Karya Raya Short Story & Essay Awards 2026
Where young voices grow from storytelling to ideas that shape the future.
Karya Raya has grown from a small community exhibition into a nationwide movement celebrating young creativity. Since 2023, we’ve gathered more than 3,000 young authors aged 5–14 from across Indonesia, children who dared to dream, write, and publish their own books. Now, we’re opening the next chapter.
Through the Short Story and Essay Awards, we invite writers aged 10–18 to express their voices with depth, empathy, and imagination to write stories and reflections that matter to their generation.
Categories
Two Genres
Short Story – Fiction that inspires imagination and emotion.
Essay – Reflection and reasoning on real-world ideas.
Two Languages
English
Bahasa Indonesia
Two Age Groups
Emerging Writer (10–13 years old) — 600–900 words
Young Voices (14–18 years old) — 800–1,200 words
Short Story
Theme: Open/Free
Let your imagination roam free. Write any story that matters to you, whether it’s fantasy, friendship, or even something deeply personal. What’s most important is this: write the story only you can write.
Essay
Theme: Building a kinder future
Young authors will choose one of three urgent prompts about today’s world as following:
Planet and Responsibility
How can we convince our leaders, and ourselves, to stop global warming before it’s too late?
Technology and Humanity
How can we stay human in the age of AI and digital life?
Kindness and Division
In a world full of disagreement, how can empathy bring us back together?
Each submission will be evaluated based on:
Originality (30%)
A fresh, personal, and creative perspective.
Expression (25%)
Clarity, flow, and voice of the writer.
Structure (25%)
Strong organization and coherent development.
Impact (20%)
Emotional or intellectual resonance that lingers after reading.
Entry Details
Early Bird: Rp 90.000 per entry (until 31 January 2026)
Regular: Rp 120.000 per entry (until 31 March 2026)
Late Entry: Rp 150.000 per entry (until 31 June 2026)
Price Include E-Certificate
You may submit as many works as you like. Each story or essay is a chance to be heard.
Timeline
Awards & Recognition
8 Awards
Fiction and essay across two age groups and two language categories (English & Indonesian).
Top 40 Finalists
Will have their works published, printed, and distributed nationally under Karya Raya’s young authors collection.
Karya Raya Exhibition 2026
Participants will be celebrated at the Karya Raya Exhibition 2026, together with authors, teachers, and families from all over Indonesia.
In collaboration with:
Because children grow and their stories evolve with them. The Karya Raya Short Story & Essay Awards ensures that as they mature, their ideas have a place to shine.