By: Tracy Sanders, Publisher
tracy@thewoodrufftimes.com
The Woodruff Times and The Upstate Times received 70 entries in this year’s Young Writers Competition, with young authors sharing stories filled with adventure, mystery, humor and heart.
Submissions closed Oct. 1. As the entries are read, a wide variety of subjects and storytelling styles is emerging, from magical worlds and spooky encounters to stories about friendship, family and finding a place to belong.
Fantasy and adventure stories take readers through portals, into imaginary worlds and alongside characters with special powers. Mysteries feature young detectives following clues, searching for missing belongings and working together to solve problems.
Other entries bring a touch of Halloween, with ghosts, strange noises, haunted settings and costume mishaps. Humorous tales introduce talking animals, stuffed toys and characters caught in unexpected situations.
Some young writers explore more serious themes, including grief, honesty, resilience and the importance of supporting one another. Romance, fairy-tale settings and historical fiction also appear among the submissions reviewed so far.
The entries range from short tales to longer, multi-chapter stories, showing the different ways students develop characters, build suspense and bring their ideas to life.
“We have been blessed with a lot of entries and are really enjoying reading them,” said Majed Farah of The Woodruff Times.
The newspapers thank the young writers who participated, along with the families, teachers and school staff who encouraged them to share their work.
The winners will be announced in next week’s issue.
