ITV’s Lorraine launches children’s writing comp

Hachette Children’s Group (HCG) is partnering with ITV’s Lorraine show to find a new children’s author.

The competition, entitled Lorraine’s Top Tales, is for unpublished adult authors of fictional stories, on any subject, for 5-7 year-olds. Entries must be “all about the words, and not the pictures”, said ITV.

To enter, writers must send the first 1,000 words of their story, along with a plot summary, to lorrainestoptales@itv.com by 9am on Monday 29th February.

The winner of Lorraine's Top Tales will receive the chance to be published by Hachette Children's Group and see their work on bookshelves and online. They will also be asked to appear on the Lorraine show on various dates, including on the 12th May, when the winning story will be announced.  

The on-screen judging panel includes: Tom Fletcher, musician and author of the Dinosaur That Pooped series (Penguin Random House Children’s); Nadiya Hussain, winner of The Great British Bake Off 2015, whose first children's book, Bake Me A Story, publishes in September 2016; and Katie Price, a director from HCG (all pictured below).

Behind the scenes, Jonathan Douglas (director of the National Literacy Trust) and Shirley Patton (head of publishing at ITV Studios Global Entertainment) will also act as judges.