The Kim Dong Literary Award opens more opportunities for the young generation of writers

On the afternoon of September 30, 2026, Kim Dong Publishing House coordinated with the Faculty of Writing and Journalism, Hanoi University of Culture to organize the program “Meet contemporary young literary authors and introduce the Kim Dong Literary Award”.

The program raises many issues that are of concern to young people such as choosing a writing topic, the ability to make a living from writing, how to build a personal impression and how to bring the work closer to readers.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Vu Thi Quynh Lien, Deputy Director, Editor-in-Chief of Kim Dong Publishing House, said literature has always held an important position in the company’s nearly 70 years of operation.

For many years, Kim Dong Publishing House has organized creative campaigns and contests to find new writers, especially authors writing for children.

According to Ms. Vu Thi Quynh Lien, the Kim Dong Literary Award not only aims to discover quality works for children and young readers but also creates an environment for young writers to try, practice and gradually mature on the path of writing.

In the first season, the Kim Dong Literary Award for the period 2023 – 2025 received 612 works in the genres of poetry, short stories and long stories by authors from 55 provinces and cities in the country and abroad. The organizing committee selected 11 works to award, and nearly 40 participating works were selected to be published by Kim Dong Publishing House. In addition to awarding activities, many exchange and reading programs between authors and readers are also organized, helping the works continue to reach the public after the contest ends. This exchange program is also an opportunity for Kim Dong Publishing House to directly listen to the thoughts, concerns and concerns of young authors. Through such meetings, publishing units have more opportunities to grasp new movements in creative life, thereby making it easier to find and select works suitable for readers. Dr. Do Thi Thu Thuy, Head of the Department of Writing and Journalism, Hanoi University of Culture, assessed that the cooperation between the school and Kim Dong Publishing House brings many practical values.

Students have more opportunities to directly interact with career stories, the creative process as well as the reality of publishing activities. According to her, the Kim Dong Literary Award also contributes to creating more motivation and inspiration for those who are starting their creative journey. Participating in the exchange at the program, writer Nhat Phi and writer Pham Thu Ha, two faces of the young generation of writers, shared many perspectives on the current appearance of children’s literature as well as their own experiences in the process of writing for children. Writer Nhat Phi believes that children’s literature is having to compete strongly with audiovisual products and social networks, when children’s time and attention are increasingly divided among many types of entertainment. However, experiences with technology and social networks can also become a source of new material for writers, helping the work more closely reflect the lives of contemporary children. From another perspective, writer Pham Thu Ha believes that writers are only truly able to touch readers’ emotions when choosing topics that concern themselves. According to her, the author needs to go deep into living memories, spatial memories and personal experiences to find authentic material for his writing. For children’s literature to continue to develop, in addition to the efforts of the writer and the companionship of publishing units, the role of the family is also very important. Parents are considered one of the factors that can nurture the habit and love of reading in children, thereby creating an environment for literary works to truly come to life. Practical sharing from guests gives students studying creative writing more perspective on writing, especially in the field of children’s literature. The second Kim Dong Literary Award, period 2025 – 2027, was launched on June 13, 2025 and expanded its audience compared to the first season. The award is divided into two systems, including the Kim Dong Literary Award for outstanding works written for children and the Kim Dong Literary Award for outstanding works written for young people. The organizing committee accepts entries until December 31, 2026. The total prize value of the season is 720 million VND. The closing ceremony and awarding ceremony are expected to take place in June 2027, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Kim Dong Publishing House.