Chris Evans launches young writers' competition
1st February 2011
A number of broadcasters and authors are joining forces to judge a new writing competition for children aged 13 or under.
BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans is to chair the 500 Words contest, which is part of the BBC Year Of Books and is being run in association with Hay Fever, the children's programme of the Telegraph Hay Festival of Literature and Arts.
Evans will be joined on the judging panel by children's book author Anthony Horowitz, picture book artist Oliver Jeffers, comedian and writer David Walliams, former children's laureate Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Man Booker Prize 2010 winner Howard Jacobson.
In the competition, children write a story of up to 500 words in length about a topic of their choice to be in the running to win book token prizes for themselves and works for their school libraries.
Sophie Lording, director of Hay Fever, commented: 'The competition is an exciting extension of what the festival is all about, giving children the confidence to speak for themselves, put pen to paper and tell us their stories.'
Last month, the Telegraph Hay Festival announced that Jacobson, Philip Pullman and French Nobel prize for literature laureate Jean-Marie Le Clezio will be among the headliners of this year's event.