While we’re on the subject of poetry this week (see Montana Poetry Day earlier) … it seems that the word is up with our young writers.

Entries for this year’s Bell Gully National Schools Poetry Competition, (organised by Victoria University’s International Institute of Modern Letters, and judged by award winning poet Glenn Colquhoun) have doubled since last year - more than 200 poems have been submitted. Years 12 and 13 are represented in this award, the winner of which will be announced by Margaret Mahy in Wellington in August during the Bell Gully Schools Writing Festival 2004 – a chance for young writers to work with the country's leading writers, poets and screenwriters.

There is a $500 cash prize; a $500 book grant for the winner’s school library; a year’s membership to the New Zealand Book Council; and subscriptions to leading literary journals Landfall and Sport.

Meanwhile, Nestlé are sponsoring a creative storywriting competition for Year 7 and 8 students, worth $500 in books plus chances for a computer and other goodies … the website is helpful, with lots of tips on storywriting, past winners’ stories and details on workshops with authors, even.