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At the Bulgarian Creative Writing Competition, we believe in the power of human imagination and the unique capacity of individuals to express their thoughts, experiences, and emotions through writing. While artificial intelligence can certainly aid in developing concepts and offering structural support, it cannot replace the depth of human creativity and the personal experiences that give writing its soul. For this reason, we celebrate original work that comes directly from the minds and hearts of our participants. To ensure the integrity of the competition and the authenticity of the submissions, all works will be subject to AI detection software. We encourage all contestants to explore their own creative potential, to take risks, and to trust in their ability to craft stories that reflect their individuality. AI can serve as a resource, but the true beauty of creative writing lies in its human element—thoughts and emotions shaped by unique perspectives. AI has revolutionized writing by providing innovative tools that enhance both efficiency and creativity. As you explore the world of AI-assisted writing, you’ll come across a range of tools specifically designed to support every stage of the writing process. Writers can now use AI to brainstorm ideas, structure stories, and refine their writing with greater ease. Far from replacing human creativity, AI empowers writers to explore new creative territories and expand their expressive capabilities. We have developed the booklet The Future of Storytelling: How AI Transforms Creative Writing to guide you through the process of using AI in the creative writing process.  Let’s continue to nurture and honor the originality that defines the essence of creative writing!

The Bulgarian Creative Writing Competition is back for its 15th edition, offering young writers across the country an exciting opportunity to unleash their creativity. This year’s competition brings a new twist with the special Literary Delights contest, inviting students to craft imaginative prose or poetry inspired by culinary themes. About the Contest: The Literary Delights contest encourages participants to explore creative interpretations of food-related topics. Writers can submit tasty stories featuring unusual ingredients, poems about the flavors of memories, culinary adventures and sweet tales. This competition aims to highlight young writers’ originality while offering a fun, flavorful challenge. Showcase Event: The winners of the contest will have the chance to present their work live at a public reading event on November 9th, 2024, at the Central Halls Stage in Sofia. This platform will allow the young authors to share their talent with a broader audience and celebrate their literary achievements. Who Can Participate: All students from grades 6-12 from schools registered for the Bulgarian Creative Writing Competition can enter the contest. Submissions must follow these guidelines: Word file format, Times New Roman, size 12 font, up to 1000 words. Submission Deadline: All entries must be submitted via email to creativewriting@corplus.org by October 27th, 2024.

On February 9th, 2024 in Barter Community Hub we celebrated the talent and creativity of this year’s winners! All participants cherished the opportunity to meet other young writers and exchange ideas and inspiration. Before the official ceremony, this year’s winners and their English language teachers visited the US Embassy where they were greeted by Deputy Chief of Mission Andrea Brouillette-Rodriguez and Eric Brassil – the Cultural and Educational Affairs Officer. The students showed impressive knowledge during the American Literature Quiz and enjoyed listening to the excerpts from the favorite books of some of the embassy staff members. As we had such talented writers this year, we gave out special awards! The first ones were from the American University in Bulgaria – Teodor Matuski received a spot in the AUBG educational summer camp and Ameli Kolarska and Daniela Koleva won AUBG merch. Nasko Fotev won the special award from Cynthia Phoel, who is a writer and former Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria. The special award in honor of Tim Steflik, who was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria, was given to Lora Angelova. Simona Karaivanova, Ivana Stoyanova and Lora Angelova received special prizes from Zaeshka Dupka Academy. On February 10th, we had the pleasure to take part in a literary walk organized by Reading Sofia Foundation. The guide – Albena Todorova, shared with the participants interesting information and useful tips on how to be better writers. We explored Sofia’s hidden treasures for inspiration. You can read the collection of this year’s winning works at https://www.creativewriting-bg.com/assets/Final-BCWC-24-booklet.pdf Congratulations to all winners and see you next year!

Welcome to a world where imagination knows no bounds! We invite you to embark on a literary journey guided by the voices of the winners in the 14th Bulgarian Creative Writing Competition. The talented young authors had one hour to share their hearts and minds choosing one of three thought-provoking prompts. Among the pages of this collection, you will encounter the photographs submitted by students in the concurrent photo contest. They offer a different perspective into the creative universes of our participants. Open your mind and enjoy the ride! 14 BCWC Winning Works Collection

Congratulations to the winners of the 14th Bulgarian Creative Writing Competition! A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone – participants, teachers, judges – for a truly outstanding BCWC experience! This year’s winning works impressed us with their witty, sharp and engaging narratives. The authors’ powerful voices created thought-provoking and emotionally mature stories. Being a part of their imaginary worlds has been a genuine pleasure and a true source of inspiration. Over the weekend, our esteemed National Judges meticulously evaluated the submissions of all 126 national qualifiers and selected this year’s winners. They delved into the imaginative universes created by the students, driven by their shared passion for writing and reading. We express our sincere appreciation for the invaluable time and effort these talented individuals devoted to our team. Please, find attached the list of the top three participants in each grade level, as well as the two students selected by the CORPluS Foundation for a Special Mention Award. NOTE: The participants are listed in alphabetical order. We will announce the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners at the Award Ceremony which will take place on February 9-10, 2024 in Sofia. 14th BCWC National Winners – CLICK HERE Stay tuned, as we’ll soon be featuring the winning works on our website!

This weekend, our National Judges will have the pleasure of reading and assessing the works of all 126 national qualifiers and select this year’s winners! The judges are united by their passion for reading and writing, and they will be teleported to new worlds created by the imaginative minds of the participants. It is an honor to have such talented individuals on our team and we are truly grateful for their time and effort!  The national winners will be announced on January 22nd, 2024. Stay tuned!