We offer personalised feedback to all our entrants.
Unlike other writing competitions, you don’t just get one shot at entering the Orwell Youth Prize. We have two deadlines – a feedback deadline on 5th March 2025, and a final deadline on 30th April 2025.
No one creates a perfect piece of writing first time around. An important part of the writing process is getting a second opinion and encouragement on a first draft. That’s where we’re here to help!
“I’ve really enjoyed participating, and the chance to get some feedback was so lovely.”
OYP Entrant and Winner 2022, Aarushi Dahiya (read Aarushi’s winning piece ‘The Law of the Jungle’ )
How Feedback Works
If you enter the Orwell Youth Prize before the 5th March, you can tick a box on the entry form which says ‘This is my first draft – feedback please!’ Your entry will then be sent to one of our volunteer readers, who work across the spheres of publishing, literature, academia, civil society and more. Many are professional writers or editors, and we will match your entry to a reader who has experience of the form you are writing in.
Our feedback aims to go beyond that typically offered at school or college; encompassing grammatical and stylistic advice as well as encouragement and suggestions for further reading around a subject area. All of our volunteers receive training, with guidance on what to look out for in entries, and some examples of what makes a good piece of feedback.
Our readers will begin the feedback process in February. We’ll send you your feedback as soon as possible after receiving your entry, to give you time to resubmit your final draft by our final deadline of Wednesday 30th April.
It’s up to you
Feedback is completely optional – if you submit your entry before the feedback deadline, you can specify whether you would like to take up the offer for feedback or not. You can also just submit a final entry before the final deadline of Wednesday 30th April. Our judges won’t know whether you’ve had feedback on your entry or not.
Once you’ve received your feedback, check out our page on Responding to Feedback to help you with the next step of redrafting.
Any questions about feedback, or to learn more about volunteering with the Orwell Youth Prize, please contact us.
We can’t wait to read your writing and help you to make it the best that it can be!
“The feedback helps you improve not only that specific piece of writing but also your writing skills in general, so there really is a lot to be gained even if you don’t go on to win.”
2020 Winner Hugh Ludford (read Hugh’s winning piece, ‘You Are What You Eat’)