Australia has always inspired writers. From Roderick Flanagan to Murray Bail, Australia’s ancient landscape has inspired a different kind of writing from that produced by Europeans and North Americans. Perhaps it is the landscape, but equally it might be the people. Australia has both an ancient history and also a vibrant modern history. We have vast open spaces and dense cities. We have hot dry deserts, wet tropical forests and cold frozen wilderness. We are a nation of contrasts. Our future is ours to make of it what we will.
There is so much to write about...
From this page you can visit current short story competitions, check out the results from completed competitions and also purchase books related to the competitions.
CURRENT COMPETITIONS -
NOW OPEN
The Stringybark Seven Deadly Sins Short Fiction Award 2012 is awarded for a short story that relates to one (or more) of the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony; greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride/vanity.
Stringybark Short Story Awards cordially invites all writers, including our international friends, to put their hand to writing a short story in 1500 words or fewer.
The Stringybark Seven Deadly Sins Short Fiction Award 2012 offers the winner A$350 cash, a certificate, publication in hardcopy and/or electronically and a copy of the book. Second place receives
A$150 cash, a certificate, publication in hardcopy and/or electronically and a copy of the book. Third place, A$75 cash, a certificate and publication in hardcopy and/or electronically and a copy of the book.
Entry fees vary from A$9.95 for one story to A$46.65 for a maximum of seven submitted stories (which equates to A$6.95 per story). This can be paid via PayPal or Direct Deposit. See the payment page for details.
Stories must be sent via email. Closing date for entries is 10 June 2012. Winners will be notified by 6 August 2012.
For further information click here.
Owing to popular demand, feedback is now available. For further information click here.
BOOK SHOP
NOW OPEN
Winners of Stringybark Short Story Awards and stories with merit are published. The latest book, The Road Home, consisting of the winners of the Stringybark Short Story Award 2011 has been published. You can buy this book here. Also available is Marngrook which contains the winning stories from the Stringybark Australian History Short Story Award, The Heat Wave of ’76, consisting of the winners of the Stringybark Erotic Fiction Award 2011, A Visit from the Duchess which contains the winning stories from the Stringybark Speculative Fiction Award 2011; Between Heaven and Hell which contains the winning stories from Stringybark Flash Fiction Award 2011 and The Umbrella’s Shade which contains the winning stories from the Stringybark Short Story Award 2010.
Two books in the Editor’s Choice collection are now available: The Bridge was published in 2011 and Between the Sheets published in February 2012. They contain some of David Vernon’s favourite stories submitted to the Stringybark Short Story Awards. The are available in the bookshop.
For readers, our published short stories are clever, poignant, witty, amusing, sometimes sad but always well written and give an insight into Australia and Australians.
For writers, these short stories illustrate what makes a great short story. You can’t write short stories unless you are familiar with the genre. Buy a copy today and be entertained by quality Australian writing.
PAST COMPETITIONS
CLOSED
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The Twisted Stringybark Short Story closed on 4 March 2012. Winners were notified on 16 May 2012 and are listed in the archived website for this competition. An e-book, Tainted Innocence containing the winning and highly commended stories has been published. A paperback is in press.
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The Stringybark Short Story Award 2011 closed on 18 December 2011. Winners were notified on 14 February 2012 and are listed in the archived website for this competition. A paperback and an e-book, The Road Home, containing the winning and highly commended stories has be published.
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The Stringybark Australian History Short Story Award 2011 closed on 21 October 2011. Winners were notified on 28 December 2011 and are listed in the archived website for this competition. A paperback and an e-book, Marngrook, containing the winning and highly commended stories has been published.
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The Stringybark Erotic Fiction Award 2011 closed on 7 August 2011. Winners were notified on 14 October 2011 and are listed in the archived website for this competition. A paperback and an e-book, The Heat Wave of ’76, containing the winning and highly commended stories has been published.
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The Stringybark Speculative Fiction Award 2011 closed on 30 May 2011. Winners were notified on 31 July 2011 and are be listed in the archived website for this competition. A paperback and an e-book, A Visit from the Duchess containing the winning and highly commended stories has been published.
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The Stringybark Flash Fiction Award 2011 closed on 31 March 2011. Winners were notified on 30 May 2011 and are listed in the archived website for this competition. A paperback and an e-book, Between Heaven and Hell containing the winning and highly commended stories has been published.
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The Stringybark Short Story Award 2010 closed on 14 December 2010. Winners were notified on 28 February 2011 and are listed in the archived website for this competition. A paperback and an e-book, The Umbrella’s Shade containing the winning and highly commended stories has been published.
FUTURE COMPETITIONS
NOT YET OPEN
If the current competition doesn’t suit you, maybe on of our planned ones might be up your alley. Have a look >>here<< for our program for the rest of the year.
MAILING LIST
If you wish to be added to our mailing list so you can find out about future competitions and other information about Stringybark Stories, simply fill out the form below. We send out an email usually once per month. Sometimes twice. We will never share your email address with anyone, because we hate receiving spam ourselves.
ABOUT STRINGYBARK STORIES — History
Want to know a bit more about us? Click >>here<<.
USEFUL LINKS
Links to Australian Writers Centres and other organisations or individuals who may be useful to the short story writer can be found >>here<<.
