AUTHOR and broadcaster Lucy Kennedy has teamed up with Specsavers to encourage budding authors to get creative and enter its nationwide short story competition.
The competition has been launched to help celebrate Specsavers’ sponsorship of the Junior and Senior Children’s Book of the Year categories at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2023.
To enter Specsavers’ competition simply create a short story, no longer than 500 words. The ask is to write a short story inspired by the below picture –
“I stepped out of the front door clutching my new binoculars. My mum said they were magic, but didn’t tell me what they could do…”
Lucy’s top tips for writing a short story:
- My number one tip is to always believe in yourself and the stories you want to tell. When you have confidence in your ideas, others will believe in them too. Sometimes, things might seem a bit tricky, but if you believe you can do it, you’re already halfway to success!
- Talk about what you know. I’d always encourage children to write about something you know and love. Think of what makes you happy, maybe it’s a trip to the park with your friends, winning a sports match, visiting family or time spent with your pet. It could even be as big as meeting your favourite musician or going on a once in a lifetime trip away.
- Be curious. Don’t be afraid to read from a wide variety of genres (from fairy tale to action books) and immerse yourself in their worlds. This is an excellent way to see how different authors introduce characters, set scenes, and develop plotlines which will help you get inspiration for your own story.
- Have fun! I like to remind everyone that writing should be an enjoyable and creative process. Let their imaginations run wild and have fun with your storytelling.
As author of the much-loved children’s book series, The Friendship Faries, as well as mum to three young children, Lucy is encouraging kids to put pen to paper for the Specsavers competition.
She says: ‘This competition is a brilliant way for children to get creative by thinking outside the box. Writing is an amazing way to build confidence in children as it allows them to communicate their own viewpoint, thoughts and feelings. Writing isn’t about having the best grammar or spelling; it’s about encouraging self – expression through a safe space. I would encourage all parents and guardians to get their children involved in this competition as it’s great way for children to use their imagination and they might even win something for their school too.’
Writing encourages children to explore their imagination, bolster their literacy learnings and put their reading skills into practice. It’s a fun and great way to help children fall in love with reading and writing.
The winner of the junior and senior category of the Specsavers short story competition will win €500 for their school library along with all the shortlisted children’s titles for 2023. A new element to the prize giving this year includes an exclusive visit from Lucy to the winner’s schools for a reading of her latest book in The Friendship Fairies series.
To further support Specsavers involvement in the An Post Irish Book Awards campaign, Lucy is also getting involved in a Q&A, over on Specsavers’ social media channels. This is due out w/c 23.10.2023 so be sure to check it out for some hints & tips!
Closing date for entries is Friday the 24th of November 2023.
All entries should be posted to:
Specsavers Short Story Competition,
c/o WHPR, 6 Ely Place, Dublin 2.
or submit online at www.specsavers.ie/irish-book-awards
