Is This Cornwall’s Next Bestselling Author? St Austell Teen Wins National Writing Award

Penrice Pupil Beats 16,000 Others in Prestigious Competition

A talented Year 10 student from Penrice Academy in St Austell has been named one of just five national winners in the National Young Writers’ ‘Fight or Flight’ Competition.

Edie’s short piece, Fate’s Chaos, stood out from more than 16,000 entries across the country. The story captured the imagination of the judges with its originality, emotional depth and vivid language.

The story was written as part of the ‘100 Words’ challenge, which tasks young writers with crafting compelling fiction in just 100 words. Edie chose to write from the perspective of an all-seeing being – Fate – who becomes disillusioned with the world and decides to fight back against humanity.

Edie explained her approach:
“For the 100 words, I felt the need to do a bit more of a poem or prose, because it is so short that I needed to reel my readers in with such a small word limit.”

A Voice Fit for an Epic

Judge Mark Grist praised the entry, saying:
“This [story] has such a commanding voice. It’s dramatic, intense, and poetic in its language, like the voice of Fate should be. You’ve created a monologue that feels like it belongs in an epic fantasy novel and I very much enjoyed it. Well done!”

For her efforts, Edie received a cheque for £50, a certificate, and a winner’s trophy.

A Rising Star

This is not the first time Edie has been recognised on the national stage. In December 2023, she also won a ‘Best in Book’ award in the Young Writers’ Ghost Stories competition, which allowed a 500-word limit.

Her writing often explores supernatural themes, with stories featuring werewolves, vampires and characters with mystical powers. She writes primarily for a young adult audience and finds inspiration in authors like Adalyn Grace, who wrote Belladonna, and Cassandra Clare, known for The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

Celebrating Success at Penrice

Claire Hague, Reading Champion at Penrice Academy, said:
“We are absolutely delighted for Edie. To be recognised at a national level for her writing is a tremendous achievement. Her success is a testament to her talent, imagination and dedication. We are so proud to support and celebrate her creative journey.”

The National Young Writers’ Competition welcomes entries from students aged 4 to 18 and is considered a major platform for emerging literary talent in the UK. Edie’s award places her among the most promising young storytellers in the country.