SOS Sagas: Wanted
Creative Writing Contest | Ideal for 10-18 years
Everyone Wants Something...
Revenge. Freedom. Fame. The Truth. Something they've lost. Something they should never have...
Wanted
challenges young writers aged 10-18 to turn what somebody wants into an original mini saga in
just 100 words.
They can write in any genre, create any character, and take their story anywhere their imagination leads them.
What will your students want... and how far will they go to get it?
100 words could get them published
This isn't just a creative writing activity. Wanted is a real creative writing contest, giving young writers the chance to see their work published in a book and recognized for their creativity.
There are prizes to win too: the top 5 writers will each receive a $50 Amazon gift card, and every young writer published will receive a Certificate of Merit.
A big opportunity. Just 100 words.
What could they write?
There's no single way to interpret Wanted. Give students a story starter, or let them take the theme somewhere completely unexpected.
Funny, frightening, mysterious, moving, or completely unexpected, the story is theirs.
Easy to offer. Easy to get started.
Use Wanted in whatever way works for you and your students.
Run it as a class activity, share it with interested writers, use it for enrichment, or offer it alongside the creative writing you're already doing.
We’ve created everything you need to make getting started simple, including:
✓
A video introduction
✓
Story starter cards
✓
A graphic organizer
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Student entry forms
✓
Clear contest guidance
You can use as much or as little support as you need.
DOWNLOAD FREE RESOURCES →
Everything you need to get students started.
1
CHOOSE
Choose what someone wants
2
IMAGINE
Build the story
3
WRITE
Tell it in 100 words
4
ENTER
Send it in
Free resources to make it easy...
Whether you're sharing Wanted with your whole class or simply giving interested students the opportunity to enter, pick the support that works for you.
DOWNLOAD FREE RESOURCES →
Everything you need to get students started.
Big writing skills. Just 100 words.
Writing a mini saga challenges students to make every word count.
As they shape their Wanted story, they can experiment with character, setting, voice, and narrative techniques while learning to select, edit, and refine their ideas.
The 100-word limit keeps the task manageable while giving students a genuine creative challenge: how much of a story can they tell in just 100 words?
Prizes and recognition
Give your students the thrill of becoming published writers in a real book, being recognized for their creativity, and the chance to win prizes.
FOR STUDENTS
🏆 5 writers will each win a $50 Amazon gift card
📖 Get published
Young writers whose work is published will have their work published in a Young Writers anthology.
⭐ Be recognized
Every published writer will receive a Certificate of Merit.
FOR SCHOOLS
🏆 Young Writers Award of Excellence
The school that submits the best set of entries will receive the Young Writers Award of Excellence.
📖 A free copy for your school
Every participating school with students published will receive a free copy of the anthology featuring their students’ work.
*The more entries you send, the more free books your school can receive. See the contest rules for details.
PLUS:
Every entrant receives a limited edition Wanted bookmark.
Ready to enter?
Entering your students' Wanted mini sagas is easy.
COLLECT THEIR STORIES
Each mini saga should be no more than 100 words.
Each mini saga should be no more than 100 words.
CHOOSE HOW TO ENTER
Submit your entries online, by email, or mail them to us.
Submit your entries online, by email, or mail them to us.
SEND THEM BY OCTOBER 30, 2026
Then leave the judging to us!
Then leave the judging to us!
Ready to see where Wanted takes your students?
Closing Date: Friday Oct 30, 2026
We've worked with over 20,000 schools. Here's what some of them have to say...
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