100 LAMBS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SHORT STORY WRITING COMPETITION 2024
Open to all secondary school students
To all students - before you start writing your masterpiece, please take a moment to recap what
the elements are that go into a great story. All students in 100 Lambs have at some point (over
the years) been taught how to write a story but many never really got round to it either due to
lack of time or interest. Now this is a great opportunity to showcase a hidden talent or nurture
a growing interest in literary exposition. A talent or skill can only be discovered once you try
to put some effort into turning dreams into reality. Plus, all of you certainly have the time now.
THEME FOR 2024 – Any theme that revolves around solutions to global issues, going green,
sustainability, world economics and time travel.
Please read the rules and helpful points below carefully before you begin writing.
PART 1: A great story usually has the following ingredients:
a) Great memorable characters - you need to make characterisation a key feature.
Make your characters so believable or surreal that whether your readers hate or love them, they
cannot get them out of their mind.
b) Good Introduction - you need to skilfully introduce the situation, setting, mood of the
characters as well as the layers of the story you are able to tell.
c) Plot Development - then you surreptitiously weave in layers of events unfolding one by one
and to link all the "parts" together to grip your readers' attention and arouse imagination. If you
don't, the story will have no depth and instead of a smooth sail, you run aground quickly ...stuck
with nothing to go on. Everyone gets bored by a story with no appendages to "hook" the readers'
imagination.
d) Suspense - you need to know how long to hold your audience in suspense and when to reveal
the most dramatic moments of the tale. You can look at mystery, comedy, tragedy, thriller,
human relationships, romance... these are not just genres but can be sub themes for you to draw
inspiration on and a combination always adds flavour.
e) Climax - the story has to end on a really dramatic note to make it unforgettable and creative.
Usually something happens (more often than nothing happens) - many students often just leave
the story to die a natural death when they either run out of time or ideas or both. How a story
ends is more important than how it starts (to me) and many students spend too much time over
the starter and forget to give due consideration to the ending episode.
f) Conclusion - Thus there comes what we call a "conclusion": a good ending allows you to
give a conclusion or allows the audience to draw their own conclusion which makes it an even
more plausible conclusion. If you are skilful enough to make your audience do that.
PART 2: STEPS TO WRITING A SHORT STORY
1) Read as many short stories as you can find and make notes on what makes that story
interesting or what a good story line is. Discuss stories you have read exuberantly with others
or jot it down in your journal.
2) Aim for the Heart - go for those that warm the heart. Do not write about murder or killing or
any gruesome stuff that will make your judges or examiners want to fail you because that would
make you way out of your league.
3) Stimulate your creative juices by showing an interest in people and things around you. You
will find that everyone has a story to tell, and every event is an epic just waiting to be turned
into a miniseries or a book. Start by asking questions and being genuinely concerned for what
goes on in the world around you these days and soon you will be churning out story after story
as you twist and turn fictional events and characters into awesome tales.
4) Constantly upgrade your language skills and learn to use better words to express yourself
more coherently. A good story is only as good as the words you churn out. You may have the
most amazing idea for a story but without the appropriate words, it will only remain an idea in
your mind. Instead of being appreciated by many if it is told in a great short story.
5) Give your story a title that is not only befitting the tale you spin but also exudes the aura and
passion you have for the story. Extra points will be awarded to titles that are deserving.
3. JUDGING CRITERIA - Language 40%, Style and originality 30%, Characterisation 20%,
Wow Factor or outstanding points 10%
4. LENGTH OF STORY - Between 300 to 3,000 words
5. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 31 July 2024
6. All stories to be typed single spacing and to be submitted to the class teacher of the student.
Any illustrations are permitted and may contribute to the overall grading positively.
Caution: No plagiarism please. If any story is found to be not the genuine work of the student
who submitted it, the student will be penalised in more ways than one.
You may submit a draft to me if you want to be sure you are on the right track before you spend
a lot of time on your story proper. Or feel free to ask any questions on this activity via
WhatsApp at 012-7081181 or email ([email protected]).
From: T.Carol
