Supermarket Trip Inspires Winning Short Story

WHEN 10-year-old Caitlin Grant saw her mother struggle with a shopping trolley in a car park she took the mental picture and turned it into a story which she entered in the national Write4Fun competition.

The Write4Fun 2012 School Short Story Competition, split into poems and short stories, saw 7000 students from all over the country enter and Caitlin's short story 'A shopper's Fear' won the competition.

Caitlin said the story was about a shopping trolley that ran over people's toes and generally was vicious and uncontainable.

"The trolley collects items you don't really want and I called it Tiger.

"When mum tried to put it in a bay, it simply wouldn't go in and my mum called it untameable," Caitlin said.

Caitlin adapted her funny story from a speech she made as part of her school's, Terranora Public School, public speaking competition and told the story of a shopping trolley people should look out for because "it's out there".

"It took about a day or two to write and is my first short story.

"I also entered last year's short story competition with a poem but didn't even get a place," Caitlin said.

Caitlin's walked away with $1000, however, had to share it with her school.

"I got $500 and the school got $500.

"I have already spent it and bought an Apple iPod Touch, Caitlin said.

The bronze medal winner of the competition also comes from the Tweed with Keeley-louise Dickinson from Mt St Patrick's School in Murwillumbah winning third place.

The two Tweed students' stories will appear in the magazine Far Out which will be released in early 2013.

Albert Elzinga

The Daily News

Write4Fun.net was established in 1997, and since then we have successfully completed numerous short story and poetry competitions and publications.
We receive an overwhelming positive feedback each year from the teachers, parents and students who have involvement in these competitions and publications, and we will continue to strive to attain this level of excellence with each competition we hold.

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