Our writing competition is back for 2026!
Jersey Post is delighted to announce the return of Once Upon a Letter, our writing competition where the story takes the form of a letter!
Open to everyone from the age of 5 years: children, young people and - new for 2026 – adults!
It could be a message from a dragon, a postcard from the moon, a confession from an AI robot, a letter that changes someone’s life forever. If you can imagine it, you can write it! There’s a story hiding in every pen… What’s yours?
Enter Once Upon a Letter
There are four age categories:
All entries will be judged on imagination, originality, use of the letter format and the ability to keep the reader engaged.
There is one winner per category. As well as a certificate, winners will receive writing bundles, stamps and a book.
Deadline for entries is Monday 12th October 2026, 5pm. Winners will be notified by 3rd November 2026.
If you have any questions please contact marketing@jerseypost.com.
Our head judge Penny has written over 18 books aimed at children and young people, all inspired by our island. She runs writing workshops, book readings and regularly works with schools as part of their literacy curriculum.
Any advice for the writers?
“Try to imagine not having any contact with someone you really love for a long period of time; where the only communication you have is this letter (hard in this day and age!). So the letter should convey that sense of separation but also the joy of being in touch, of having this intimate conversation.”
Nicola is Programme Manager at the charity Every Child Our Future. She has over 26 years experience in the educational sector, having worked as a teacher in nurseries and schools, before joining the charity in 2022.
What should every great letter story have?
“Every great letter should have a voice of its own. It should tell us something about the person writing it, make us curious, spark our imagination and, most importantly, give us a reason to keep reading. The best letters feel like a conversation between two people, even if they have never met.”
Sophia is part of our Marketing team at Jersey Post. A former journalist, she works across our PR, communications, and campaigns. She also led our first Once Upon a Letter writing competition last year, which had over 300 entries, some of which were later published in a book.
In three words, what are you hoping for in this year’s entries?
“Imagination, curiosity and originality. These are the ingredients of a story that stays with you. We can’t wait to start reading!”
We’re very grateful to all our judges for helping us out with the competition.
