In Chapel on Monday morning, with much anticipation, the winners of this year’s Literalily creative writing competition were revealed! This year, we have embarked on a new collaboration with a new judge, Bath-based, Costa-Book-Award-winning children’s author, Jasbinder Bilan. This year’s themes, inspired by recent visual artwork at school, were metamorphosis, spiral and masks.
Since Jas was unable to share the exciting news in person, due to commitments at the British Library with the Royal Literary Fund, she shared an Oscars-style, pre-recorded speech with the competition entrants:
‘Congratulations to each and every one of you who has taken part…I wish I could have had all of you on my winners’ list. The writing was touching, beautifully crafted and defied your years.’
Notably, this year a number of Lower School entries captured the judge’s attention (see below), with Maisie P (LIV) being chosen as runner up in the Fourth Poetry category with ‘Change’: ‘Its subject matter, the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly was reflected so beautifully through the carefully-chosen language… “antennas bursting with courage.” It was confident, touching and hopeful.’
Also from Lower School, the winner of the Fourth Form poetry category was Catherine M (MIV), with a poem about Elizabeth I that Jas felt was ’so accomplished and mature’. In particular, the ‘powerful, lasting ending’ resonated with her: ” … a toxic crown/ Of lead and lies/ To weigh her down.’
This year’s overall winner came from the Sixth Form Poetry category: Alexandra V’s (LVI) poem, ’Natural Recurrence’. Jas reflected: ‘It was visually strong with imagery that stayed with long after reading… Alex gave it deeper resonance and linked it to a universal feeling that communicates with the reader.’
The outstanding entries in the prose categories were often marked by the writers’ skilful control of structure. Amaris B (UIV) ‘…cleverly led the reader to think that nothing could go wrong’; Holly B (MIV) effectively built ‘the sense of dread’; Annie H (LV) ‘…hooks us into the story by making us believe one this, but by the end the reader has a shock.’
The judge also commended the powerful use of setting among the best prose entries. Sophie O (UV) was praised for the ’sharp’ dialogue in ‘Before the Curtain Falls’, ‘…the scene setting [was] vivid and the storyline has just the right amount of tension…’
Winning the Sixth Form Prose category with the gothic ‘The Creature of Mill House’, Eva J (LVI) was admired for her deft handling of “this bizarre story.” Jas added, “It was as like she had let her imagination run wild but tamed it through the clever structure of language.”
With such brilliant and entertaining entries, Jas emplored the pupils of St Mary’s Calne to ‘keep writing’! We very much look forward to welcoming Jas into school for writing workshops later in the year. Budding writers also can head to Writers Guild on Tuesday lunchtimes, with our very own children’s author, Catherine Bruton, for inspiration, support and details of national competitions to be entered!
