2023 NZATE FLASH FICTION COMPETITION: Mountains, Islands and Forests
This year we are looking for flash fiction stories of up to 300 words that include either a
mountain, island or forest (plural or singular). We are looking for original, image-laden work with
its own energy.
Your story might be set on/in, or narrated by, a mountain, island or forest.
Or you might include a mountain, island or forest in your story in some other way (e.g. in a
photo, a book, a memory, etc).
You may wish to name a specific mountain, island or forest (either in English, te reo Māori, or
another language) in your story, or you may decide not to.
You could even include one of the words mountain, island or forest (or a translation of it) in a
different context in your story (e.g. as a name, part of a brand, in dialogue, etc.)
… It’s up to you, and we are looking forward to reading what you choose to do with this prompt.
Categories:
- Year 7-9
- Year 10-11
- Year 12-13
The Fine Print
1) Entries are only open NZATE member schools.
2) Only one entry per writer (one piece)
3) Submitted work must be original and must not have been published anywhere else. Any entries containing writing found to have been written by AI software will be disqualified.
4) The mountain, island or forest may be included in any way the writer wishes but must be included in some way (two or three of these words may be included but do not have to be).
Any entries that do not include any reference to either a mountain, island or forest will be
disqualified.
5) The judge is thrilled to read the entries but unable to provide feedback on individual entries. Their decision is final.
6) The submission window is 1 June 2023 to 30 June 2023 (deadline in 11.59 pm 30 June)
7) The winning work in each category will be published in English in Aotearoa. Your work should not be submitted for publication elsewhere (although for assessment or classroom work is expected and encouraged).
8) Copyright is retained by the author, although English in Aotearoa retain the right of first publication.
9) You will be asked to submit a photograph of yourself and a short bio, if your work has been selected for publication. Please note, that by submitting, you are guaranteeing that the entry is your own, original work.
10) One winner and two runners up will be awarded in each of the categories. Winners will be notified early in Term 3.
Submit your entry via this google form: https://tinyurl.com/NZATEwritingcomp2023
For further details, email writing@nzate.org.nz
Year 12-13
Winning entry: $200 prezzie card to the author, and $100 in book vouchers to the school
Two highly commended entries: $50 prezzie card to each author
Year 10-11
Winning entry: $200 prezzie card to the author, and $100 in book vouchers to the school
Two highly commended entries: $50 prezzie card to each author
Year 7-9
Winning entry: $200 prezzie card to the author, and $100 in book vouchers to the school
Two highly commended entries: $50 prezzie card to each author
The judge:
Rebecca Ball writes poems and short stories and has contributed to a range of journals
including Landfall, London Grip, Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook, Turbine |
Kapohau, Mayhem and takahē, as well as special anthologies like No Other Place to Stand: An
Anthology of Climate Change Poetry from Aotearoa New Zealand and More than a roof: Housing, in
poems and prose. Last year she came third in the National Flash Fiction Day competition and was
shortlisted for the Frank Sargeson short story prize.
Flash fiction
A good piece of flash fiction is quick to read but makes the reader feel something that stays with
them for a long time afterwards. Flash fiction stories can be funny, mysterious, sad, hopeful, scary,
peaceful… any emotion that the writer chooses to build through the setting, character and action of
their story.
Because flash fiction stories are short, there’s no time for much plot, so the writer often focusses on
one setting and a short period of time, either in the past, present or future. By describing this
moment carefully and creating strong imagery, a flash fiction writer delivers an important message
without ever telling their readers what that message is.
Like all stories, flash fiction stories have a beginning, middle and end, as well as a turning point at
which something changes, either in the environment of the story or in the mind of its narrator or
protagonist. Often it is at this moment of change that the reader starts to realise what the main idea
of the story is. A great flash fiction writer will give them just enough clues to work this out on their
own.
Before you start writing, ask yourself…
1) What’s the main idea I want my readers to understand by the end of this story?
2) What’s the main emotion I want them to feel?
3) How can I use my setting to help build this idea and emotion in my story?
4) Who should tell this story? Whose ‘voice’ should this be in?
5) What tense should this be in? Past, present or future?
Before you submit, make sure to check:
1) my story is 300 or fewer words
2) the tense is consistent and purposeful
3) adjectives and adverbs are not overused
4) the punctuation is accurate
5) there are no clichés (descriptions or comparisons I’ve heard used before)
