So you’ve written your story and poem, now it’s time to send it in!

You can enter as many stories and poems as you like. You can send revisions (if you send something in and decide to make an edit) – if you do this, we’ll enter the latest version of the story or poem.

The 2026 competition has now CLOSED

For prompts and ideas to start your writing, visit www.towerhamlets-sls.org.uk/getwriting/

Competition Rules

All entries must be received by the Schools Library Services by 27th March 2026

Prize Giving:  September 2026 (date TBC)

Content

• Entries must be appropriate to the theme!
• Entries should not be adaptations of, or sequels to other writers’ or poets’ original published work (such as stories, comic books, games or films), however alternative versions of fairy tales/myths and legends will be accepted.
• Entries must not use existing characters from published work (e.g. Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Dennis the Menace, Harry Potter, Marvel/ DC characters), including illustrations.
• All entries must be the entrant’s own work, including all illustrations. All work shortlisted for a prize will be thoroughly checked and plagiarised writing and artwork will be disqualified.

Plagiarism/ AI

We screen all work and will disqualify any work that is plagiarised or AI generated- either copied and pasted directly from the internet or from other sources

Examples of plagiarism

• Submitting song lyrics as poems
• Submitting verses/ lines from other peoples’ poems, even if you mix them with original verses.
• Copying entire stories and poems by other writers
• Tracing/ copying artwork by other artists
• Making use of characters from other published work (unless out of copyright)

Boring but important

• Entries can be co-operative efforts. Any main prizes will be split equally between the named entrants.
• Entries without entrant’s full name, school name and year group and competition category will not be eligible for judging.
• Each page of printed work should have the entrant’s name written clearly on it
• Entries must be written or typed on one side of the page only
• Work should be in black or blue ink or text on white paper
• No decorative fonts unless they directly contribute to the writing/storytelling
• If you are illustrating your work, any colour artwork will be converted to black and white for the printed book
• Bound/ stapled/ mounted work may be taken apart in order to scan to send to the authors
• We will contact all winners via their school (or parents/carers if home schooled) in May/ June
• Work will not be automatically returned to entrants but can be collected on request after the competition closes. Entries will not be kept beyond October 2026 and the Schools Library Services can take no responsibility for lost or damaged work.
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Privacy notice

Commended and winning entries to be published in eBook and print formats. By entering the Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition, entrants are giving permission for their work (including their name and school) to be published and distributed in these formats, and all supplied information including name and contact details to be held by the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services. Copyright on poems and stories will remain with the author(s). Supplied information, including names and contact details, of competition entrants who do not win prizes will not be stored beyond the duration of the event.

We reserve the right to edit any work (writing or illustration) for spelling, grammar or composition.

Entrants may request that any work or personal information to be published in print be removed or edited prior to the publication being sent to print and no later than 4pm on 24th July 2026

Entrants may request that any work or personal information published electronically (online or as an eBook) be removed or edited at any time. 

To request changes to any information provided, please email schoolslibraryservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk