大象传媒

When my name was called out by Jeremy Irons, I sat there in utter shock and disbelief, with crazy-happy thoughts crowding into my mind. You’ve won this! You’ve won the competition that four years ago you never thought you’d win! I started to cry. Tears flooded down my face - I’m not usually so emotional! I got up and walked towards the stage, preparing myself receive the medal from the Duchess of Cornwall. The audience clapped and cheered. As I approached Camilla, she smiled at me and I instantly relaxed. My nerves disappeared and I began to enjoy what was happening. Then, for a few minutes, as my story was being read out so well by Jeremy Irons, my mind started to clear and I felt so proud. He was the best reader I had ever heard, and as an actress myself, he taught me a lot. I loved the way he pronounced the words- making them sounds 10 times better than they did in my mind when I wrote!

Amabel Smith, Gold winner 2015, 10-13 age category.

I suppose you could say that winning 500 Words has completely changed my life.

Amabel

I thought about my mum sat next to me, and my dad and sister, listening in the hotel room, and my family and friends at home. I was so happy. I introduced the next part of the show while Chris Evans told the entire nation that I was crying- thanks Chris!

However, when the radio show ended, I still had an exciting day ahead of me. I took part in many interviews and appeared on many television shows such as Newsround ( I always love to watch the show, so to be on it was like a dream) and The One Show (also an amazing experience that I will never forget). The other finalists and winners were also amazing people, me and another finalist are actually great friends now; as we ended going to the same high school!

A few weeks later, I arrived home from school to a very excited mum, "Amabel, guess what has just arrived!" She brought out a giant cardboard box and let me open it. It was my prize, Chris Evans' height in books! I instantly started piling up the books so I could see how tall Chris Evans was (even though I had met him before). However, they all fell down so I decided to start reading. I reached out, opened up the first book and started to read, but I couldn't really concentrate because my cousin and sister had decided to play “row your boat” inside the cardboard box.

Pretty soon, a gargantuan box arrived at the main entrance of my primary school. I looked inside; it was at least 500 books! We piled and packed every shelf, but there was just too many. I, my friends and the teachers packed the remaining books into a box and sent them off to my high school. Now they stand proudly on their very own stand in the library- and every time I look at them I'm filled with immense pride.

I suppose you could say that winning 500 Words has completely changed my life. Not just in writing though - acting too. Before the competition, whenever I was in a show I would laugh because I was nervous. 500 Words boosted my confidence and showed me that I can achieve anything when I put my mind to it.

To conclude, winning 500 words was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life. Whenever I look back on the day of the final, I am put in a good and creative mood all day.

I really recommend that others should enter 500 words. Even if you don't win, you should always try. Each year you will progress and progress and learn from your mistakes; just like I did. If I hadn't entered when I was just seven, I would never have made it this far as I would never have learnt from my mistakes.

Finally, I would like to thank the entire crew that organized the 500 words competition, without them one of the best days of my life wouldn't have happened!

By Amabel Smith