The Hall Caine Prize for Creative Writing 2015/16 is launched today, with the theme of ‘Echoes’.

The prize, which is in its sixth year, is open to students aged 21 and under who are in full-time education in the Isle of Man.

They are invited to write a short story, a memoir or the opening chapter of a novel.

The prize is named after Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine, a best-selling novelist in the late 1800s and early 1900s who made the Island his home and who served as a Member of the House of Keys.

Hall Caine’s great granddaughter Gloria Rukeyser sponsors the prize to foster the love of writing.

Herself a writer, she said: ‘Each year we choose a new theme and I am always impressed at the imagination young writers show in their interpretations. There is always a huge variety of styles, plotlines and endings. I look forward to reading this year’s entries.’

The prize is run by the Department of Education and Children, with support from Manx Arts Development.

Tim Crookall MLC, Minister for Education and Children, said: ‘In primary and secondary schools, pupils are given a range of opportunities to develop their writing skills in both fiction and non-fiction.

‘Pupils are required to write for a variety of purposes and audiences and it inspires and motivates them when they have a real audience to write for and a real sense of purpose for doing so.’

The prize has four categories: Primary, in which entrants must write up to 500 words, with prizes of ?100, ?75 and ?50; Key Stage 3 – up to 1000 words with prizes of ?150, ?100 and ?50; Key Stage 4 – up to 1500 words with prizes of ?175, ?125 and ?75 and Key Stage 5/IoM College of Further and Higher Education – up to 2000 words with prizes of ?200, ?150 and ?100. Up to 10 highly commended entrants in each category will receive prizes of ?25.

Teachers from the DEC’s primary and secondary schools and King William’s College judge the prize, looking for strong characterisation, good narrative flow and, above all, imaginative story-telling.

The closing date for entries is Friday 22nd January 2016. All entries must be accompanied by an entry form and entries themselves must not carry identifying markers, such as the author’s name or school. They must contain an accurate word count. Entries that don’t adhere to this won’t be considered.

Entrants are advised to study the full rules, which will be advertised in all schools and at the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education, can be viewed at www.gov.im/hallcaine or can be obtained by contacting jan.cowan@gov.im.  

In line with the Isle of Man Government’s Digital Strategy, students can enter online direct via the web page.

The competition is again a validated Children’s University activity and entrants will receive three hours’ credit in their passports for taking part.

A prize-giving ceremony will take place in spring 2016. The winning entries will be published in a book.