Young Author Celebrates National Competition Triumph

A talented Year 10 student at Penrice Academy has been selected as one of just five national winners in the prestigious National Young Writers’ ‘Fight or Flight’ Competition.
Competing against over 16,000 national submissions, Edie’s entry, titled Fate’s Chaos, captivated the judges with its originality, emotional depth and vivid storytelling. Edie captured the judges’ imagination by writing about an omnipresent being – Fate, who was displeased with the state of the world and chose to fight back against humanity.
Her piece was submitted as part of the ‘100 Words’ challenge, a competition that encourages young authors to demonstrate creativity and precision in ultra-short fiction.
Edie said:
“For the 100 words, I felt the need to do a bit more of a poem or prose, because it is so short that I needed to reel my readers in with such a small word limit.”
As well as winning one of the five ‘Best in Book’ awards, Edie also received a cheque for £50, a certificate, and a Young Writers’ Competition winner’s trophy.
Mark Grist, competition judge, said:
“This [story] has such a commanding voice. It’s dramatic, intense, and poetic in its language, like the voice of Fate should be. You’ve created a monologue that feels like it belongs in an epic fantasy novel and I very much enjoyed it. Well done!”
A Young Author in the Making
Recognition in this competition is Edie’s second national award in the last two years. In December 2023, Edie successfully won the ‘Best in Book’ award for the Young Writers’ Ghost Stories competition which allowed a 500-word count.
Writing supernatural content is a hobby of Edie’s with many of her stories themed around werewolves, vampires and people with mystical powers, mainly aimed at young adults.
Two of Edie’s inspiring authors are Adalyn Grace, author of bestselling gothic fantasy romance Belladonna, and Cassandra Clare, author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles series.
Mrs Alison Hague
Reading Champion at Penrice Academy
“We are absolutely delighted for Edie. To be recognised at a national level for her writing is a tremendous achievement. Her success is a testament to her talent, imagination and dedication. We are so proud to support and celebrate her creative journey”.
The National Young Writers’ Competition is a celebrated platform for emerging literary talent, with thousands of entries received each year from students aged 4–18 in age-relevant categories. Edie’s achievement places her among the very best of the UK’s next generation of storytellers.
Please enter some content for your news story here.