Margaret McDonald inspires 2026 Henrietta Branford Writing Competition
The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition, the annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the Branford Boase Award, is now open.
The competition aims to find and encourage writers of the future, something author Henrietta Branford was always keen to do. Anyone under the age of 19 can enter the competition and each year it attracts hundreds of entries.
Write about a place or person you know very well – and feel free to use your own way of speaking
This year’s competition is inspired by 2025 Branford Boase Award winner Margaret McDonald and her book, Glasgow Boys. The judges are asking for writing (a story, poem, song lyrics) set in a place young writers know well or love; or writing about or inspired by someone they know very well. They will be looking for writing that brings the place or person alive, and which holds the judges’ attention too.
Use your own voice
Margaret McDonald uses the Scots dialect in Glasgow Boys and this year’s entrants are encouraged to write in their own local dialect, to use their own voice.
Margaret McDonald has this advice for young entrants: ‘Writing about the places you’ve seen and the people you know gives authenticity and authority to your words, and it can bring to life your own experiences. Your life and your world are important, unique, and worthy of being written about. Write what feels true to you, what instantly comes to mind, in the style of your own voice – whether that has its own dialect, its own vocabulary, its own style. It’s yours, and that is special.’
Six winners will receive signed copies of each of the books shortlisted for the 2026 Branford Boase Award. Their stories, poems, songs will be published on the Branford Boase Award website.
The closing date is Friday 29 May 2026.
Chairing the Award is Ruth Knowles, publisher at Walker Books, who have supported the Branford Boase Award since its inception in 2000.
Ruth Knowles says, ‘We are so excited to read this year’s entries, especially because writing about a person or place you already know well allows you to play with detail that will truly bring them to life on the page.’
Full entry instructions, terms and conditions are available here.
