My World, My Words Story Writing Competition

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE CONTACTED AND ANNOUNCED FIRST WEEK OF APRIL 2024.

The My World, My Words Story Writing Competition aims to uncover new writing talent and showcase exciting local stories for children aged 9 to 13 years.

Three lucky writers will each receive cash prizes together with a publishing agreement with Cover2Cover Books. The winning story writer will receive R10,000, and two runners-up R5,000 each. The published books will be available for distribution nationally.

Stories need to be in English, between 2500 and 3000 words, and divided into short chapters of about 500 words.

Entrants need to be resident in South Africa and between the ages of 18 and 35 years.

To enter, email your story and a copy of your ID to competition@cover2cover.co.za. Make sure to include your name, email, address and cellphone number at the top of your entry.

The stories are aimed at young South Africans for whom English is a second language, so the language and stories need to be accessible and engaging. Themes should be relatable and of high interest to this age group.

The story does not need to be illustrated. If it is selected as a winner, Cover2Cover will commission the illustrations.

Here are some useful pages to read for preparation:

Children’s books with moral lessons
How to write a children’s book
Five things to remember when writing for children

Closing date: 11 March 2024

Send in your story or further queries to: competitions@cover2cover.co.za

Terms and Conditions

  1. The Promoter of this competition is Cover2Cover Books, with the registration number 2011/005956/07.
  2. The competition is only open to individuals resident in South Africa.
  3. Entrants must be between 18 and 35 years.
  4. The story must be suitable for a reader aged between 9 and 13 years for whom English is a second language.
  5. The story must be written in English and be between 2,500 and 3,000 words and divided into short chapters (about 500 words each).
  6. Entrants must submit their story and required documentation before midnight on 11 March 2024 by email to: competitions@cover2cover.co.za 
  7. Submissions should be double-spaced, a size 12 font, and submitted as a doc, docx or PDF file.
  8. At the top of each entry the entrant must include their name, email address and cellphone number. Each entry must be accompanied by a copy of the entrant’s ID.
  9. A maximum of two stories can be submitted per individual.
  10. Stories cannot be altered after they are submitted. Entrants are encouraged to check their work thoroughly before submission.
  11. Stories must be previously unpublished.
  12. AI generated or plagiarised entries will be disqualified.
  13. Cover2Cover will not be held liable for any technical failure that may cause entries not to be submitted or where the entries were not received.
  14. By entering the competition, entrants must be prepared, if selected as one of the winners, to enter into a publishing agreement with Cover2Cover Books. 
  15. There are three prize-winners – a first prize winner and two runners-up. The first prize winner receives a cash prize in the amount of R10,000 and a publishing agreement. The two runners-up each receive a cash prize of R5,000 and a publishing agreement.
  16. The decision of the readers and judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding judging. We are unable to provide individual feedback.
  17. Winners will be notified by telephone or email by 5 April 2024. 
  18. Winners will be announced on the Cover2Cover website by 30 April 2024.
  19. Entrants understand and agree that to offer the competition, Cover2Cover must collect and use personal information about them.
  20. Entrants agree that if selected as a winner, they will supply Cover2Cover with a recent photograph and other personal information about themselves as required for publicity purposes and further consent to such photograph and personal information being published in the public domain.
  21. This competition is not open to any director, partner, employee of Cover2Cover, or members of their immediate family.
  22. Cover2Cover, its directors, members, partners, employees, agents, consultants, suppliers, contractors and sponsors assume no liability whatsoever for any indirect or consequential loss or damage arising from an entrant’s participation in this promotional competition or for any loss or damage, howsoever arising (whether arising from negligence or otherwise). The prize winner indemnifies Cover2Cover for any loss, damage, harm or injury (whether arising from negligence or otherwise) that may be made against Cover2Cover by any third party (including but not limited to suppliers or any other third parties) in connection with this promotional competition and the accompanying terms and conditions.
  23. These terms and conditions can only be reasonably changed (or superseded) by us on a written revision to these terms and conditions posted on this competition page.
  24. Cover2Cover reserves the right to terminate this competition immediately and without notice. In the event of such termination, all entrants agree to waive any rights they may have regarding this competition and acknowledge that they will have no recourse against Cover2Cover.
  25. South African laws govern this competition.
  26. Entrants to this competition agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions.