Have you made a promise? Kept a promise? Broken a promise? We’ve crowned six promising young creative writers this year’s Northern Beaches Young Writers Competition winners.

The competition produced hundreds of rising aspiring writers who produced a short story based on the theme ‘promise’.

Now in its fourteenth year, 400 entries from across 50 schools were received with 24 finalists selected.

The following winning students certainly kept their promise rising to the occasion.

Year K2

formOlivia Pollrock “The Story of the Witch and Broken Promise”

Year 3-4

Ashley Smith “The Promise of Safety”

Year 5-6

Frankie Boulter “The Last Promise”

Year 7-8

Nico Clausen “Don’t Reach Me”

Year 9- 10

Lillian Hamilton “Evening Rounds”

Year 12

Quinn Campbell “Infallible Memories”

All the finalists can be found here.

The students compelling stories explore space, witches, astronauts and robots. They invoke feelings of family, safety, self-belief, love and heartbreak. From War to art theft and cuddly ninja penguins, the creative pieces capture a range of themes and adventures across this world and beyond.

This is what the winners said about the competition:

What inspired you?

“The understanding of our own mortality and the celebration of time.” Quinn Campbell, Winner of Year 11-12 Category

What makes a good story?

“A hooking start and emotion.” Frankie Boulter, Winner of Year 5-6 Category

The Young Writers' Competition is an annual competition open to students up to and including year 12 who live or go to school on the Northern Beaches and are members of the Northern Beaches Council Library Service.

Entries are judged according to characterisation, originality, plot and use of language. Stories are arranged into six different age group categories with highly commended, runner up and winner.

Thank you to all seven judges who had the very difficult job of selecting the finalists as well as the many teachers, school librarians and parents who inspire a love of literacy in our young people.

All 24 winning stories are available as an eBook from the libraries’ website.