Big Announcement: Birthday! Birthday! A Writing Contest

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Tuesday to bring you a fun surprise.

But first, a brief history lesson:

November 23, 1848: The Female Medical Educational Society formed in Boston.

November 23, 1897: Pencil sharpener patented by J. L. Love.

November 23, 1909: The Wright Brothers formed a million dollar corporation to manufacture airplanes.

November 23, 1963: The BBC broadcasted the first episode of Doctor Who, the now longest-running sci-fi drama in the world.

November 23 [years redacted]: Picture book authors Gennie and Amy were born!

November 23, 1992: The first smartphone was introduced at COMDEX.

November 23, 2021: Gennie and Amy host the first annual Birthday! Birthday! writing contest.

Official guidelines

Write a 100-word story for children (defined here as age 12 or younger) using a word from each of the birthday girls’ lists, which will be announced on Saturday, November 13.

  • Choose one word from each list (one of Gennie’s and one of Amy’s) to incorporate into your entry. Word lists will be released on Saturday, November 13, 2021.You’re allowed to adjust the words within reason (such as plural or tense).
  • Write a story for children up to age 12.
  • Limit your story to a maximum of 100 words (you may go under but not over), not including your title.
  • Don’t include any illustration notes.
  • Fill out the entry form during the official entry window: Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. EST through Sunday, November 21, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
  • You’re welcome to also post your story on your blog and/or in the comments of the Nov. 21 post (so others can enjoy and comment), but the entry that counts is the one submitted through the form. 

Gennie and Amy will judge the stories as anonymous entries, based on the following criteria:

  • Follows all the guidelines
  • Is kid-friendly
  • Demonstrates creativity
  • Features fantastic writing (this includes technical quality of any meter and rhyme for rhyming stories)

Fabulous prizes: TBA Saturday, November 13!

Sign up here to join Amy’s newsletter list, where you’ll be the first to hear once the word list is released on Saturday!

24 thoughts on “Big Announcement: Birthday! Birthday! A Writing Contest

  1. What fun. I hope you post several of them for us to enjoy!

      1. What a fun way to celebrate the birthdays of two wonderful writers! Congratulations on all that you both have accomplished this year and endless wishes for this next year to be even more amazing. Hooray for contests!

      2. Awww, thank you, Becky!!! Best wishes to you in all that’s ahead too!!

  2. Oh this sounds like fun! Two of my favs! Happy Birthday to both of you! ?❤️?❤️

  3. Hahahahaha so fun!!!! Years redacted hahahha
    Happy Birthday Month to my favorite birthday twins ❤️??

    1. Awww thanks, Kim-Hoa! We feel celebrated 🙂 And hahaha yes, redacted ha!

  4. I love writing contests!!!!! Can’t wait! ???????????

  5. Can’t wait for this, thanks for this fantastic competition ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

  6. Oooooh, this sounds like fun!!

      1. Can we use more than one word from each column?

  7. So fun! What a fabulous way to celebrate your birthdays! I can’t wait to write and read and maybe eat some birthday cake in your honor! ?

    1. Yay! I can’t wait to read what you write!! And yes, please eat lots of birthday cake!!

  8. You two are too much fun. What a fabulous way to celebrate your birthday, birthday. Happy birthday to you both.

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