The Guardian's popular Young Country Diary series is once again calling on the UK's young nature enthusiasts to share their winter wildlife encounters. The newspaper is inviting submissions from children aged between eight and fourteen for a chance to have their work published both in print and online.
How to Enter the Young Country Diary
The submission window is now open for winter-themed articles, with a strict deadline of noon on Monday 2 February. The process is straightforward: a child must venture outdoors to a natural setting, which could be anything from a local park or garden to a beach or woodland. They then need to compose a short article of 200-250 words describing their experience.
Parents or guardians are required to submit the entry on the child's behalf using a dedicated online form provided by the Guardian. While photographs or drawings of the landscape orientation are welcomed to accompany the piece, they are not mandatory for entry.
Tips for Budding Young Writers
For children seeking inspiration, the editor, Paul Fleckney, offers several pointers. He suggests young diarists engage all their senses, noting what they see, hear, smell, and touch. "Good nature writing starts with the senses," the guidance notes. Children are encouraged to take notes while outside and to research any interesting creatures or plants they find, adding "juicy details" to their account.
The advice also highlights the value of both the big picture and the small details. Writers can describe the wider scene—the sky, the horizon—or zoom in on intricate details like a beetle's markings. Crucially, the series wants to know how the encounter made the child feel and what it made them think about.
Publication Details and Key Incentives
From all entries received, four will be selected for publication: two in January and two in February. Any child whose article is published will be paid for their work, with payment handled through their parent or guardian. The series is particularly keen to attract entries from school classes, emphasising that no prior expertise in nature is required.
For those who miss the winter deadline or are not selected, the submission form will reopen in early March for spring-themed diaries. The Guardian reassures young writers not to be disheartened, as new opportunities arise quarterly.
Recent successful Young Country Diaries, which can serve as inspiration, include an 11-year-old's account of finding a "fairytale fungus," an eight-year-old's sighting of a rare bird, and a 10-year-old's close encounter with a magnificent beetle.
