Make a literary splash with the Short Story Competition
Date published: 12 April 2023
Dive into Townsville City Council’s Short Story Competition with a story matching the theme under the water for your chance to win a Mastercard valued up to $500 or one of 10 book prizes.
The hotly-contested Short Story Competition runs across four age categories from early childhood to adult and is being judged by children’s book author Maggie O’Hara and Banjo Prize-winning author Veronica Lando.
Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson Ann-Maree Greaney said this year’s Short Story Competition theme was open to wide interpretation.
“The theme under the water can be tackled from so many directions, which is what makes the Short Story Competition so exciting. Water plays a huge role in our lives – we can drink it, swim in it, sail across it and get rained on – so I’m looking forward to seeing how our entrants interpret those three words into their very own narrative,” Cr Greaney said.
“Having four age categories means we get to see the theme from widely varying perspectives, which is always so interesting to the judges.
“We’re lucky to have two incredible judges on the panel this year, and I’d like to extend my thanks to Maggie and Veronica for taking on the hard task of judging winners for our four categories.
“Council is proud to provide the opportunity for the growth of local artists like our up-and-coming authors, and I’m glad we’re able to provide a platform for each Short Story Competition entrant to showcase their writing skills.”
With more than 9000 young people between the ages of one to 17 and more than 50,000 families choosing to live work and play in Townsville, investing in opportunities for young people to participate in arts and culture is a key focus of Council.
The Short Story Competition includes four age categories:
- First Five – zero to five years - maximum 200 words or images
- Children - five to 11 years – maximum 500 words
- Young adults - 12 to 17 years – maximum 1000 words
- Adults - 18+ - maximum 2000 words
For more information or to enter, visit Council’s Short Story competition page.
Entries close 5pm on Wednesday 31 May.
