Young Authors Fiction Festival (YAFF)
American Library in Paris
- Main class competition
- France
- Ages 5–18
- Fiction
- Free to enter
The Young Authors Fiction Festival is an annual English-language creative writing competition organised by the American Library in Paris. It is open to young writers who live in France. This is the competition our class will work towards together.
The challenge
Students write an original short story in English. For students in 6ème–5ème, stories may be up to 1,000 words. Students will develop their stories through our writing process: Discover → Shape → Craft → Strengthen → Share.
Why enter?
This is a wonderful opportunity for students to experience what it means to write for a real audience. Winning and highly placed stories are published in the YAFF Celebration Booklet, giving young writers the exciting experience of becoming published authors. The 2026 competition received more than 900 entries from young writers throughout France.
When?
The 2026 competition opened in February and closed on 1 April 2026. Dates for the 2027 competition will be announced by the American Library in Paris.
Young Authors Fiction Festival (YAFF)
Let's Write!
Class Acts
- Optional
- International
- Ages 11–19
- Creative fiction
- Free to enter
Let's Write! is an international English-language creative writing competition for young people aged 11–19. Students take a book they have read and write a new story within its world — a prequel, a sequel, or a side story featuring one of the characters.
The challenge
For the 2026–27 competition, students aged 11–12 choose from The Boy at the Back of the Class and Who Killed Snowy?; students aged 13–14 choose from Wonder and Dust District. Recommended length is 750–1,000 words for ages 11–12, and 1,000–1,200 words for ages 13–14. Students may submit one story.
When?
The deadline is 10 January 2027.
An optional individual challenge. It suits students who enjoy reading, character development, and experimenting with point of view.
Canterbury Tales Writing Competition
Chaucer Heritage Trust
- Optional
- UK / International
- Ages 11–14
- Fiction & poetry
An international writing competition inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. It has a dedicated 11–14 age category, which suits collège students well.
The challenge
The theme for 2026–27 is Transformations. Students can write a story or a poem exploring one of several ideas, including a transformation, a change leading to surprising consequences, or a character who changes from good to evil — or evil to good. Entries may be no more than 500 words, which makes this a wonderful exercise in writing economically: choosing precise words, creating memorable characters, and making every sentence count.
When?
The deadline is 28 February 2027. Check the current competition rules for the entry fee when submitting.
Prizes
For the 11–14 category: 1st £300 · 2nd £150 · 3rd £100. The winning student's school may also receive a substantial prize for its library.
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