What Lives In Your Imagination?

Tell Us A Story About An Animal or Creature - Real or Imagined!

Fighting Words is asking young authors aged 7-12 to send us stories about animals.

In this celebration of creativity, ALL the stories will be published on the Fighting Words website and several of the stories will be animated by our team of volunteers!

There are so many ways to tell your story! Here are some questions to think about and help you get started:

  • Is the animal a pet, a wild animal or a fantastical creature?
  • Where does this animal live? Who does the animal live with?
  • Does the animal have any magic powers?
  • What journey or adventure will the animal go on?
  • Does the animal have any friends?
  • What is the animal’s greatest wish or greatest fear?

You can send us a story, a poem, a comic, an illustration or a song!
The stories will be published on the Fighting Words website in April 2021

Céard a chónaíonn i do shamhlaíocht?

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
Thank you to everyone who submitted! We will be in contact with you soon.

This initiative is open to writers aged 7-12 years

Click here to watch videos with loads of writing tips to inspire you!

All the details:

  • Submissions open on Tuesday, 26 January
  • Submissions close on Friday, 19 February
  • Maximum word count: 300 words - please do not exceed this
  • Submissions may be in English or in Irish
  • Authors must be aged between 7 and 12 years
  • Send your stories in an editable format (e.g. Microsoft Word or Google Docs).  Please do NOT send submissions in PDF format or Apple Pages.
  • Illustrations and comics should be sent as JPEGs. Handwritten submissions will not be accepted

IMPORTANT: All submissions MUST be sent from a parent/guardian email address OR from a teacher email address to fiction@fightingwords.ie with Animal Story in the subject line.

The following information is REQUIRED:

  • Name of author
  • Age
  • County where you live - for example Co. Cork, Co. Donegal, Co. Down
  • Title of piece
  • Word Count (please note maximum of 300 words)
  • Parent/Guardian Name
  • Parent/Guardian Contact Telephone Number
  • Teacher Name, School Name and Contact Telephone (if submitting on behalf of students)    

All submissions will be acknowledged by email and entrants will receive a copy of the terms and conditions.

Fighting Words reserves the right not to publish submissions if details listed above are not included.

Questions? Send an email to info@fightingwords.ie with Animal Question in the subject line.

IMPORTANT: All submissions MUST be sent from a parent/guardian email address OR from a teacher email address to fiction@fightingwords.ie with Animal Story in the subject line

Céard a chónaíonn i do shamhlaíocht?

Consent – Attention Authors, Parents/Guardians and Teachers

  • All parents/guardians of authors submitting work understand that all rights to submissions belong to the contributing writer/artist and to Fighting Words and any project partners, which may reproduce the contributed work in connection with the promotion of the project and the publication together with the project partners. Any possible proceeds from the project will support Fighting Words and its partners.
  • Fighting Words and its project partners reserves the right not to publish content that contravenes the Fighting Words Equal Opportunities and/or Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy. Both policies are found on www.fightingwords.ie
  • Parents: By submitting a creative piece for the Animal Project on behalf of your child using your email address, you confirm that you are the parent/guardian for the entrant in the “Animal Project,” which will result in digital publication and that you grant permission for the piece to be included in said publication.
  • Teachers: Teachers who submit work on behalf of students will be responsible for confirming parent/guardian permission to publish work submitted by authors under the age of 18 years.      

Privacy Policy

  • Fighting Words is responsible for storing your data securely.
  • By submitting a piece of writing or other artwork to this project, parents/guardians of authors accept that Fighting Words and their project partners may use your information in connection with the creation of the “Animal Project” and publish your child’s contribution digitally. All rights are reserved to you as the author/artist or the parent of the author / artist and Fighting Word and the project partners.
  • No unauthorised person will gain access to your information. Your email address will not be used for purposes other than to communicate with you directly regarding “The Animal Project.”

Terms and Conditions

  1. All information detailing how to enter this initiative forms part of these Terms and Conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the parent/guardian of the entrant agrees to abide by these rules.
     
  2. Submissions open on 26 January 2021.
     
  3. Closing date for submissions 19 February 2021.
     
  4. Submissions received after this date will not be accepted.
     
  5. Submissions are based on the creation of a story, poem, illustration, comic or song that does not exceed 300 words.
     
  6. When making a submission, applicants, parents/guardians of applicants or teachers of applicants should carefully consider the timeframe for completion of work. It is the responsibility of the successful applicant to ensure that their project can be completed on time.
     
  7. All written work and artwork accompanying the submission must be the work of the individual making the submission. It is the responsibility of the individual - or the parent/guardian or the teachers making the submission for the entrant to ensure that any content that they submit does not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws.
     
  8. Copyright of submissions remains with the entrant.
     
  9. Any submissions with references to nudity, racism, drug use, extreme profanity or other objectionable content will be rejected and excluded.
     
  10. For all applicants, copyright of the creative work will remain with the entrant, however, Fighting Words, together with its funders and project partners, will be granted permission by the entrants (or parent/guardian of entrants under 18 years) to worldwide, irrevocable and perpetual licence to feature the creative work in any of their publications, promotional material and websites.
  11. Events may occur that render the The Animal Project impossible due to reasons beyond the control of Fighting Words and the entrants (or their parents/guardians) agree that no liability shall attach to Fighting Words or partners as a result.
     
  12. By entering creative work to The Animal Project, entrants (or the parents/guardians of entrants under 18 years) agree to the collection, retention, usage and distribution of their personal information to process and contact them about their submission and for the purposes outlined in these Terms and Conditions.
     
  13. Fighting Words may pass entrants’ details to third parties and/or otherwise engage third party providers in connection with The Animal Project where the third party is acting on Fighting Words’ behalf for the purposes of administering this project and/or subsequent publicity, and/or as otherwise required by law.
     
  14. The promoter of this programme is Fighting Words, Behan Square, 12-16 Russell Street, Dublin 1 D01 WD53.
     
  15. Fighting Words accept no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by entrants submitting creative work.
     
  16. Fighting Words or its partners shall not be liable to comply with its obligations relating to this competition where the failure is caused by something outside of its reasonable control.
     
  17. The Animal Project and these Terms and Conditions will be governed by Irish law and entrants submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish Courts.