Author encourages youngsters to enter story contest
CHILDREN’S author Claire McFall is reminding youngsters in Lochgilphead there is still time to ‘Express themselves’ in a writing competition hosted by National Express.
Author Claire, who is judging the coach operator’s short story competition ‘Express Yourself’, is calling on young people aged between 7 and 16 years to put pen to paper and enter the competition as the deadline has been extended until the end of March.
The competition, will see winning stories published in an online storybook in the coach onboard entertainment system. Each winner will also receive £500.
Children who enter the competition should submit short stories inspired by the theme of ‘happy travelling’.
National Express has made it even easier for children to enter the competition by launching an online portal: www.nationalexpress.com/author where they can submit stories.
Claire, well-known for her award winning novel Ferryman, will be judging entries from Lochgilphead. She encouraged local children to get involved, saying: ‘I’d love every child in Scotland to have a go, even if you’ve never tried writing before! Everyone has a story inside them and each one starts with a single word. Writing is one of the best ways of expressing your ideas, unlocking your creative side and this is a great opportunity to share it. Good luck.’
Entrants should write a story of up to 1,000 words and submit it by March 31.