1 MOMENT. 1 CHANGE. 100 WORDS.
A person. A place. A memory. The internet. Time itself.
Imagine waking up to discover something has disappeared. It could be something small that changes one person's life, or something enormous that changes the entire world.
Gone challenges you to imagine what happens when something suddenly vanishes and turn your idea into a mini saga of up to 100 words!
Mystery, suspense, sci-fi, horror, humour, or something completely unexpected. What disappears, and what happens next, is entirely up to you!
Not sure what to write about? Sometimes one sentence is all it takes to spark an extraordinary story.
Choose one of these story starters, give it your own twist, or create something completely original.
A voice. A memory. A whole town. Gravity. Technology. An emotion. An entire species.
Your disappearance could be mysterious, hilarious, terrifying, or thought-provoking. There are no limits to where your imagination can take the idea!
You don't need a complicated plot to write a great mini saga. Start with one thing disappearing and build your story around what happens because of it.
Your story can be serious or silly, realistic or completely impossible. You might create a shocking twist, an unexpected ending, or leave your reader with a mystery.
The most important thing? Make the story yours.
You've imagined something extraordinary. Now imagine seeing your words in a real book!
Gone gives you the opportunity to have your mini saga published in a Young Writers book alongside stories from other young writers.
Every entrant receives a bookmark, and young writers whose work we'd love to publish also receive a Certificate of Merit.
Your imagination. Your story. A real audience.
Our top five writers will each receive a £100 Amazon gift card and a trophy!
Selected stories could appear in a real Young Writers book.
Winners are chosen from eligible published entries received in the autumn 2026 term. No purchase is necessary to win.
Write your mini saga in up to 100 words. Your title doesn't count towards the word limit.
You can use the Gone entry form, write on a sheet of A4 paper, or type your story. Make sure to include your name, age, and contact details.
Submit your story using the Young Writers online uploader.
Email your story and contact details to [email protected] .
Include your name and contact details and send your story to:
Young Writers Gone
Remus House
Coltsfoot Drive
Peterborough
PE2 9BF
Free to enter. One entry per person. Copyright remains with the author.
