Win a free writing assessment with our June/July Flash Fiction Challenge

All About Writing’s latest writing challenge offers the winner a literary assessment on 5000 words of writing worth R 2750 / £ 150 or a voucher to the same value to use on one of our courses or programmes.

Write a scene in which a young child plays alone with a favourite toy. Allow details of the child’s life to be revealed through how they play with the toy.

Write no more than 250 words. Submit your entry here or paste your entry into the form below by midnight on 31 July 2022.

Writing Tips:

1. This is an exercise in showing, rather than telling.
2. Give us subtle clues about the child’s life and circumstances through what the toy is, how they interact with the toy, the kinds of things they play, etc.
3. Remember children my not have the same understanding of the world as adults and may not interpret events and circumstances in the same way an adult would.
4. Writing from the perspective of a child, try to use something of their “voice” – the way they see the world, their vocabulary, the kind of images they would use.