She is perhaps best-known for her novel A Woman of Substance. But now bestselling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford is searching for a girl of substance.
Specifically, she is looking for secondary pupils with a substantial talent in fiction-writing.
Ms Taylor Bradford is asking girls between the ages of 11 and 16 to write a 1,000-word short story on the theme of “family”.
Winners of The Write Stuff competition will be offered a writing masterclass delivered by the 84-year-old author. And the best entries will be published by HarperCollins in an ebook.
Ms Taylor Bradford, whose books have sold more than 92 million copies worldwide in more than 90 countries and 40 languages, has compiled a series of writing tips for pupils, offering advice on what makes a good story.
“I think it’s critical that we encourage girls to write, and let their voices be heard through their stories,” she said. “They need to stand up and be seen.
“I believe that we have an enormous number of talented girls in the UK, and think this competition is a great way to get them writing.”
Ms Taylor Bradford’s first story was published when she was 10 years old. “It made such a difference to me,” she said. “My future career was sealed.”
‘Secrets, rivalry and betrayal’
The competition was developed in response to research from the National Literacy Trust, which found that fewer than one in four girls - 23 per cent - saw writing as cool. The survey of more than 16,000 girls also found that girls attitudes to writing worsen as they grow older: girls aged between 8 and 11 were nearly twice as likely to enjoy writing as those aged between 14 and 16.
The Write Stuff competition will be judged by Ms Taylor Bradford, as well as representatives from HarperCollins, the National Literacy Trust and The Sunday Times.
Lynne Drew, HarperCollins publishing director, said that girls should look to their own families for inspiration. “Families can be the source of great love, loyalty and support, but also of secrets, rivalry and betrayal, as literature shows us again and again,” she said. “Give your imagination free rein.”
One winner and two runners-up will be awarded in two categories: 11 to 13 years old and 14 to 16 years old.
The deadline for entries is Friday 7 July.
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