Glasgow, but so far nothing from Edinburgh and we’d love to see stories from this particular corner.”

The stories must be about Scotland, but writers can explore any element of the country that interests them, whether it be people, landmarks, history, cities, towns, villages, or even their school.

The closing date for entries is Friday, October 21 – so it’s time to put pen to paper.

Richard said: “Already, we’ve had some fantastic entries and they keep flooding in, and we’re really looking forward to picking the winners.”

For more information, visit www.myworldpublishing.co.uk.

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