The 2012/13 Hall Caine Prize for Creative Writing is launched today (Monday), with the theme of ‘journeys’.
 
The prize, which is in its third year, is open to students who are in full-time education in the Isle of Man. They are invited to pen a short story, a memoir or the opening chapter of a novel.
 
Judges will look for strong characterisation, good narrative flow and, above all, imaginative story-telling.
 
Gloria Rukeyser, who is a great granddaughter of Sir Hall Caine and lives at the novelist’s historic home, Greeba Castle, founded and sponsors the prize to foster the love of writing.
 
The 2011/12 competition, which had ‘hope’ as its theme, attracted 600 entries, double the number it received in its inaugural year, and Gloria said: ‘I was impressed by students’ work. I loved the original, outside-the-box thinking. I admired the talented writing, which drew me in and swept me along; the dialogue, which was simple and realistic; the endings, which were often unexpected (by me) yet were perfect conclusions to the stories which came before.’
 
Launching the 2012/13 prize during the week of the Island’s first literature festival, Manx Litfest, Gloria – herself a writer and journalist – said to students: ‘I hope you enjoy the theme we have chosen for the new competition. ‘Journeys’ has many interesting possibilities. You can travel into your memories, or into the future, into your emotions, to any place you want to explore. I look forward to reading your choices.’
 
Gloria advised young writers: ‘I hope you have fun, because writing is not supposed to be a chore. And if that is how you are feeling about the words you’re putting down on the page, time to set your story aside for a while and have a rethink.
 
‘Write what you know, write what interests you, write what is important to you, write because you must.  Share your thoughts, your feelings, your insights. Write for yourself, because that's the only way you will connect with your readers.’
 
The prize has four categories: Primary, in which entrants must write up to 500 words, with prizes of ?100, ?75 and ?50; Key Stage 3 – up to 1000 words with prizes of ?150, ?100 and ?50; Key Stage 4 – up to 1500 words with prizes of ?175, ?125 and ?75 and Key Stage 5/IoM College of Further and Higher Education – up to 2000 words with prizes of ?200, ?150 and ?100. Up to 10 highly commended entrants in each category will receive prizes of ?20.
 
Judging the primary entries will be headteachers Jill Gill (Ballacloan Infants) and David Jenkins (Dhoon Primary). Representatives of secondary and Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education English departments will judge the older age categories.
 
The closing date for entries is Friday 25th January 2013. All entries must be accompanied by an entry form and entries themselves must not contain identifying markers, such as the author’s name or school.
 
Entrants are advised to study the full rules, which will be advertised in all schools/the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education, can be viewed at www.gov.im/education/hallcaine/ or can be obtained by contacting jo.overty@gov.im/686080.
 
This year, for the first time, the competition is a validated Children’s University activity.