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Q: I worry that if I read somebody else’s story, I might copy it.
The best writers read widely, so we recommend that you read as many books as you can. You’ll pick up all kinds of hints and tips from published writers – often without even realising it.
There’s a brilliant radio programme, Take Four Books, in which writers talk about books that have inspired and influenced them – well worth a listen.
And obviously it’s important not to copy other writers’ ideas, but why would you, when you have your own amazing imagination at your disposal?
Q: The word count for YWSP is between 800 and 2000 words – what’s the best length?
Your story is as long as it needs to be. We chose these word count parameters carefully because they give writers enough space to write a substantial story, with a beginning, middle and an end (though not necessarily in that order!) which will stay in their reader’s mind, long after they’ve put the story down.
Q: I want to set my novel in a particular historical period, but I want to write about two characters that are made up. Is that OK?
Yes! Lots of our winners’ stories are about made-up characters. The important thing is that your reader understands why you’ve set your story at the time you have for those characters. Is there some significant historical event on which your plot hinges? Imagine you’re watching your story as a film or in the theatre – what backdrop or scenery would you need so that your readers know when you’ve set your story, and why. You might want to have a ‘real’ character somewhere in the story, but it’s not necessary.
Q: The dialogue I’ve written sounds quite modern, and my story is set in the 17th Century.
Dialogue is a great way to establish your characters, not just what they say but also how they react. Don’t worry about making them ‘sound’ historical. But do make sure that the content of what they say is consistent with the period. Try to avoid anachronisms – people didn’t eat pizza at one of Henry VIII’s banquets, or read Harry Potter in World War 1, for example. And only use vocabulary that fits with the time in which your story is set. Modern phrases can be jarring.
Q: Most of the historical novels I’ve read are quite serious, but I’d like to write a comedy. Would that be OK?
Yes! We don’t often receive entries that make us laugh, so please do have a go!
Q: I like writing fantasy – is that possible in a story set in the past?
We wouldn’t say ‘no’ to fantasy but it is difficult to make a mix of history and fantasy work. There would have to be a standout reason for including a fantasy element. The important thing is for your reader to understand the story, and historical fiction is a very particular genre.
Q. I want to do some research into the historical period I’ve chosen. Where do I start?
Find out as much as you can about the period – who was in charge, what food was available, how people made their livings, what kind of homes people had, how they travelled, what the weather was like, how they cooked, their education, how they entertained themselves, what significant historical events might be influencing people’s lives. You will know more than ever appears on the page, but the fact that you know it will give your writing depth and authenticity.
Then apply what you know to the characters you want to write about – the experiences they might have had, their families, their friends. Where do they fit in the society of the time? Build up a picture of your characters, and soon they’ll feel so familiar that you know exactly how they’ll react to moments of stress or peril, moments of celebration, or just humdrum everyday things, like a good meal.
This is what editors call ‘world building’ and the more you know about the world in which you’ve set your story, the more convincing it will be.
Q. Can I send illustrations?
No – the Young Walter Scott Prize is all about words, so we don’t accept illustrations as part of your entry.
But when you’re planning your story, you may find it helpful to sketch scenes and characters, buildings and backdrops, even mapping out your characters movements, to calculate how fast they have to run to get from A to B. By all means draw pictures to help you write your story, but please don’t send them with your story.
Q. I’m not sure my vocabulary is big enough – I often struggle to find the right ‘wow’ words.
One of the best things about reading books is that you will expand your vocabulary. But often, ‘wow’ words can feel a little overblown and even unnecessary. Make sure that every word in your story earns its place. There’s nothing to be gained by using big words just for the sake of it. On the other hand, careful selection of words can give a story a richness it wouldn’t otherwise have had.
Metaphors and similes also have their place – but only if the story merits them. It’s always worth asking yourself whether they’re entirely necessary.
Q. Do I have to plan my story?
All writers approach their stories in different ways. If you look on the WSP YouTube channel at David Almond’s interview, you’ll see that his initial notes and thoughts are scribbled down in quite a chaotic way. It looks great fun, and it works for him. Some other writers create a story plan, and then write the story keeping a close eye on what they’ve decided happens in their story.
It’s always useful to know where your story ends. Quite a common problem is when writers rush the ending because they haven’t quite paced the story right, and that can be disappointing for the reader.
Q. Why do I have to write a story set in the past for the Young Walter Scott Prize?
This prize was set up to commemorate the life and work of Sir Walter Scott who is widely recognised as the founder of historical fiction. That’s why!
Q. Should I make it clear in my introduction when the story is set?
That can be helpful, but remember that most people will read your story without the introduction, so try to make it evident from your text when your story is set. It needn’t be as accurate as a particular year – unless that’s vital to your reader’s understanding of the story – but we need to know the era in which your story is set.
Q. Can I muck around with history? Change a few dates?
History is fairly fixed, date-wise, and it’s unwise to change the facts. But some of the best stories are those that take place in out-of-the-way corners of history about which very little is known. Then you can let your imagination run riot. History is not just about the famous names, or the big battles – it’s also about how ordinary people lived through changing times.
Q. Can I write my story using AI?
You can try, but why would you? The joy of being a writer is that you’re using your unique voice to convey your unique ideas – communicating directly with your reader. AI will have all kinds of wonderful uses, but we don’t believe it will ever be better than what can be achieved through the power of the human brain and imagination.
And AI-generated entries are quite easy to spot…
Q. How many drafts should I write?
That is entirely up to you. We are looking for writers who care about what they’re writing – carelessness is off-putting when we’re reading the entries. You want to give yourself the best possible chance.
So allow time to check through your story before you send it – perhaps give it to a friend or relative to read, and ask for feedback. It’s often really helpful to change the font, and the font size of your story, then give it a fresh read through. When you know your story as well as you will by the time you have finished it, you can miss some obvious blips, but when you look at it in a slightly altered way it can show up mistakes that are worth correcting.
Q. How do I know when my story is ready?
Many writers struggle with this. And it’s one of the reasons that deadlines are useful.
We’d recommend a two-pronged approach.
First, share your story with somebody you trust – a friend, teacher, parent or guardian. Ask them to give you some friendly feedback. You don’t have to agree with what they come back with, but it’s often very useful to find out what readers have made of your story. You may get some surprises!
Then, once you have had the chance to make any changes following their feedback, read it aloud to yourself. And if you’re happy with what you have heard, put your story in an envelope, with the completed entry form, and send it off to the Young Walter Scott Prize in time for the 31st October deadline. Good luck!
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