Rudi Hawkins, an S6 pupil from Stirling High School penned the short story ‘None Shall Rest Easy’ which imagines the final moments of the life of a fallen Jacobite soldier in the wake of the decisive defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion.
After encouragement from his English teacher, Rudi, submitted the story into the Scottish Book Trust’s Young Scots Writer o’ the Year 2024 competition. Entrants were asked to submit a piece of writing in the Scots language under 2500 words or lasting less than 10 minutes.
After consideration, Rudi’s story was selected as the winning entry. The youngster received his prize, plus a £100 book token at this year’s Scots Language Awards held at Cumnock Town Hall where his work was celebrated alongside other writers and organisations for their contributions in the Scots leid.
'Completely gobsmacked'
Speaking about his experience, Rudi said: “My interest in Scots, and writing this piece, has primarily come from my love of traditional music. For a few years before the Pandemic I attended the Tolbooth Trad lessons which fuelled my interest in the genre of music. Without that, I probably wouldn’t have written a Scots piece of writing.
“My English teacher recommended putting the piece forward for the competition. I did this without any expectation that I would win. When the email came through, and I opened it, I was completely gobsmacked.
“This has shown me that no matter the circumstances, if you want to do something then just go for it. Give it your all.”
'Brilliant opportunity for young writers'
Children and Young People Convener, Cllr Danny Gibson said: “Rudi has done himself proud winning a national prize for celebrating the Scots language through writing a brilliant story set during a significant time in Scotland’s history.
“Stirling is home to some incredibly creative young people and Rudi taking home the Young Scots Writer o’ the Year prize is a testament to both his own talent but the support and encouragement offered by our schools to help our children and young people thrive in their chosen pursuits.”
Marc Lambert, CEO Scottish Book Trust, said: “The Young Scots Writer o the Year is a brilliant opportunity for young writers to share their stories and pursue their love for creative writing. The young writing talent in Scotland is exceptional and celebrating this contributes to our thriving literary landscape - both now and for years to come.
“We at Scottish Book Trust are thrilled that this award champions Scots writing across many forms, including short stories, poetry, and comics. Congratulations to the young writers who participated and especially well done to the winner, Rudi Hawkins. We look forward to reading more of their work in the future.”
Young Scots Writer o the Year Award is run in partnership with Hands Up for Trad, Scots Hoose, Education Scotland and Scottish Government.