Showing posts with label READ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label READ. Show all posts

Monday, 7 March 2011

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News: READ International Launches the Read for READ Anthology Competition

News from READ International about this year's short story writing competition.

READ International Launches the Read for READ Anthology Competition

READ International, a student-led educational charity that distributes textbooks to secondary schools in East Africa, is delighted to announce the official launch of the 2011 Read for READ Anthology Competition, on World Book Day, 3rd March.

The Read for READ Anthology 2011 is a unique short story competition for young, socially motivated aspiring writers, and will be launched with support from the British Library. To celebrate the endless possibilities that can derive from a single book, the theme of the anthology this year is ‘The Book Effect’, and will be a collection of stories that focus on inspiration and motivation.

Entrants can submit their story for free in the Read for READ competition, get the chance to have it judged by some of the best in the industry and be published in the anthology alongside established authors and other aspiring writers. Writers that get through to the second round of the competition will have their stories published on the READ website and will battle it out for public votes. Each vote token will cost 50 pence, the cost for READ International of sending a book to a child in Africa.

As Rob Wilson, founder of READ International, says ‘It never costs READ International more than 50 pence to move one book from a UK classroom into the hands of a Tanzanian or Ugandan school child or teacher’. With over three thousand pounds raised by voting cast by the public in 2010, the Read for READ anthology raised the potential to send 1500 books to East Africa, demonstrating how a love of reading and writing in the UK can directly enable more reading and writing amongst students in East Africa.

In anticipation of sending our one millionth book to East Africa this year, the Read for READ Anthology completes the circle of young aspiring writers and global citizens encouraging a new generation of readers and writers to become more socially engaged.

How can I enter?

The theme of the competition this year is ‘The Book Effect’.

At the heart of READ International’s work in the UK and East Africa is the potential for books and education to empower, motivate and inspire young people to achieve development, drive their communities forward and make change in their world. In this competition we would like you, as aspiring writers, to write a short story on this theme. It can be the subject of the writing itself or the characters within which create 'The Book Effect' and it is up to you to explore this in your entry. Be creative as you want with the theme, and then put pen to paper and enter it into our competition for free, starting your own 'Book Effect'.

For some inspiration and to see our own take on ‘The Book Effect’ click here.

To enter, write a short story of no more than 5000 words and be as creative as you like! Enter between the launch of the competition on 3rd March and the closing date on 29th April 2011. You can enter online by filling in the online Submission Form or by sending in your printed typescript story to us, along with a signed Postal Entry Form, to READ International, 39-41 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London, SE5 9NR.

Who can enter?

Anybody over the age of 16 from anywhere in the world can enter the competition.
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Wednesday, 21 April 2010

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Writing Competition: Read for READ

read internationalI received a very exciting email today from charity READ International about a writing competition...

READ International is a charity that collects textbooks and books that are no longer used in the UK and send them to schools in East Africa. It costs just 50p to recycle a book from the UK, but £12 to buy a new book in East Africa.

At the moment we are hosting a competition titled Read for READ. Essentially it is a competition for aspiring authors aged 16 and above to get their work published in a short story anthology. The top 20 entires submitted will be put
online for the public to vote. Each vote token costs 50p - the exact amount it costs to send a book to a child in Africa. The top 10 stories are then judged by industry experts including award winning literary agent Clare Alexander, founder of Cavendish Publishing Sonny Leong and author and journalist Sarfraz Manzoor. We have received a number of manuscripts so far and they are looking very promising and unique.

The competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 and so long as stories are written in English. Details on the competition can be found on the competition page,
Read for READ.

How awesome does this competition sound? Not only do you get the chance to possibly have your work published, you also get to help out a charity! A little bit more info for you direct from the site:

How can I enter?
Enter a short story of no more that 5000 words on the theme ‘It Started With A Book’. Be as creative as you like with the theme! Enter between the launch of the competition on 4th March and midnight on the 13th May 2010. You can enter online by filling in our online submission form or send your printed typescript story to us, along with a signed postal entry form, to READ International, 37 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TL.

For more information, check out the website. And if you're a writer, why not enter? I'd get my skates on though, you only have three weeks and a day to enter!
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