Tag: creative writing

Cats Protection launches short story competition

Cats Protection has announced the launch of a national short story competition, inviting aspiring writers from across the UK to submit imaginative tales that celebrate the unique bond between cats and humans.

Whether heartwarming, magical or mysterious, entries must feature cats at their core and highlight the special connection they share with people.

Stories will be judged by acclaimed authors Jane Fallon and Anne Twist as well as Scottish television presenter and mental health advocate Gail Porter and comedian Matt Richardson. 

“Cats have a magical place in my heart,” said Gail. “My cat always knows… well, my cat knows everything! Her special presence makes me feel so happy and I hope I do the same for her.

“I’m delighted to be involved in a competition that involves the many magical, wonderful stories you have about what makes cats so special to you. I can’t wait to read them all.”

The winning entries will be published in The Cat magazine and showcased on Cats Protection’s website, offering writers a valuable platform to share their work.

Both category winners will also win a goody bag gifted by competition partner, Cult Pens, each with a retail value of £350 as well as being offered a visit to a Cats Protection adoption centre to meet the cats awaiting rehoming.

Eligibility

  • Open to residents of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
  • Entrants must be aged 18 or over
  • Stories must be original and written in English
  • Two categories: children’s literature and adult literature
  • Minimum word count 250 words, maximum word count: 1,000 words
  • Stories must use Arial, 12pt, be double-spaced and be submitted by a word document or PDF using the entry form with the short story title as the file name 
  • One entry per person per category (separate entry fee required)

Entry Process

  • Complete the entry form and pay the fee of £10
  • Instructions for submitting stories will be sent via email
  • The competition is open to entries between Tuesday 20 January and Tuesday 31 March 2026.

“This competition is a wonderful opportunity to explore the charm, mystery and companionship of cats through storytelling,” said Abby Jackson from Cats Protection. “We’re excited to read the creative ways people capture the human-cat bond.” 

All stories must include or centre around a cat. Writers are encouraged to refer to Cats Protection’s Cat Welfare guidance to ensure responsible representation.

Full terms and conditions, along with tips from the judging panel, can be found at cats.org.uk/shortstory

Still time to enter Green Pencil Award

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries/green-pencil-award

There is still time to enter this year’s Green Pencil Award.

The theme is Scotland’s weather! Whether it’s a story about a magical mist rolling through the Highlands, a poem capturing the drama of a stormy seaside, or a sunny adventure (rare as that may be!), we want to hear how Scotland’s ever-changing skies inspire you.

Come along and browse Drumbrae Library’s display for inspiration!

Open to Primary 4 to S3 students

Entries can be poetry, prose or story, all we ask is that the writing is the author’s own work and is no longer than one side of A4 paper.

The competition started on 1 October and the closing date is 28 November 2025.

Ask for an entry form at the library desk or follow the link below:

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries/green-pencil-award

Love to write? Join the Citizen Collective!

Are you (or know someone who is) aged 15 to 18 and interested in …

🔎 journalism and reporting

🗣️ poetry and spoken word

🎶 lyrics, rap and songwriting

✒️ fiction writing and storytelling

💡 or nonfiction writing and how facts can be brought to life?

Well, we’ve got a most exciting opportunity to share…

Our free and online young persons creative writing group, Citizen Collective, is open for new members!

Taking place on Wednesday afternoons during term time, this weekly online gathering is a supportive and inclusive space in which you can:

📝 develop your writing skills

💛 make new friends

👂 hear from published writers

🛤️ go on cultural trips

🤩 and, if you’re up for it, perform at the Book Festival next summer!

Interested? Sessions begin Wednesday 22 October and you’ve got until Wednesday 8 October to register!

Find out more including how to sign-up at: edbookfest.co.uk/news/join-the-citizen-collective

How May I Help You?

TOGETHER WE REPAIR: EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL

I met a nice couple after our Citizen Group’s performances at the Book Festival on Monday. Time was really tight at the end of the evening – we must have been among the last to leave the Edinburgh Futures Institute – and I’m sorry we didn’t have longer to discuss the event, but thanks for being so kind about it!

As I explained the other night, we had to pare our contributions right back to three minute slots due to time constraints. I think my original draft was over six minutes, but with careful editing (i.e. removing large chunks of swearie words!) I got it down to the required length.

So as promised, here is my Stories and Scran contribution How May I Help You? I am really chuffed that you enjoyed the piece so much and I do hope you’ll enjoy reading it again.

Stories and Scran is a real community event and I know my fellow Citizen writers get just as much pleasure from participating at the event as I do – there’s always a very warm and welcoming atmosphere and audiences are invariably supportive. It’s that enthusiasm that makes Stories and Scran so special.

It was nice to meet you, and who knows – maybe we’ll do it all over again next year!

HOW MANY I HELP YOU?

I was sitting in a queue of morning rush hour traffic when I was startled by a loud blast on a horn.  I thought the traffic had moved again while I had been daydreaming, but no: the driver alongside me was pointing down to the back of my car.

Confused, I wound down my window. “Your back tyre is flat”, he called across.

Fortunately there is a big AutoCare Centre just along the road and I was able to trundle along there. The tyre was completely flat now and the wheel made a horrible squealing noise as it rumbled along.

I parked and approached the Reception Desk. John was in charge. I know this because he wore a big badge with his name on it – and he also answered the phone many times while I waited to be seen.

“Good morning AutoCare Centre, John speaking, how may I help you? Ah yes, Mr Wilson. The Zafira, wasn’t it? Let me check …”

I don’t know what John checked. He didn’t move, or even look at a screen. He stood, eyes closed, in a trance-like state for ages … maybe he was psychic?

“Mr Wilson? Sorry about that, sir. Yes, the lads are on it now. Can you give us a call back around lunchtime? … I do realise that, sir, but we have been very busy this morning … yes, I’ll call you back with an update. Of course … Yes, you have a nice day now …

Maybe I imagined it, but I’m sure he muttered: “Phone you back? Aye,right!”

Barely had John put the phone down than it was ringing again. “Good morning, Autocare Centre, John speaking how may … ah hello, Mrs Hill I was just going to call you. Great minds think alike, eh?

“Some bad news, I’m afraid – we are still waiting for parts … yes, six weeks IS a long time but we have to get the parts sent over from France you see … I do understand, Mrs Hill, but between Covid and Brexit … yes, yes, I can only apologise. You know what the French are like … I will chase them up again the second I put the phone down. I’ll call you right back … ‘

He put the phone down, gave a mighty sigh and raised his eyes. “Be with you in a second, sir,” he told me. “Help yourself to a complimentary tea or coff …”

The phone rang again. “Good morning Autocare Centre, John … och it’s just you, Benny!. How you doin’, my man? Are yous busy down there – we’re rushed off our feet here …’

I did fancy a coffee but a lengthy queue was building up behind me and I didn’t want to lose my place.

After quite a while, one customer had had enough. “This is bloody ridiculous!” he said in a very loud voice.

I heard it, the whole queue heard it, the tyre fitters in the workshop heard it – but John was oblivious. His conversation went on and on …

Finally, he glanced up … “Sorry, Benny, I’ll have to love you and leave you … we’re stowed oot the door here!”

I WAS NEXT!

“Sorry about your wait, sir, we’ve been UNBELIEVABLY busy this morning. Now, what can I do for you? What appears to be the problem?

Now, I would have thought that the problem would have been fairly obvious to John, but I pointed to my shredded tyre.

“Ah yes, we’ll take a look at that for you. The lads are busy just now but have a seat and we’ll get it up on a ramp as soon as we can. Help yourself to a coff …

The telephone rang again.

“Good morning, AutoCare Centre, J …Nearly afternoon? What a quick morning it’s been! Ah yes, Mrs Hill!  Ye’ll no’ believe this – I was just going to call you …

Citizen Writers at the double!

BUSY night tonight for Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Adult Citizen Writers, who have back-to-back engagements this evening.

The group will be performing stories on the Together We Repair theme at 7.15 in Venue B and will then nip along to Venue NW to participate in the popular Stories and Scran community event at 8.15pm.

EIBF PROGRAMME NOTES:

Together We Repair

We believe that everyone has a story to tell and that stories help us make sense of our world. We’ve challenged local writers and poets, this year, to respond to 2025’s Festival theme: Repair.

Join us as we bring them together to perform their work: a patchwork of ideas on how to make the world a better place. Today featuring writing and performances from the Book Festival’s Citizen Writing Group.

Stories and Scran celebrates the dynamic and thought-provoking work created by communities across Edinburgh and beyond.

Expect diverse and creative talent from the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group and Citizen Collective, plus a special performance from Dance Base’s Prime Elders Dance Company.

And Scran Academy are back to serve up a delicious, sweet treat you can enjoy during the event.

Tickets for Together We Repair are fully allocated but a limited number of tickets may still be available for Stories and Scran (pay what you can). Check EIBF website for info.

Celebration honours winners of Edinburgh 900 writing competitions

A celebratory reception was held on Thursday at the City Chambers to honour the winners of two Edinburgh 900 themed writing competitions.

Hosted by the Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, the event recognised the creativity and talent of local writers who submitted original works inspired by Edinburgh’s remarkable nine-century history.

The two featured competitions included the Green Pencil Award 2024, aimed at school-aged children (P4 to S3) attending Edinburgh schools or home-educated in the city, and a city-wide poetry writing competition organised through Edinburgh’s library network, open to adult residents.

The Edinburgh 900 initiative commemorates 900 years since the Royal Burgh was established by King David I around 1124. In honour of this historic milestone, residents were invited to share their reflections, memories, and love for Scotland’s capital through poetry and storytelling.

Both competitions highlighted Edinburgh’s rich heritage, cultural vibrancy, and strong community spirit. Six winning entries from the poetry competition will be immortalised on exclusive bookmarks to be distributed across Council-run libraries throughout the city.

The winning poets will also be filmed reciting their work, with the recordings shared across the Council’s social media channels and preserved as part of the Edinburgh 900 archive for future generations.

The winners are: Shasta Hanif Ali, Eric Robinson, Rory Allison, Tricia Ronaldson and Suzanne Smith.

The Green Pencil Award encouraged young people to express their voices creatively in written form, with entries limited to one side of A4 and open to stories or poems in any style.

Twenty finalists were selected, with one crowned the overall winner and presented with the prestigious Green Pencil Award trophy and winner’s medal.

The Green Pencil was awarded to Preston Street Primary 7 pupil Ema Mene for her poem “To Edinburgh She Went” (pictured top).

Highly commended: Isobel Rhys-Davies, Cargilfield School (P6); Marcus Osborne, Bruntsfield Primary School (P6B); and Sofia Brown, James Gillespie’s High School (S1).

The Lord Provost Robert Aldridge praised all entrants for their enthusiasm and passion: “Creative writing ensures our stories are told and remembered. Edinburgh 900 is not only a celebration of the past but also a platform to inspire the future. These competitions show how deeply people care about the city and its legacy. 

“Edinburgh has long been a city where literature thrives, as we mark 900 years these wonderful written pieces provide another meaningful way to honour the city’s legacy through the words of its people. My congratulations to our fantastic winners.”

Celebrating Edinburgh’s rich history through storytelling

As part of National Storytelling Week, Edinburgh 900 invites people and communities to share their connection with the capital city.

As part of National Storytelling Week, the Edinburgh 900 programme invites individuals, communities, and historians to share and explore their unique connections to the city’s fascinating past.

The Edinburgh and Scottish Collection at Central Library boasts one of the world’s largest and most unique collections of materials on Edinburgh, including rare books, maps, prints, photographs, and more.

Through a dedicated website users can access images and maps from the collection online. Our Town Stories features curated stories across various themes and partners with organisations to highlight Edinburgh’s rich and diverse past.

As part of the Edinburgh 900 celebrations, Our Town Stories offers an engaging and interactive journey through the city’s heritage with dynamic maps and timelines. These tools highlight significant objects, photographs, and people from the collections of Libraries, Archives, Archaeology Services, and Museums and Galleries. Over the coming months, more Edinburgh 900 themed captivating stories will be unveiled that span the centuries, offering new insights into Edinburgh’s evolution from the 1100s to the modern-day.

Some highlights already published include:

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, said: “These stories delve into the pivotal moments in Edinburgh’s history, shedding light on the people, places, and events that have helped shape our extraordinary city.

“Our Town Stories makes exploring Edinburgh’s past easy—its interactive map brings the city’s rich history to life with images and maps from our collections. Whether you’re zooming in on a familiar street or discovering hidden corners of the city, this tool connects you with Edinburgh’s heritage in an accessible way.

“If you’re inspired and have a personal, historical, or cultural story to share that could enhance our understanding of Edinburgh’s past, we’d love to hear from you. Your contribution could become part of our ongoing narrative, helping to celebrate the city’s identity, creativity, and resilience, ensuring that Edinburgh’s 900-year story is preserved for future generations.”

For more information or to contribute your story, please get in touch at informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk 

You can also join the Edinburgh Collected community archive and contribute your pictures and memories to help shape the city’s collective history.

JINGLE BELLS: A story for Christmas

I was picking my grandsons up from school last week, and I overheard a fascinating conversation in the playground …

Three women were waiting on their kids coming out. I saw them every week and we were on nodding terms. One of them was a tall lady, quite distinguished looking. She smiled, she nodded, she shook her head – but she rarely spoke.

The other two more than made up for her, though. Maggie and Lisa. They never stopped. Maybe the tall woman had just given up trying to get a word in.

“You going to the Nativity tomorrow, Margaret?”

“Nativity? Nativity! I’ll no be going to any fuckin’ nativity!

Don’t hold back, Margaret, speak up! I thought to myself.

Margaret was a tiny wee mum in a tracksuit. Her voice was really loud for someone so small – very impressive.  A miniature foghorn! Feisty, I would call her – but not to her face, though!

“Why are you no’ goin, Margaret?” asked Lisa, Margaret’s mate. They were always together, and I’m pretty sure Lisa knew very well why Margaret wasn’t going to the Nativity play. I would wager wee Maggie had talked about nothing else for days.

“Hunter’s a donkey!” Margaret said. “That bitch has made my Hunter a fuckin’ donkey! That’s why I’m no’ goin’”

“What bitch, Margaret?” the first woman asked, probably innocently enough.

“Mrs Bell. Mrs fuckin’ Bell. She’s got it in for my Hunter. Hunter should have been Joseph. He had his heart set on it – he’s been going to drama classes and everything – and she makes him a fuckin’ DONKEY!’

Heads were starting to turn. Lisa said: “Keep yer voice doon, Margaret. The bairns will be oot the now!”

“Sorry, hen. I’m still fuckin’ livid” Margaret’s volume dropped a few decibels – but only a few.

“At least he’s got a part, Margaret. And did he no’ get asked to leave the drama class?”

If Margaret’s pal was trying to calm her down (and I’m not convinced she was, really), it had the opposite effect

“No, we took him out of that class, it was rubbish. Hunter is just full of energy and ideas and they couldn’t channel it properly. It was their fault. Arty-farty idiots.”

She paused for breath “What makes it worse – what really makes me SO FUCKIN’ MAD – is that that wee goody two shoes William is playing Joseph. Everybody knows he’s Joseph just because his mother is Chair of the PTA. Mrs Bell had got it in for my Hunter – and she’s a crawling bitch!”

With Margaret in full flow the women hadn’t noticed that the school bell had sounded and the children were coming out. I hoped my own grandkids would not be out too quickly as I wanted to hear the end of this saga.

The wee group was approached by another woman. “Good afternoon, ladies. Will we be seeing you at the Nativity play tomorrow?”

A strange transformation came over Margaret. She became a different person – and even sounded strangely posh! “Oh yes, Mrs Bell. We’re really looking forward to it – my Hunter is so very excited. He can hardly wait!”

As Mrs Bell walked off to speak to another group, Lisa said: “WELL, you certaintly telt here there, Margaret! You really put her in her place!”

There was a brief pause, and Margaret burst out laughing.

“You cow! That’s you off the Christmas card list, as well!”

The three women were still laughing as they left with their kids.

I never heard how Hunter got on as the donkey and whether young William was a triumph as Joseph. And I’ll never know if Margaret sent Lisa a Christmas card – but I think she probably did.

Happy Christmas everyone!

This story was written for Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen Writers Christmas event at Grassmarket Community Project.

More Words from the Wards tonight

WISHING my CITIZEN friends and colleagues good luck as they take to the stage at Edinburgh International Book Festival this evening.

They will be reading their stories about the old Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh Futures Institute, which was built on the grounds of the old Royal off Lauriston Place.

In spring 2024 EIBF called for people from Edinburgh to submit stories about the former Royal Infirmary, to capture and honour the experiences and memories that people connect with the building’s previous life.

Tonight’s local writers readers will joined by special guest Lisa Williams to perform their work and commemorate the building’s rich history.

The event is free – well worth seeing if you can make it along!

Supported by Edinburgh Futures Institute

Tonight at Edinburgh International Book Festival: Stories and Scran

Enjoy tasty food and brilliant performances from local people. Returning for its fifth year, Stories and Scran celebrates dynamic, thought-provoking work created by our Citizen participants.

Expect diverse and creative talent from Project Esperanza’s Women’s Group, WHALE Arts, the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group, and Citizen Collective.

And Scran Academy are back to serve up delicious, sweet treats you can enjoy during the event.

Stories and Scran runs from 8 – 9.15pm at the Book Festival’s new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute on Lauriston Place.

Supported by Jenny Colgan Books