Creative Writing Competition

1. Short Story Writing

Embracing the Shadows: Darkness in H. C. Andersen's Fairy Tales

Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales often weave a tapestry of beauty and whimsy; yet beneath the surface lies a profound exploration of darkness and moral complexity. These narratives have captured the imaginations of readers for generations, providing fertile ground for reinterpretation and adaptation.

For this year’s Creative Writing Competition, craft a short story that draws inspiration from Andersen’s works and explores the darkness in his fairy tales. Reimagine his stories by delving into the madness and sins of the characters, re-picturing the melancholy and supernatural elements of the scenes, and/or giving voice to the silences within them. Unleash your creativity and let the shadows guide your storytelling!

Submission Guidelines and Requirements:

  • Short story length: 900-1100 words
  • Format: Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced, standard margin (1 inch)
  • Provide H. C. Andersen’s original story’s title and paste the link of the e-text from http://hca.gilead.org.il/ 
  • Submit your work to elc@hsu.edu.hk with the Subject “Short Story Writing Competition” and name your file “Full
    Name_Story title.docx” (e.g., Chan Tai Man Peter_The Diamond Pig.docx”. The deadline for submission is 3rd February 2025.
 
  • Your work will be mainly judged on content (50%), style/voice (25%), word choice/sentence fluency (20%) and conventions (5%):
    • Content (50%):
      • Manifests or extends the darkness and/or moral complexity of Andersen’s work, with the setting, characters, and plot fully fleshed out, vibrant and connected;
      • Maintains a logical flow of action;
      • Presents an original, creative, or imaginative plot with an effective ending.
    • Style/Voice (25%):
      • Incorporates vivid and imaginative descriptive details;
      • Reflects a unique and consistent personal voice throughout the writing.
    • Word choice/sentence fluency (20%):
      • Utilizes appropriate and deliberate word choice for character development;
      • Features smooth sentences that are easily comprehended;
      • Varies and/or deliberately manipulates sentence structure in a sophisticated manner to enhance style;
      • Delivers effective, appropriate, or believable dialogue (when present).
    • Conventions (5%):
      • Uses punctuation correctly and appropriately;
      • Maintains correct spelling throughout the piece;
      • Adheres to correct and professional formatting;
      • Contains few grammatical errors that do not impede readers’ understanding of the text.

(Adapted from: https://www.casdonline.org/cms/lib/PA02217736/Centricity/Domain/372/Creative_Writing_Scoring_Rubric.pdf)

  

2. Poetry Writing in Honor of Hans Christen Andersen

Let it Go! Let it Go!

“Let the storm rage on! / The cold never bothered me anyway” goes Princess Elsa in Frozen as she asserts her separation from the outside world, beginning her journey of self-discovery. “Out of the sea / Wish I could be / Part of that world” sings Ariel in The Little Mermaid as she slowly and sadly descends back to the familiarity of the sands of the sea. Timeless Disney songs such as these allow audiences to delve into the minds of the characters crafted by Hans Christen Andersen almost two hundred years ago. Frozen after all was a loose adaptation of Anderson’s The Snow Queen while The Little Mermaid remains one of Andersen’s most famous works. This year’s poetry contest invites you to replicate the Disney writers’ creative power in exploring a chosen character’s inner thoughts in Anderson’s works (but you won’t be writing a song but something similar!).

Choose one character from the list of stories (http://hca.gilead.org.il/)  and write a poem from his/her perspective. The poem should ideally have the following:

·         A clear picture (called a “dramatic situation”) that establishes where your chosen character is at the moment

·          His/her inner thoughts about himself/herself and his/her relationship with other characters and the events in the story

·         An insight about human life or a lesson learned as represented by your chosen character’s experience

Here are some examples:

·         How did the Emperor in The Emperor’s New Clothes feel when somebody pointed out that he was naked? Or maybe you would like to write about the inner thoughts of the young boy who spoke the truth before he shouted that the emperor had no clothes?

·         How did the Ugly Duckling feel when his siblings cast him out?

·         What were the Brave Tin Soldier’s last thoughts as he burned to his death?

·         Describe the discomfort that the Princess in The Princess and the Pea felt as she struggled to sleep.

These are just some suggestions. You can definitely choose other characters and other stories by Andersen!

Poem Guidelines

·   Content: The speaker of the poem must be a character from one of Hans Christen Andersen’s stories (http://hca.gilead.org.il/). They should not be new or made-up characters.   

·     Line count: At least ten (10) lines

·    Structure: No stanza number requirements. You can use conventional forms (such as the sonnet or the villanelle) or free form. The poem can have a rhyme scheme or it can be free verse (no rhymes).  Having experimental forms (e.g. making the poem “heart-shaped”) is discouraged.

 

 Judging Criteria

·         Content (50%):

o   Establishes a clear dramatic situation

o   Uses imagery and figures of speech appropriate to the poem’s narrative and can develop them in a sustained manner

o   Presents an original and imaginative take on the character

o   Provides an insight not just into the character, but into human life through this perspective 

·         Diction (20%)

o   Uses words and tone appropriate for the character and the dramatic situation

o   Chooses words that can provide rhythm and cadence to the poem (e.g. proper use of accented and unaccented syllables, alliteration, onomatopoeia)

·         Form and Structure (20%)

o   The poem has a clear and logical structure

o   Uses effective line breaks and stanza cuts that help build on the poem’s meaning and generate tension. 

·         Conventions (10%):

o   Uses punctuation correctly and appropriately.

o   Maintains correct spelling throughout the piece.

o   Contains a few grammatical errors that do not impede readers’ understanding of the text.

Submission Guidelines and Requirements:

 
  • Submit your work to elc@hsu.edu.hk with the Subject “Poetry Writing Competition” and name your file “Full
    Name_Poem title.docx” (e.g., Chan Tai Man Peter_The Diamond Pig.docx”. The deadline for submission is 3rd February 2025.
     For the SAMPLE POEMS, please view here.
 

 

Notes:
1. There is a series of creative writing workshops that guides you through the creative writing process. For details, please refer to the Friday         Bulletin.
2. Participants will earn 2 iGPS units or 6 ECA/CS hours. Submissions should be original and unpublished. Suspected AI-generated text will      be automatically disqualified and will not be awarded ANY iGPS units and ECA/CS hours.
3. For the winners of each session, you can be awarded a certificate and book vouchers as follows:

  • ONE Golden Award: $500
  • ONE Silver Awards: $300
  • ONE Bronze Awards: $200
  • FIVE Honourable mentions: $100 each 
 

4. The winners’ work will be recorded in the archive of the Department of English’s website and published in the school’s journal.