Unleash your creativity: enter the Kingsmead Young Writers’ Competition 2025
South African schoolchildren aged 6-18 are encouraged to unleash their creativity as they participate in the annual Kingsmead Young Writers’ Competition (YWC) 2025. Now in its fourth year, this exciting initiative, launched by the esteemed Kingsmead College in Johannesburg, promises to nurture a culture of reading and writing among South African youth.
Following tremendous success last year, which saw over 600 entries from across the nation, the YWC is poised to inspire even more budding writers in 2025.
The competition aims to provide a dynamic platform for young South Africans to explore diverse genres and writing styles, receiving invaluable feedback from seasoned writers and publishers along the way.
As YWC organiser Corinne Rosmarin puts it, “Storytelling is at the heart of human experience, promoting empathy, connection, and understanding.”
She emphasised the unique skills young people can develop through writing, stating that these include imagination, planning, and problem-solving—competencies increasingly sought after by contemporary employers.
Writing offers children a powerful means to express their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on the world around them. Rosmarin advised aspiring entrants, “If you want to write an adventure book, read adventure stories.”
Echoing this sentiment, she encouraged young authors to cultivate their ideas: “Remember, the idea is just the beginning. Stories need good characters, great beginnings, exciting middles, and dramatic endings, so work on your tiny seed of inspiration to write a story that will capture and entertain us.”
This year’s theme invites young writers to craft an original creative short story inspired by one of the words: Seeds, Roots, Bloom, or Grow. Each age group will adhere to varying word counts, ranging from 6–7-year-olds to 16–18-year-olds. Those who excel will receive enticing prizes, which include cash from Standard Bank Wealth and Investment, book vouchers from Exclusive Books, constructive feedback from the judges, and the chance to see their work published in an online eBook.
Winners will be revealed on 19th May 2025, paving the way for the Kingsmead Book Fair’s thirteenth iteration on 24th May 2025. This event has become a cornerstone of South Africa’s literary calendar, featuring a packed programme filled with local and international authors.
The YWC will officially open for entries on 3rd February 2025 and will close at 8 PM on 31st March 2025. Interested participants can find more details and submissions on the Kingsmead Book Fair website at kingsmead.co.za/bookfair/young-writers-comp.