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What is Climate Tales?

Climate Tales is a writing competition for children and young people aged between 5 and 16 years old who are full time residents of the UK. To enter you need to write an original story, poem, rap or spoken-word piece. The word limit is 500 words. Once you’ve written your entry, you can submit it into the competition using the form.

When is the competition open?

The competition opens at 10:00 [British Summer Time] on 15 April 2021 and closes at 23:59 [BST] on 30 June 2021. Entries will not be accepted out with this window.

What is the entry fee?

There is no fee to enter.

What is the prize?

If you win the first prize (gold) in your age category:

- You will attend a creative writing and book publishing masterclass led by a leading author.

- You will also meet a top Scottish publisher to hear how the industry works. (This may be via an online platform depending on Covid-19 restrictions).

- You will be filmed reading your story/poem/rap/spoken word piece and this will be showcased on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland and online.

- You will be given a tour of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland’s HQ in Glasgow, then attend an Awards ceremony where you will meet our panel of celebrity judges. This will be recorded for broadcast across the ´óÏó´«Ã½. You will be announced as winner of the competition in your age category.  

- You will receive a pile of books and a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland Climate Tales branded book bag.

If you win the second or third prize in your age category (silver and bronze):

- You will be filmed reading your story/poem/rap/spoken word piece and this will be showcased on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland and online.

- You will be given a tour of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland’s HQ in Glasgow, then attend an Awards ceremony where you will meet the judges, this will be recorded for broadcast across the ´óÏó´«Ã½. You will be announced as second or third place of the competition in your age category.  

- You will receive a pile of books and a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland Climate Tales branded book bag.

The 9 finalists (3 from each category) will also attend the recording of a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Climate Tales radio and television programme to unveil the winners.

If you are not shortlisted but your entry makes it through to the Climate Tales Top 45, you will receive a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland Climate Tales branded book bag.

How are the entries judged?

The first round of judging will be done by volunteer librarians from the Scottish Libraries and Information Council (SLIC) then a shortlist of 15 will be created.

The second round of judging will be done by a panel of celebrity judges who will select a gold, silver and bronze winner from each category.

The 9 finalists will take part in the recording of a radio & television programme where the winners of each category will be revealed.

Can I submit more than one entry?

You can only enter one entry – and it has to be all your own work.

If you submit more than one entry, we will only consider the first submission as being part of the competition. Please ensure that you leave plenty of time to complete the entry form!

Can people overseas enter?

While we would love to extend the reach of Climate Tales, the team behind the scenes is small and unfortunately does not have the capacity to deal with entries from overseas.

Can an entry be made without an adult’s approval?

No - we need an adult to approve the entry and agree to the Terms and Conditions (including the ´óÏó´«Ã½’s use of the entry submitted) on behalf of the entrant, by way of a check-box in the online form. The adult could be the child’s parent or guardian. The adult must provide their own contact details (not the child’s).

Why do you need personal information?

The personal data provided will be used for the purpose of administering the competition and in accordance with the ´óÏó´«Ã½’s Privacy and Cookies Policy.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ will use the contact details provided by the adult to send general updates regarding the progress of the competition by email.

For further information please see the ´óÏó´«Ã½’s Privacy and Cookies Policy /usingthebbc/privacy-policy/

Does the entry need to original?

Your entry must be all your own original work – you must not copy someone else’s. Any entry deemed to be a copy by our judges will be disqualified. Your entry must be an original piece and can be fiction, non-fiction and/or historical or an account of current events.

For example, your entry could:

- feature well known public figures from today or from history (e.g. Greta Thunberg or William Wallace!)

- take place in a historical era (e.g. The Ice Age)

- use a real-life experience as a creative springboard (e.g. your story of cleaning up your local neighbourhood).

- use scientific facts, theories and principles to support your storytelling (though you must avoid presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own).

There are lots of ways to make sure your story is original, imaginative and engaging! One way to get your imagination flowing might be to describe how you feel when you think about words like rain forests, drought, pollution, plastic, sustainability and wildlife. You can make it funny, sad, edgy, thought provoking or just plain silly! You could also ask yourself some questions, and see what it makes you want to write. Why is climate change so important to you? How do you know our climate is changing? How are humans, plants or animals affected by the climate crisis? What is happening to our oceans? Might volcanoes or greenhouse gases make a good subject for a rap or a rhyming poem? Have fun exploring all the options!

If you are unclear on whether the content of your entry contradicts any of the rules above, you may email the competition administrators at climatetales@bbc.co.uk

Can I write about a character from a book I've read?

Entrants can use fictional or real-life characters as something to spark their imagination but we're looking for writing that tackles the subject of climate change in a way that is unique to the author. The entries will be marked for originality, creativity, imagination, inspiration and emotional connection.

Can visually impaired child or young person enter?

Absolutely! Should a child or young person with visual impairments win, we will make sure that the prize is appropriate.

Is there a minimum word limit?

Entries can be 500 words or under. There is no lower limit.

Is the title included in the word limit?

The title will not be included in your word count.