After judging a large number of fantastic entries from across the South West, Literature Works is pleased to announce the six winners of the Quay Words Trading Places Flash Fiction Competition 2022.

Their prizes will be presented at Exeter Custom House on Saturday 6th August at 3pm by brilliant poet and regular BBC Radio 4 contributor Matt Harvey. In addition to cash prizes, the winning young writers become published authors in the second Quay Words Anthology, Quay Voices #2, due out in early September.

Young writers in two age categories were tasked with producing very short pieces of creative writing, 250 words for 14-18 year olds and 500 words for 10-14 year olds. Three talented young writers have placed first, second and third in each category, and two young people have also been highly commended. The winners were:

The judges were delighted by the outstanding writing quality and diversity of voices among the entries and commented, ‘The winning entries all demonstrate empathy, maturity and the ability to step into another’s shoes.’

The Trading Places competition will return with submissions opening later this year for more budding young writers in the South West to take part.