Dear Parents and Carers

 

Beacon Hill School has registered for the Hong Kong Young Writers Award. If your child would like to enter this competition, then please read the information below.

 

The HKYWA is an annual competition for aspiring writers to showcase their talents and creativity in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and cover art. The competition’s main aim is to foster excellence in creativity by providing students with the opportunity to develop their expressive talents and expand their horizons. The awards encourage and recognise excellence in English writing and artwork among students, aged from 6 to 18, of various age groups, diverse backgrounds and different learning abilities. 

All entries must be based on the theme New Tales of China’s Silk Road. One winner will be chosen in each of the groups, and one lucky student will be named The Hong Kong Young Writer of 2025. 

This year’s title & summary:

New Tales of China’s Silk Road

Twenty-two centuries ago, some intrepid Chinese people spent months trekking westwards to see if they could sell silk to new customers. The trip was a big success—and soon grew into a two-way trade route, joining Europe to China’s Chang’an, which became the biggest city in the world. The Silk Road became one of the most important journeys in history, with east and west exchanging wonderful foods, remarkable inventions, stunning art, and creative ideas. It remained popular for more than one and a half thousand years, finally disappearing in the mid-1400s. But it was revived in 2013 and quickly become the biggest international trade project in world history, with 150 countries becoming involved.

You could write about the first people to do the journey. Or the last! Or about people from different countries learning about each other. Or you could write about what the new Silk Road could achieve, as the world changes. Use your imagination!

All entrants will be divided into groups:

Primary

Year 1-3/Primary 1-3 Group 1

Year 4-6/Primary 4-6 Group 2

Word Count

Year 1-3:/Primary  Up to 500 for fiction and non-fiction.  No limit for poetry

Year 4-6/Primary Up to 1000 for fiction and non-fiction.  No limit for poetry

Judging Criteria

Here is a link to the judging criteria.

Each student can only submit either a literary or cover art entry.  

Writing Guidelines:

• All entries must be based on the theme New Tales of China’s Dinosaurs

• The writing can be fiction (including poetry) or nonfiction and must be done at home, with no adult support.

• The fiction is judged on creativity and originality

• The nonficiton is judged on factual accuracy and originality.

• Do not include any pictures/images, borders or coloured text. 

• Any submissions after this date can not be accepted.

• The word documents must be 10 point Times New Roman and have single line and word spacing 

• The entries must feature the title and written text of the student’s work. Do not include your child’s name in the title of the story.

Cover Art Guidelines:

• The creating of the cover art is to be done at home and with no adult support.

• It must be a hard copy (not digital).

• Cover Art is designing a front cover that is based on the title New Tales of China’s Dinosuars.  All submissions must be based on the topic - New Tales of China’s Dinosuars

• Cover art must be of A3 size and portrait orientation.

Chinese Poetry – Calligraphy

• The submission has to be related to the main topic.

• There should be a total of 4 lines in a poem. Each should have 5 words 五言絕句/ 五言絕詩

Example below

床前明月光,疑是地上霜。

舉頭望明月,低頭思故鄉。

• Poems longer than the specified criteria will be disqualified.

• Any of the 5 fonts will be acceptable 楷書 、 行書 、 草書 、 隸書 、 篆書

• Submissions have to be written with a traditional Chinese calligraphy brush (Máobǐ) and ink and not

• modern calligraphy pens.

• The size should not bigger than A3 portrait

You can only enter one piece from fiction, non-fiction, English poetry or cover art.  You can also enter the Chinese Poetry.

All written entries must be emailed to Mr Thompson by Friday, 9th January 2026.

If you have any further questions about the competition, here is a link to the website. 

A reminder: work must have been created by the student, with no adult support. 

Regards

Andy Thompson