The RTL Today and Ernster writing contest for young authors is back for a fourth edition.
Thanks to our readers, writers, book lovers, and everyone who has supported the contest over the years, we are proud to officially launch this year’s edition. And yes, like the previous two years, this edition will once again end up as a physical book featuring all entries submitted according to the rules.
The Young Authors Contest first launched in 2023 after we came across a Facebook post from a parent asking where young writers could get their stories published.
As people who love books and storytelling ourselves, we teamed up with Ernster and decided to create a space for young authors to share their creativity.
Since then, the response has exceeded all expectations. Every year, we are blown away not only by the number of submissions, but also by the creativity, humour, and talent behind them.
The contest has continued to grow over the years, with finalists having their stories turned into audio stories for Today Radio and last year’s ceremony taking place during the Walfer Bicherdeeg.
Now, we are ready to do it all over again! At RTL Today, we are big book lovers, and we cannot wait to see what this year’s young writers come up with. But for now, one thing matters most: submissions are officially open.
Prizes
Ernster have provided us with perfect prizes for Luxembourg’s literary youth: vouchers to be used in any of their shops! Since we have two age categories (more on that below), we’re going to have two winners, two second places, and two third places, for six total prizes.
First prize is a €125 voucher
Second prize is a €75 winner
Third prize winners both win €50 vouchers.
Age categories
We have two age categories for this contest, as it seemed a bit unfair to have the littlest authors competing against ones who may be twice their age.
The first category is for children aged up to 11 (including 11-year-olds).
The second category is open to authors aged 12–16.
The contest structure
Submissions are open from today (see rules below), 15 June until 1 August.
Once submissions close, our esteemed jury will shortlist five stories from each age category.
These are our finalists, and they will be recorded and played on radio plus available for listening and reading on RTL Today.
There will be a public vote from 31 August until 6 September (one week!) to crown the winners of this inaugural children’s writing contest.
The winner will be announced at our prize ceremony, which will be held on the weekend of 13–15 November, at Walfer Bicherdeeg, and of course on RTL Today and RTL Today Radio!
Contest rules
The rules are simple: We are looking for short stories written by young authors, and there is no particular theme to which they have to adhere. So long as the stories spring from their minds, they can be entered into the contest!
The rules are:
- Only stories written by the contestant can be entered into the contest;
- Stories have to be a maximum 300 words in length and written in English;
- Stories have to be submitted by the contestant’s parents – we will ask for a parent’s contact details as well;
- No AI stories, no stories written by parents, and no copying from stories published elsewhere (unless written by the contestant);
- Only one story per contestant can be submitted.
How do I submit my (child’s) story?
It’s simple! Just fill out the form below, where you can either copy-paste the text or upload a Word/PDF document, whichever you prefer.
In case you cannot see the form attachment, find the link here.
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