New Delhi

Building on the success of its inaugural edition, publishing house Penguin Random Hosue India (PRHI) on Monday announced the launch of the second edition of the "National Young Authors Challenge" (NYAC), a global short story competition for students in grades 5–12.

The challenge, conducted by PRHI in partnership with education firm Big Red Education, claims to return this year with a "larger platform" designed to discover, develop, and celebrate India's next generation of young storytellers.

The new edition is divided into two categories -- grades 5–8 and grades 9–12 -- each featuring distinct story themes. PRHI will publish the best entries as an anthology.

"The Top 50 stories from each category will be published, allowing 100 young authors to see their work in print. In addition, the next 100 stories from each category will be showcased on Penguin India's official website, extending the opportunity for young writers to gain recognition for their work," said the organisers in a statement.

Taking the experience beyond the competition, every participant will also have access to an exclusive 8-hour publishing boot camp led by Penguin authors and editors.

The boot camp, according to PRHI, will introduce students to the craft of storytelling, editing, developing a manuscript, and the publishing process, offering them an opportunity to learn directly from professionals in the literary and publishing world.

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In the inaugural edition, NYAC brought together more than 1,000 students from over 65 schools across the country, receiving over 1,200 story submissions from aspiring young writers across the country.