Closing on the 22nd of February 2023, Get Free Books is launching a writing competition to find the best short stories in the Manchester area. The competition will be judged by author David Gaffney and the winners will be announced at an awards evening at Coppice Library, Sale. The word count should be up to 300 words (9-12 years), up to 700 words (13-16) and up to 1000 words for ages 17 plus. The winners will get the chance to have their stories published! Organiser, Steven Li said he created the competition because 'A writing competition brings people together. Whether it be year 4 pupils, who are just discovering books, high school students beginning to see the value of literature and creative writing, or adults who have grown up with books only to see them replaced by the internet'. So, will you show off your talent, or re-ignite your passion for writing? All the information to enter is below, but first there is a very important question...

Who are 'Get Free Books'?                                                                                       Get Free Books is a voluntary organisation who help make the world of literature accessible to all. The Global Educational Trust (GET) relies solely on donations from others to help keep their charity going- these donations of books allow them to charge nothing for the books in their shops. This means everyone, no matter their economic background, has the opportunity to read. The nearest shop to us is located in Stanley Square, Sale and they are open every day (except Sunday) 10:30 until 15:30, closing at 17:00 on Thursdays: they would be delighted with any donations you could afford to give. 

Competition entry requirements                                                                           All entries must be original, unpublished work (this includes self-published and work posted on social media). The stories must be written on a Word document using 'daytona' font, size 12, in English. Only one entry is allowed per person and those under 17 require written consent from parents to enter. 

How to enter                                                                                                               To enter, email your document to getfreebookshop@hotmail.com with the subject of the email being the title of your story. In the body of the email, please give your name, date of birth, address and phone number: do not write your name on the manuscript. You will only be contacted if your entry is shortlisted. Good luck!