Supple secondary school pupils from Hazlehead Academy yesterday (Thursday) twisted their frames into a human graffiti tag to help launch an annual short story writing competition.
Youngsters from across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have been encouraged to get scribbling for this year's What's the Story? competition.
The contest sparked a national debate last year when entrants were encouraged to write in the language that came naturally to them – whether it was Doric, street slang or even 'text-speak'.
Now this year's budding wordsmiths will be asked to submit an entry under the 2008 theme – Writing on the Wall.
The competition is run in conjunction with Times Educational Supplement Scotland (TESS) and Wordfirsts – a publishing partnership between the University of Aberdeen's Word Festival and Aberdeen Storytelling and Theatre Festival, run by Aberdeen City Council's Arts Education Team.
"We had some wonderful submissions last year and want to see as many youngsters as possible again pick up their pens, which is why we've now opened the competition up to include talented writers from Aberdeenshire as well as Aberdeen."
The winning stories will be selected by a panel of judges and announced in TESS on Friday, May 9. The chosen tales will then be collected and published by Wordfirsts – the only publisher in Scotland dedicated to publishing the work of young people.
Winning entrants and their families will also be invited to attend a special award ceremony at this year's Word Festival, 9-11 May: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/word/
TESS Editor Neil Munro added: "We are delighted once again to support the What's the Story? competition. Last year's entries were of a particularly high standard and we thoroughly look forward to announcing the winning stories in TESS on May 9. It's a wonderful opportunity for young writers and perhaps, you never know, we'll even uncover the next Muriel Spark or Sir Walter Scott along the way."
Stories are welcomed from all secondary school students in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire schools.
S1-S3 entries maximum of 1000 words
S4-S6 entries maximum of 1200 words
Stories should be loosely based on the theme of Writing on the Wall and should be typed on one side of paper only and double-spaced. Each page should be numbered with the title of the story at the top.
Please call 01224 346 361 for an entry form, or collect one from your school library. Closing date for entries is Wednesday, April 16, 2008.
Stories should be emailed to href="mailto:hevans@aberdeencity.gov.uk">hevans@aberdeencity.gov.uk</a> or posted to: Heather Evans, Arts Education Projects Assistant, Arts Education Team, Aberdeen City Council, Summerhill Centre, Stronsay Drive, Aberdeen AB15 6JA.