Chris Evans announced on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show that children’s writing competition 500 Words is to return for the second year running. Last year’s inaugural competition was a great success with almost 30,000 entries from kids across the UK. The Gold Medal winner in each category will win Chris Evans’ height in books (6ft 2”) plus 500 books for their school library; with the runner up Silver Medal winner receiving Chris’s One Show co-host, Alex Jones’ height in books (5ft 6”). The Bronze Medal winner will pick up their own height in books.
The writers of the Top 50 stories (25 from each age category) will be invited to attend a live broadcast of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show from Hay Festival on Friday 1st June. The six lucky winners will be announced live on air and read out by celebrities during the show.
Five leading children’s authors will be judging the entrants - Dame Jacqueline Wilson, David Walliams, Lauren Child, Andy Stanton and Charlie Higson. The celebrity judges will pick their six favourites from a short list of the Top 50 from each age group, who will have been chosen initially in the competition by a team of volunteer teachers and librarians. Last year 900 teachers volunteered to help with the initial selection. The National Literacy Trust will adjudicate the second stage of the process.
Chris Evans said: “We were overwhelmed last year to be inundated with thousands of truly creative and fantastic entries from nearly 30,000 kids, and in 2012 we need your help to make the competition even bigger than before. To read is good, but to write is even better and dare I say it, can even be more fun.”
Helen Thomas, Executive Producer, BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming back 500 Words, after such a successful inaugural year. Last year's entries were of an extremely high standard, incredibly imaginative and fascinating reading. We’re looking forward to being gripped again this year by even more entries from Breakfast Show listeners.”
David Walliams, Head Judge for 500 Words, said: “I loved being a 500 Words judge last year. I cannot wait to return this year, as Head Judge no less. I'm not sure what that means yet - probably that I have to make the tea? It was a joy to submerge myself in last year's stories. Each one brought me to a different world, each as wonderfully created as the next. This year we're looking for more original stories from the UK's children aged 13 and under. So get those imaginations going.”
Judge Dame Jacqueline Wilson said: “I'm delighted to be a judge for the 500 Words competition once again. I found it great fun last year. It's exciting that so many children are keen writers and it's great that this competition encourages them. I'd have entered like a shot when I was a child - though I'm not sure I'd have been short-listed, as the standard is so high. I'm glad there's a sensible limit to the number of words, so that reading the long-listed entries is a treat instead of a task.”
Judge Charlie Higson said: “Anything that gets the public interested in and excited by stories and books and writing is a good thing. As a judge I will be in great company, some of Britain’s greatest children’s writers have been involved in this project and I'm honoured to be a part of it. Plus I get to read all these fantastic stories.”
Judge Lauren Child said: “Writing a story in 500 words is not an easy thing to do but having heard some of last year’s entries I have high hopes for this year and am very excited to be involved. I am looking for originality, personality and writing from the heart.”
Judge Andy Stanton said: “Am I excited to be a 500 Words judge? RADIATOR! I mean, ‘YES!’ See, I’m so excited I can’t even speak properly. I hope the competition will inspire thousands of young authors to get involved, even if they’ve never written a story before. And I can’t wait to read all the entries. LOFT CONVERSION! I mean, GOOD LUCK!”