Theme 2027: New Tales of The South China Sea
All entries should be based on the theme for 2027, New Tales of The South China Sea. One winner will be chosen in each of the groups, and one lucky student will be named The Hong Kong Young Writer of 2027.
New Tales of China’s Silk Road
The South China Seas tend to be mentioned in the news media today only in connection with politicized boundary disputes.
That’s a shame, because those waters have long had an incredible history, and were home to some remarkable characters—events and individuals who should not be forgotten.
- Pirate Queen Ching Shi had a fleet of 1,800 ships with more than 40,000 pirates—bigger than some national navies.
- Then there was “reverse pirate” Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim who sailed to other lands to give away gifts—and brought back a giraffe on one of his journeys.
- The South China Seas were the start and end point of the “floating” Silk Road during ancient times, with Arabian, Chinese and Persian sailors buying and selling goods.
- A brilliant Italian, Matteo Ricci, came via that sea to land in Macao in 1582. He adopted Chinese clothing, learned the language, and became a one-man East-West bridge.
- Ming Dynasty shipwrecks were found in 2022—one taking Chinese manufactured goods to the world, and the other bringing a cargo of ebony wood to China.
- In recent centuries, Europeans colonized the coast of south China settled in Macao and then Hong Kong—sometimes at gunpoint.
So, as you can see, there are lots of ideas there to spark your imagination.
Can you imagine yourself as a spice trader, from China or Arabia or Persia, dealing with pirates and trying to avoid being shipwrecked?
Start with daydreaming about this topic. Then choose a fun idea, do some research, and write a wonderful story, or essay, or poem, or create an artwork.
Remember, we are interested in your mind, your thinking processes, and your research abilities, so please do not use AI to help you write or draw. And any AI research should be double-checked with trustworthy human sources. Your natural creativity is better than that of any machine.
Get dreaming!
Please note that we do not accept submissions directly from students. Students must first submit to their schools, which will then have to choose ten entries to forward to the next round of the contest. Contact the teacher who is in charge of the competition at your school.
Competition Rules
Competition Rules
- Only enrolled students within the registered school are allowed to participate in the Hong Kong Young Writers Awards. No individual entries are allowed.
- Where appropriate, schools should register their primary and secondary sections separately. Schools may also have multiple registrations completed by individual teachers. Each school must register themselves via email before the registration deadline. Upon registration completion, your school will receive a confirmation email with instructions on the submission process. For further details please go to: https://www.hkywa.com/for_teachers/registration/
- For literary categories, each registered teacher can submit a total of 10 entries across the 3 categories in English and 10 entries each in Chinese Poetry. In the Literary Categories works must be submitted with 1” margins all around, single line and word spacing, and typed in 10 point Times New Roman font. The literary works must only feature the title and written text of the students work. There is no need to include headers, footers or page numbers in the original documents.Each student can only submit one literary submission. Co-authored submissions will not be accepted.For students with different learning abilities, each registered teacher can submit 10 entries in each of the 6 individual categories for literary work in English and the same in Chinese.
- We require all literary submissions to be attached to an email and sent to our email address with a completed submission form attached. Emailed submissions are due by the submission deadline Anything received after this date will not be considered. Every piece of literary work must carry the School Name, Student’s Name, Category and Group in the file name, but the file name WILL be edited to facilitate fair judging. For further details please go to: https://www.hkywa.com/for_teachers/all-submission-instructions.
- Word limits must be within the specified number of words. Otherwise, entries will be disqualified and P3 will not be responsible for notifying the school if this happens. For further details please go to: https://www.hkywa.com/about-the-competition/word-limits/
- There is a separate category for Cover Art. Only Primary schools and Different Learning Abilities, can also submit 10 entries in each of the 2 cover art groups. Each student can only submit either literary or cover art entries.
- A new category for Chinese Calligraphy was introduced in HKYWA 2025, each registered teacher can submit 10 entries in this category.
- Only original and non-published work may be submitted and by entering the competition you are confirming that to the best of your knowledge the work is exclusively that of the individual it has been attributed to. No parental involvement is allowed. In the case of the Cover Art work, you are confirming that the work is that of the named individuals. Plagiarism – use of third party works – without written permission from the author will result in disqualification of the entrant and possibly the school.
- Entries submitted will not be returned to the author unless requested by the school to HKYWA in writing to the competition email, cover art submissions need to be collected from the HKYWA office.
- The competition will be judged by a panel of judges. Their decision will be final.
- Entries included in the anthology may be lightly edited by the publishers.
- POLICY ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & ORIGINALITY
The Hong Kong Young Writers Awards is a celebration of authentic student creativity. The use of generative AI tools to draft, brainstorm, or generate content is strictly prohibited. While standard spell-checkers may be used for basic proofreading, all ideas, phrasing, and writing must be the student’s own original work. Any submission found to contain AI-generated content will be disqualified.By submitting your students’ work, you confirm that all entries are entirely their own original creation and have been produced without the use of generative artificial intelligence tools.
If you have an questions or queries, please contact us by using the contact form provided on the website https://www.hkywa.com/contact-us/
FAQs
Is there a theme for the entries?
Can we submit entries in Chinese?
Can students submit more than one entry?
What if we have a Primary and Secondary school division? Do we need to register them separately?
What if we have not received a confirmation email?
Which group would a pupil with different learning abilities be in?
How do we know which group we should be registering in?
Are individual entries allowed?
When is the submission deadline?
When is the awards ceremony?
Where can we get a copy of the anthology?
Who are the judges?
What do we win?
What are the word limits for each category?
What if we miss the deadline due to unforeseen circumstances?
Can I submit writing that has been previously published?
How many entries are we entitled to?
Within the 10 submissions, does that include the cover art?
How should schools select the entries to be submitted to the competition?
What topics should the non-fiction submissions cover?
What criteria will submissions be judged against?
Is there a theme for the entries?
Yes. To find out more about the theme go to https://www.hkywa.com/about-the-competition/
Can we submit entries in Chinese?
No. All entries must be submitted in English with one category of Chinese Poetry introduced in HKYWA 2024.
Can students submit more than one entry?
No. There is a limit of one literary or cover art entry per student.
What if we have a Primary and Secondary school division? Do we need to register them separately?
Yes. You must register for each primary and secondary separately. If you have a primary and secondary sections in your school please register separately indicating on the form whether it is from the primary or secondary section. Within the primary and secondary schools more than one teacher can register and submit a separate registration form. Each registered teacher can submit a total of 10 entries for literary categories. If the entries exceed that we will take the top 10 entries on the entry form.
What if we have not received a confirmation email?
Please contact us directly at (852) 2201 9712 or email anise@ppp.com.hk if you have not heard from us a week after you have registered your school.
Which group would a pupil with different learning abilities be in?
There are two HKYWA groups within two age categories that a student with different learning abilities can enter in, please see the
HKYWA Groups and School Year Equivalents table.
How do we know which group we should be registering in?
Please refer to the table on the page (link below) to see which group the student belongs to.
HKYWA Groups and School Year Equivalents table.
Are individual entries allowed?
No. You are only allowed to enter through a registered school in Hong Kong, China and Macau. Your school must register by sending a completed registration form to our email address (provided in the registration instructions). https://www.hkywa.com/for_teachers/registration/
When is the submission deadline?
Please attach all submissions in word doc format along with a completed submission form to our email address by the submission deadline. For information about the email address and deadline go to https://www.hkywa.com/for_teachers/all-submission-instructions/
For Cover Art Submissions: Please send hard copies of the submissions with their cover sheets and cover art submission form, to: Hong Kong Young Writers Awards , PPP Company Limited, Unit 713, Level 7, Core E, Cyberport, Hong Kong. We will confirm receipt of all entries.
Art work will need to be of A3 size portrait and should be submitted in this format to the above address.
When is the awards ceremony?
All children whose entries have been short listed will be invited to attend together with members of their family and a teacher from their school. For more information go to https://www.hkywa.com/awards-ceremony/
Where can we get a copy of the anthology?
Anthologies will available from Amazon on Kindle and Print on Demand.
Who are the judges?
A panel of judges drawn from educational institutions, published authors, award sponsors and Hong Kong independent publishing houses will select the winning entries within each category. Our chairman of Judges Mr Nury Vittachi will select the shortlisted entries and the Hong Kong Young Writer of the Year.
What do we win?
Winners, one in each of the award categories, will be selected and will receive an award trophy, Bookazine goody bags in addition to having their work published in the anthology. Each shortlisted entrant will receive a certificate of commendation.
There will also be an overall winner given the title Hong Kong Young Writer of the Year.
What are the word limits for each category?
http://www.hkywa.com/about-the-competition/word-limits/
What if we miss the deadline due to unforeseen circumstances?
Unfortunately, to be fair in the judging process all entries must be received by the deadline. Entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Can I submit writing that has been previously published?
No. Only original and non published work may be submitted and by entering the competition you are confirming that to the best of your knowledge, the work is that of the individual it has been attributed to. In the case of the cover art, you are confirming that the work is that of the named individuals.
How many entries are we entitled to?
Each registered teacher should enter 10 pieces of work across all the Literary Award categories. Please be reminded that the categories of Different Learning Abilities are:
for students aged 13 and under and aged 14-18.
Within the 10 submissions, does that include the Cover Art?
No. Schools may submit 20 Cover Art entries per group – Primary division and students with different learning abilities only.
How should schools select the entries to be submitted to the competition?
Schools are free to design their own process to select which entries to be submitted for the competition.
What topics should the non-fiction submissions cover?
All entries should be based on the current theme. For more information please go to https://www.hkywa.com/about-the-competition/.
What criteria will submissions be judged against?
A detailed set of judging criteria is available at http://www.hkywa.com/about-the-competition/judging-criteria/ .
Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions
1. Hong Kong Young Writers Awards is organised by Youth Literature Foundation: Unit 1005-1006, 10th Floor, Hua Qin International Building, No. 340 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong. Playtimes has the right to alter the Competition and Competition Rules or make exceptions without any prior notice.
2. No entry fee is required.
3. Youth Literature Foundation reserves the right to disqualify any entry for any reason, but in particular if any of the Competition Rules have been broken or if the material supplied is offensive, with violent content or illegal.
4. Youth Literature Foundation will not be responsible for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, loss, defect, delay, theft, alteration, or any other problem arising in the submission of entries.
5. By entering the Hong Kong Young Writer Awards, you give Youth Literature Foundation permission to contact you with regard to the competition and to reprint your submissions in any publication relating to the competition and in any material published by Youth Literature Foundation.
6.Youth Literature Foundation retains the rights to any publicity or marketing activity, which they deem necessary to promote either the Competition or its Entrants, their Entries, the Competition Sponsors and Youth Literature Foundation themselves. Entrants agree to participate in any reasonable request by Youth Literature Foundation to fulfil marketing obligations relating to the Competition and their own Entry.
7. Youth Literature Foundation will not distribute any material relating to the Entries or the Entrants themselves other than to Youth Literature Foundation’s judging panels and readers, their own staff and to the Media set out in clause 6.
8. No personal data relating to the Entrants will be disclosed to any third party without the express permission of the Entrants.
9. The competition will be judged by a panel of judges. The judges may withhold some or all of the awards when the submissions are not of notable quality. In the event of a tie, the award will be shared. The judge’s decisions will be final.
10. Youth Literature Foundation reserves the right to lightly edit the entries included in the anthology.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact us using the contact form https://www.hkywa.com/contact-us/
HKYWA Groups and School Year Equivalents
HKYWA Groups and School Year Equivalents
The HKYWA groups and school equivalents are listed below:
|
Division |
School Year Equivalents | HKYWA Groups | |
| Primary | Year 1-3 | Primary 1-3 |
Group 1 |
|
Year 4-6 |
Primary 4-6 | Group 2 | |
|
Secondary |
Year 7-9 |
Form 1-3 |
Group 3 |
|
Year 10-11 |
Form 4-5 |
Group 4 |
|
| Year 12-13 | Form 6 |
Group 5 |
|
|
Schools |
Age Group |
HKYWA Group |
|
Different Learning Abilities |
Age 13 and under |
Group 6 |
|
Different Learning Abilities |
Age 14-18 |
Group 7 |
American System Equivalents
Entrants will be divided into groups based on the following table:
| Division | School Year Equivalents | HKYWA Group | |
| Primary | Year 1-3 | Foundation Year, Grade 1-2 | Group 1 |
| Year 4-6 | Grade 3-5 | Group 2 | |
| Secondary | Year 7-9 | Grade 6-8 | Group 3 |
| Year 10-11 | Grade 9-10 | Group 4 | |
| Year 12-13 | Grade 11-12 | Group 5 | |
| Schools | Age Group | HKYWA Group |
| Different Learning Abilities | Age 13 and under | Group 6 |
| Different Learning Abilities | Age 14-16 | Group 7 |
For literary categories, each registered teacher can submit a total of 10 entries across the 3 categories.
For students with different learning abilities, each registered teacher can submit 10 entries in each of the 6 individual categories for literary and 2 categories of cover art.
There is a separate category for cover art. Only Primary schools and Different Learning Abilities schools, can also submit 10 entries in each of the 2 cover art groups. Each student can only submit either literary or cover art entries.
Posters
Download and print this poster to post around the school and get everyone excited for the YWA writing competition!
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges drawn from educational institutions, published authors and Hong Kong independent publishing houses will select the winning entries.
School and student names will be removed from all the entries submitted to the judges so that the judging process is fair.
All entries will be judged against the following criteria for each category detailed below:
__________________________________________________________________________
Different Learning Abilities:
Fiction and Poetry Judging Criteria
We look for imagination:
Has the writer created living, breathing characters in a compelling story line? 50%.
We look for originality:
While we allow students to use popular children’s literature scenarios, which as school stories, pony stories, fairy stories, and so on, we still ask: does the story feel new, fresh and unexpected. 50%.
Non-Fiction Judging Criteria
We look for factual accuracy:
Does the literary piece demonstrate thorough and accurate research? Are all the facts representative of history and actual events? 80%.
We look for originality:
Is the literary piece original and convey the author’s message? 20%.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
All Other Groups:
Fiction Judging Criteria
We look for imagination:
Has the writer created living, breathing characters in a compelling storyline? Does the tale wrap up its plot threads in a satisfying way? 20%.
We look for verbal skills:
Is the text interesting, thoughtful, and appropriate, showing good judgment in the choice of words and development of the plot? 20%.
We look for originality:
While we allow children to use popular children’s literature scenarios, such as school stories, pony stories, fairy stories, and so on, we still ask: does the story feel new, fresh and unexpected? 15%.
We look for style:
Does the writer have a distinctive voice, a consistent tone, and palpable confidence in the way his or her material is delivered? 10%.
We look for technical accuracy:
Has the writer shown that she / he has paid attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and related items? Have the guidelines on word length and similar factors been followed? 15%.
We look for intangible magic:
Since good short stories are always greater than the sum of their parts, we examine the overall reading experience: was it enjoyable, transformative, memorable? 20%.
_________________________________________________________________________
Non-Fiction Judging Criteria
We look for the development of ideas:
Has the writer detailed a main and central idea that is fully articulated? Are the ideas developed thoroughly and presented meaningfully? 20%.
We look for factual accuracy:
Does the literary piece demonstrate thorough and accurate research? Are all the facts representative of history and actual events? 20%.
We look for verbal skills:
Does the writer use interesting, thoughtful and appropriate text? Is excellent word choice used which precisely conveys the author’s meaning? 20%.
We look for organisation:
Has the writer shown a progression of thought in a clear and logical way? Does the organisation of the literary piece enhance the author’s message? 15%.
We look for originality:
Is the literary piece original and convey the author’s message in a refreshing way? 15%.
We look for technical accuracy:
Has the writer shown that she / he has paid attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and related items? Have the guidelines on word length and similar factors been followed? 15%.
__________________________________________________________________________
Poetry Judging Criteria
We look for originality:
Is the poem interesting? Has the poet taken mundane items and created something new from them? Does the poem have a distinct narrative, descriptive or thematic thrust? 15%.
We look for language:
Has the writer used rich, vivid and evocative language? Are nouns and verbs used distinctively to create a poetic effect? 20%.
We look for poetic techniques:
Has the writer used poetic techniques to effectively reinforce the theme? 20%.
We look for style:
Does the writer have a distinctive voice, a consistent tone, and palpable confidence in the way his or her material is delivered? 10%.
We look for technical accuracy:
Has the writer shown that she / he has paid attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and related items? Have the guidelines on word length and similar factors been followed? 15%.
We look for intangible magic:
Since good poems are always greater than the sum of their parts, we examine the overall reading experience: was it enjoyable, transformative, memorable? Does the reader feel compelled to share to poem with others? 20%.
___________________________________________________________________________
Cover Art Criteria
We look for inspiration:
Is the art work influenced by an artist or particular style? Is the artwork original? 25%.
We look for concept:
Does the art work adhere to the theme? How effectively does the piece represent this region? 25%.
We look for technique:
Does the art work show a consistent approach and technique? How effectively does the artist make use of this style? 25%.
We look for audience appeal:
How well does the work appeal to the target audience – children aged 6–16?
How does it compare alongside the other art submissions received?
25 per cent.
by Nury Vittachi, P3 Publishing and City University of Hong Kong, May 2016