Memoir Writing Competition Terms and Conditions
The Memoir Writing competition is organised by Reading Force, Registered Charity No. 1159890, registered address 10 Homersham Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey KT1
3PN.
By entering this competition you are accepting these terms and conditions and are agreeing to be bound by them.
Participation in this competition is free and no purchase is necessary in order to participate.
The competition is open to children, young people, and adults who have a connection to British Armed Forces, serving or veterans. Only one entry per person is permitted.
Competition categories
Entries can be made in one of two categories.
Adults
Children and young people up to and including age 18
Format
The competition theme is Memoir Writing: Entries can be memoir, or biography of a military friend, relative, or admired person.
Adults: To submit a synopsis of planned book; a brief biography; the first two chapter of memoir or biography to a maximum of 5,000 words. Entries over this limit will be disqualified from the competition.
Children & young people: A piece of memoir writing or a piece of writing about someone else in the military community. This can be a poem, reflection, memory, or story between 500 and 1,000 words. An illustration can be included.
No original work is to be posted to Reading Force.
Entry instructions
To enter the competition you must send the competition entry by email to info@readingforce.org.uk.
Closing date for entries is midnight Sunday 31st August 2025.
Entries must include the competition entrant’s name, age of child or young person, address and Forces connection. Adults do not need to give their age.
By entering the competition you are agreeing to potentially have the entry appear on the Reading Force website and on Reading Force social media platforms. Permission will be requested to include the family name but this is not a condition of entry. We respect your confidentiality.
Reading Force will not be liable for entries not received or incomplete.
Prizes
ADULT PRIZES
One winner will have their book published by Pen & Sword Publishers. The author will receive an advance on royalties, and full royalties thereafter.
2nd and 3rd place winners will each receive a £100 book token.
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE PRIZES
One winner from each service will have their entry published in the Family Federation magazines, Army & You, Homeport, and Envoy. If you have connections to more than one service, that’s not a problem at all.
2nd and 3rd prizes in all three Service categories will be £50 book tokens.
No cash or other alternative can be requested by the winner.
Book token prizes will be delivered within 28 days of the closing date.
Judging
External judges have been appointed. The judges’ decision will be final.
Each winner will be contacted by e-mail before 31st January 2026. The names of winners will be available on written request to Reading Force.
The decision of Reading Force is final on all matters relating to this competition and these terms and conditions.
Entrants personal details will not be disclosed to any third parties.
By entering the competition, entrants agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out in the competition.
By submitting an entry, the winner consents to it being published on the Reading Force X, Facebook, Instagram and website pages.
Employees of Reading Force and any immediate family members or co-habitants of such employees, are not eligible to enter the competition.
Reading Force, Registered Charity No. 1159890, registered address 10 Homersham Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey KT1 3PN info@readingforce.org.uk Tel: 07566 200 299
