91ȱ

The 91ȱ Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University gives young people in the UK aged between 14 -18 years the opportunity to submit short stories of up to 1,000 words.

First launched as part of the tenth anniversary celebrations for the , the Young Writers’ Award aims to inspire and encourage the next generation of writers.

The 91ȱ Young Writers' Award 2024 is now open

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the 91ȱ YWA and 91ȱ Radio 1 Presenter Katie Thistleton returns as Chair of Judges for the YWA for the seventh time.

Students can find out more at bbc.co.uk/ywa.

Huge congratulations to Atlas Weyland Eden, 18, who won the 2023 91ȱ Young Writers' Award with Cambridge University, for his story, The Wordsmith.

The writers shortlisted for the 91ȱ Young Writers’ Award have their stories narrated by an actor and recorded for a 91ȱ podcast and published in an anthology. You can hear the winning story from 2023 here.

Short story writing resources

To inspire students and help them to get writing, we've created this collection of resources all about short stories. Get started with our guides to writing a short story, plus advice for teachers, reading recommendations and short videos for the classroom.

Pink line

A downloadable PDF for pupils with quick ideas to kickstart writing a short story.

Getting started

A downloadable PDF which will guide pupils through the process of writing a short story from beginning to end.

Guide to writing a short story

A downloadable PDF guide for teachers, with ideas for using the Young Writers’ Award in or out of the classroom.

Young Writers' Award teacher guide

Writing inspiration. video

In this short video YWA judges, including 91ȱ Radio 1's Katie Thistleton, reveal what makes them feel inspired to write something new.

Writing inspiration

A downloadable PDF full of great short story anthologies and collections to inspire pupils.

Try these short stories

Top tips for writing a short story. video

In this short video Katie Thistleton and the 2018 YWA judges share short story writing tips.

Top tips for writing a short story

Five creative writing tips for when you want to tell your story. document

Bestselling poet, playwright and novelist, Nikita Gill offers five creative writing tips to help budding young writers.

Five creative writing tips for when you want to tell your story

91ȱ Student Critics. document

91ȱ Student Critics is an opportunity for students to flex their critical muscles by reading, listening, discussing and critiquing the stories shortlisted for the annual 91ȱ National Short Story Award.

91ȱ Student Critics

What makes good story writing? video

In this short film, Anthony Horowitz introduces a line-up of top writers of children’s and young adult fiction who offer a smorgasbord of approaches to writing. Jamila Gavin, Keith Gray, Jacqueline Wilson, David Almond and Malorie Blackman share their writing secrets, giving consideration to where they find their inspiration, what their writing triggers are, and how they get writing started.

What makes good story writing?

Michael Morpurgo on storywriting. video

In this short film, best-selling author Michael Morpurgo reveals some of the techniques that shape his writing. He describes how he came to write the novels War Horse and Private Peaceful and reads from the latter, a powerful novel inspired by the execution for cowardice of more than 300 British soldiers during World War I.

Michael Morpurgo on storywriting

Anthony Horowitz on writing and inspiration. video

In this short film, Anthony Horowitz discusses writing the Sherlock Holmes novels and shares his top tips for writing. He considers where his ideas come from originally, and how to imagine stories behind everyday sights and sounds. He shares his own writing practices and talks about what it feels like to immerse yourself in writing.

Anthony Horowitz on writing and inspiration

Rebecca Abrams' writing tips. video

In this short film, novelist and journalist Rebecca Abrams offers advice for young writers, from how to find inspiration to how to devise plots. But above all, she says, it is important to remember that no one expects someone to pick up a violin and play it straightaway. It is the same with writing – you have to learn the basics, build on them, and practise.

Rebecca Abrams' writing tips

Inside the Writer's Mind. collection

Created in partnership with First Story, these short films for secondary schools offer insights into the ideation and creative writing processes of contemporary writers working across a number of genres. From playwrights to poets via children's authors and graphic novelists, each short film follows a real writer's journey – from how they find their inspiration and work with a stimulus, to how they edit and perform a written piece.

Inside the Writer's Mind

Watch again: Authors Live - Holly Bourne. video

UK young adult novelist and Young Writers' Award judge Holly Bourne tells Authors Live about her new book.

Watch again: Authors Live - Holly Bourne

Watch again: Authors Live - Catherine Johnson. video

Watch with your class to find out how history can inspire creative writing. Catherine Johnson is an award-winning author and screenwriter who has used historical settings in many of her novels – and she reveals some of her secrets! Designed for schools in Scotland, P5 – S2.

Watch again: Authors Live - Catherine Johnson

External learning-related websites:

  • - The Young Writers' Award partners at Cambridge University have created a page of resources and inspiration for entrants.