Hikmah Youth Project
Welcome to the Hikmah Young Writers Competition 2018
Our 2018 competition will be accepting submissions from the following categories:
Key Stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 are invited to submit a short story of up to 1,500 words. Each Key Stage will be further split into male and female categories.
Please make sure you read the conditions for submission carefully to find out who is eligible to enter and what stories we can accept.
If you have any problems making your submission, please email hikmah@iccuk.org. An administrator will respond as soon as possible.
Eligibility
- We can only accept one entry per person
- All stories must be written in English
- All entrants must be resident in the United Kingdom and attend a school located within the Greater London area. To check whether your school is located in Greater London, please visit: http://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_search.obj_pls_schools_search_bymap?x=&p_region_id=5
- All entries must be the author's original work. Submissions must not infringe on copyright laws and they must not have been previously published elsewhere.
- Submissions that contain unlawful, defamatory or offensive content will not be accepted.
- All entrants must be aged 7 - 18. Please ensure you submit your work in the correct Key Stage category:
- Key Stage 2: School years 3, 4, 5, 6 (ages 7 - 11)
- Key Stage 3: School years 7, 8, 9 (ages (11 - 14)
- Key Stage 4: School years 10, 11 (ages 14 - 16)
- Key Stage 5: School years 12, 13 (ages 16 - 18)
- Short Story: Entries must be written in short story or prose format. Please keep submissions within 1,500 words. You may submit one story
- There is no set theme or genre for this competition. However, we encourage you to write a story that has an underlying message. This could reflect a moral or value. Ask yourself: can the reader learn something from your story?
Submission Process
- Click here to download the Entry Form in PDF format >>
- All entries must be emailed to hikmah@iccuk.org
- All entries should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document. Please include the title of the story and the word count at the top of the first page. Your name must not be included anywhere in the document. This ensures that there is no bias during the judging process.
- You may submit your own entry, or your parent, guardian or teacher may submit it on your behalf
- All entrants under the age of 16 must have permission from a parent or guardian. We will ask for their details on the Entry Form.
- Parents or Teachers: Please email for either yourself or the child with your contact information. Include the child's name and details when asked for 'Author' details.
- Author: If you are the author submitting your own writing, please email your name and ensure you leave the contact information for your parent or carer, where prompted.
- There is no set topic or subject area for this competition. However, we encourage you to write a story that has an underlying message. This could reflect a moral or value. Ask yourself: can the reader learn something from your story?
Judging Process
- Entries for the Hikmah Young Writers Competition will be judged in the following way:
- Step 1: A team of readers will assess all submissions and select the top 4 entries from each Key Stage category, comprising the shortlist.
- Step 2: The shortlisted entries will be assessed by a panel of judges who will each give the entries a score. The shortlist will be announced on the ICC website by the end of September 2018. Writers will be notified by email.
- Step 3: Shortlisted entrants will be invited to awards ceremony to be held in the October Half-Term holiday (week beginning 20th October 2018), where the winners will be announced. Updates will be posted closer to the time.
- The decisions of the judging panel are final and binding, and the Hikmah Young Writers Competition will not enter into correspondence or negotiation regarding the results. Where possible, any feedback given by the judges will be passed on to the writer to further their development.
- Details of winners will be made available on the ICC website after the Awards ceremony.
Publicity
- Each shortlisted writer will agree to take part in publicity for the promotion of the Competition, which will include - but is not restricted to - his/her name and photograph being used. Writers will not receive payment for this.
- Full name and town/city of shortlisted writers will be given to local and national media for press coverage. This is to raise the profile of the young writer.
- Winners will retain the copyright to their work but grant Hikmah Young Writers Competition the right to publish their work in an anthology and post excerpts on the ICC website.
Privacy
- Your contact details will be used strictly for communications regarding the Hikmah Young Writers Competition, for example to notify entrants of the shortlist announcement or invitation to the Awards Ceremony. You will not be contacted regarding other Hikmah Youth Project activities or activities relating to the London Central Mosque Trust & Islamic Cultural Centre Ltd, nor will your information be passed on to third parties.
By entering your story to the competition, it will imply your acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
The closing date for the competition is 12:00am (midnight) on 10th August 2018. Submissions entered after the closing date will not be considered.
Due to the volume of entries, there will be no confirmation of receipt of your entry, but you will see an automated acknowledgment screen on successful submission.
*Click here to download the Infographic below
