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Cambridge University Library

 

The BBC Young Writers’ Award today calls for submissions and to support the potential young entrants, Cambridge University Library has made available an inspiring digital archive of intriguing artefacts. We can also reveal that chairing the judging panel for the Young Writers’ Award in 2018 will be BBC Radio 1 and CBBC’s Book Club presenter, Katie Thistleton.

Cambridge University is delighted to be working with the BBC and First Story as part of a new partnership to support the BBC National Short Story Award, the BBC Young Writers’ Award and the BBC Student Critics’ Award, in a three-year collaboration.

The BBC Young Writers’ Award is open to anyone aged 14-18 who loves writing and entrants will have the opportunity to write their own short stories on any subjects; the University Library opens up its digital archives to offer a treasure trove of potential inspiration for authors.

This virtual treasure trove of books, manuscripts and objects from the University Library collections cover a variety of times, places, authors and subjects. Some are objects that can be seen in 3D; others can be read from cover to cover. There’s a feather, skeleton and even ectoplasm, as well as more traditional Library items including Shakespeare’s First Folio; plenty to inspire young minds!

First Story have also a range of writing tips and resources available on their National Writing Day website. Further details about the Young Writers’ Award, including the online entry form, can be found BBC website, www.bbc.co.uk/ywa. The deadline for entries is 9am on Monday 19th March and the winner will be announced along with the winner of the BBC National Short Story Ward live in Cambridge on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row from 7.15pm on Tuesday 2 October.

The BBC National Short Story Award are also calling for submissions, with the editor of the Times Literary Supplment, Stig Abell, chairing the panel of judges for the 2018 award. For more information visit: www.bbc.co.uk/nssa.