Write an animal story for the Mumsnet and Walker Books writing competition

[RachelMumsnet]

Do you secretly have a book inside you? Would you like to see it published?

Do you love making up stories for children? Why not enter this year's Mumsnet, Gransnet and Walker Books writing competition and see your story published in a beautifully illustrated gift book?

Last year we ran an incredibly successful writing competition to find 10 inspiring and original bedtime stories. Hundreds of people entered and the 10 winning stories were chosen by former Children's Laureate, Michael Rosen, and published in The Book of Bedtime Stories. The book was recently listed first in The Independent's top children's books for 2013, described as "beautifully produced ... could be a collector's item".

Mumsnet, Gransnet and Walker Books are now very excited to be launching the competition for its second year. This year, the theme will be animal stories. We want you to submit your stories before Monday 6 January. This year we have a judging panel - full details yet to be revealed but this will include previous Children's Laureate, Anthony Browne.

Find out how to enter this fabulous competition. For inspiration and to read winning stories, get your hands on a copy of The Mumsnet Book of Bedtime Stories.

Hi RachelMumsnet - hope you can help. I submitted my story yesterday. I filled in the file title correctly with story title and my name, but missed my name off the story itself (this information is all there on the entry form of course). Would my entry still be considered? Terms and conditions say that you can submit more than one entry (and I was going to resend my entry with my name added), but the form would not let me do that! I didn't call myself mumtheforgetfulone for nothing!

Just realised that I've asked the same question as Tami1983.....sorry!

I submitted my story last night at around 10.30pm and it said that the submission was successful but I haven't received an email to say they got it. Has anyone else received an email? Am worried now.

Aaarrgh! Just over the word count!! Desperately. Trying. To. Cut. It. Down. But will I make it? Cutting bits out is much harder then actually writing the story...

I have the same question as Tami1983 & mumtheforgetfulone - I forgot to add the title & my name to both the document and the filename. Only read it afterwards and then it wouldn't let me resubmit (despite saying you can enter more than once?!)
What should we do Mumsnet? We're busy mums, it's easily done when you're rushing to upload a story in between feeding and looking after children (who are shouting for me as we speak)!!

Hi Tami1983 and clouise26. I don't know if this helps - or if I've done the right thing, but I used a different email address and registered again with Mumsnet using this (I have a new nickname too of course). I saw that somebody else had done this - back on page 5, and it seems to be the only way to enter the competition more than once. Good luck!

Seems a few of us have done the same thing with the name on the document! Anyone had an answer yet?

Hi Rachel,
I submitted a story on Saturday but haven't received a confirmation email. Is there any way I can find out if my story has been received?
Many thanks

littlemao I submitted one on Saturday too, and also had no confirmation email. I'm thinking it's nothing to worry about - when Rachel sees our posts/messages she will either let us know our story arrived ok, or she will say Oops, looks as if something went wrong, and surely will let us submit it again.

I expect mine did get there really, it did say 'you have entered this competition' - it's just I was surprised the story apparently uploaded so fast - but then again the file would have been very small, compared to a picture.

Hi there,
I submitted my animal story this morning. It should have 970 words. I am a little worried as to whether it was uploaded correctly. Please could you email me to confirm my entry.

Regards
adeena10

I just submitted a second story, I had to log-in with another email address and another Mumsnet nickname (MummyGettinDown), which was easy to do. I even remembered to put my name on this one. I hope today's submissions are accepted!

I know applesinmypocket - it uploaded really quickly so I've been questioning whether it actually did upload... I don't trust technology!

We will be sending out emails to confirm we've received your stories tomorrow.

We're sorry we haven't had chance to get back to everyone today but we had a sudden influx of queries/emails about the comp over the last few days and as it was our first day back we just haven't had chance to go through them all.

This was largely due to the fact that we changed the rules so that you can submit more than one story - and as many of you discovered the entry mechanism would only allow one story per mumsnetters - not ideal we know. If you have experienced this problem, please email the stories over to us at [email protected]. If you have already done this and sent your additional stories to [email protected] - please DON'T resend - we will have received them and will be sending out an acknowledgement email tomorrow to let you know that your submissions have been received.

If you have submitted a story but forgot to put your name/address/title of story, do not fear! We're going to be reading all the emails tomorrow and if there's any story we're not sure about, we will be in touch in the morning. IF any of the stories have slipped through the net but you have emailed/posted about your submission on this thread then we will still accept them as long as the stories are received by end of the day tomorrow. In short: Hold tight until tomorrow and all will be sorted.

We had an amazing response and thanks so much to everyone who entered.

Sorry forgot to say - if you have submitted a subsequent story with a different email address that is also fine. Hope this answers all the questions.

Very exciting! had seal of approval from children BUT have just realised you need to add your name to the document title - I haven't and can't resubmit - will it be OK?

just read the thread ... loving emoticons today though

just entered this at last min lol, fingers crossed, as a single mum not easy writing, wittling down to the word count and keeping 3 under 5's plus a teen amused haha thank god for santas presents:) and the record button on the tv ;)

Many thanks for your words of reassurance Rachel. I think a lot of us will sleep better tonight. Looking forward to receiving the confirmation email for my 2 stories tomorrow :-)

haha procrastination, thats been my word just lately, but finally got the story finished:)

Nor me, littlemao!

Thank you very much, Rachel. I realised you all probably weren't back chained to at your desks yet.

Anyone else reading 'we had an amazing response' and thinking 'Oh No! more than 20 then, bugger, I won't even make the shortlist'

I'm thinking though, all of us did something amazing - it's not easy to start, carry on, AND FINISH a story, well done all of us, we're all writers now even if not winners. all round!

What a wonderful thing to say Applesinmypocket! Thanks. It's true, though. I've never written a proper story before outside of school exercises and it was such a great experience whether I make it to the final list, or not! :D

And thank you to RachelMumsnet for answering all of our questions! Happy new year to you all!

Hi there,

I just entered the story competition today but I made an error. I was rushing because I knew that the competition was ending today and I didn't know what time! I submitted everything correctly but the file name doesn't include the name of the story and my name! I saw in the thread that you advised someone else to let you know so you could check into it.

The story is called "Spiral Finds His Spin" but the file name was FlopLlamaLips.

My name, address and word count are included within the file. The only thing that is incorrect is the name of the file.

I would hate for my story to get lost because I made such a silly error.

Just posting to ensure that if my story hasn't made it through the ether, I can be contacted through this thread.

Good luck everyone. Only ten days till the short list announcement- eeeek!

Rachel- was wondering if you could let us know how many entries you received once the deadline has passed?

Hi there,
I had trouble entering the competition online so submitted via email. Haven't heard back though, confirming receipt. Could you confirm you've received my entries?

Thanks!