The Lifters Creative Writing Competition 2018
Some of the best stories transport their readers into another world…
The Lifters, a new story by award-winning author Dave Eggers takes readers on a fantastical journey into another world right beneath their feet. With that theme in mind, we’ve teamed up with the Ministry of Stories to ask primary and secondary school pupils in the UK and Ireland to participate in our brand new creative writing competition.
To enter, read the passage below and submit a piece of creative writing (no longer than 500 words), describing what you think might be happening to Gran’s new house.
They got out of the car and stood for a moment on the sidewalk, which zigzagged up and down the hill, in front of the other homes that dotted the street. Gran agreed with Maisie: the house looked crooked. The first floor seemed to be leaning to the right, and the second floor leaned to the left, and all of it seemed to be leaning ever so slightly downhill. But Gran knew saying any of this might hurt his father’s feelings, so he stayed quiet.
Gran’s father was standing with his hands on his hips, his head tilted and eyes squinting at the house, as if trying to figure it out.
“Something’s off,” his father said.
“It’s fine, Ben,” his mother said. “It’s just fine.”
For more inspiration, download the full extract and discover how Gran ended up moving to Carousel, a hilly hamlet, a thousand miles from any sea.
The winner will receive a story-writing kit and €100 in books for themselves, plus €100 in books for their school. Four runners-up will receive €50 in books for themselves and a copy of The Lifters for their school library. Entries will be judged by Scholastic and the Ministry of Stories. Don’t delay; submit your entries today!
The competition runs from July-November 2018. Winners will be announced in December 2018.
