Join the Autumn 2026 Writing Challenge!
Young Writers Collective members have voted for their favourite theme ideas the winning theme is…
Folklore & Fantasy
Submit your writing for publication in our next digital anthology. All those featured in the anthology will be sent a printed copy too! You are welcome to submit work for either one or both of these themes - whatever inspires you!
Deadline for submissions: Wednesday 25th November 2026
Introduction to the theme
Folklore & Fantasy
By Maggie Dawes - Young Writers Collective member
I enjoy reading fantasy. I got into fantasy about a month ago by reading YA fantasy Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Everything about the book made me want to read more. The characters, the plot and the world it was set in. Now my Christmas list is basically just fantasy books I want to read!
I think the genre of folklore/fantasy is such an interesting genre to explore. You can play with magical powers, good vs evil, mythical creatures, tradition vs change and so much more! You can follow a hero’s journey, or maybe it’s from the perspective of a vengeful villain. It’s a chance to play with plot twists and basically dump all your imagination onto a few pages; easy right?
Folklore/fantasy can be such an interesting genre to explore when you give it a try. I have been reading since I was little and fantasy was the first genre that put me in a reading slump (not feeling able to pick up another book because you don’t want the story to end) and rekindled my love for reading.
I know I’m really excited to be able to try and craft my own folklore/fantasy story; are you?
We also invited guest contributor Matilda Barrowman (from our Youth Board and former Amplified participant) to share some thoughts about how Folklore has shaped storytelling and continues to be a source of inspiration
Folklore is an important root in the tree of storytelling. It is largely responsible for the survival of many beloved tales we know today, such as The Loch Ness Monster or Robin Hood and the tradition of oral narratives themselves. Stories that are passed from person to person by word of mouth.
Folklore remains one of the most accessible ways we can collect insights into how different cultures (even our ancestors) understood the world. Icelandic folklore is the brainchild of its immediate landscape wedded with the paganism from Norse travellers. Since geographical knowledge had not yet emerged, mythology quite literally filled the crevices behind their earthly wonders. Oddly shaped or burnt rocks are believed to be trolls turned to stone by sunlight. There is a story in every rung, ridge and hole. You just have to be curious enough to find it. One reason I believe folklore is still being adapted centuries later is its universality of images and multitude of perspectives. Stories and tales for everyone.
We love to publish all different kinds of work, so whatever your favourite form or writing or genre we want to read it! From poetry to essays, comics, fiction, scripts and more - maybe you like to delve deep into your emotions, or maybe you’re a budding comedian? Perhaps you like to illustrate your pieces too? As long as your work is creatively inspired by our themes of Folklore or Fantasy then we’d love to include it!