Entries are now officially closed and our judging panel are reviewing all entries, making their selections of 20 stories over the next month. These stories will be professionally performed at the upcoming Festival of Stories on November 18th - 19th in Fish Creek. All stories will be published in our eBook and displayed at the festival, so stay tuned for event details, workshops and performances to come!

For further information please email on writingchallenge@fishystories.org

An exciting change this year is the inclusion of picture stories being part of the Fishy Stories Writing Challenge.

We expect an increased interest this year with many schools already including the Writing Challenge in their curriculum planning. As well there has been queries from schools and individuals outside of South Gippsland and Victoria about the Challenge. So very exciting! This year 20 stories will be selected to be performed by professional story-tellers at the Fish Creek Children’s Festival of Stories. All the entries will once again be included in an eBook, which will be published on the website.

So get thinking. And get writing!

  • STORIES

    • All entrants must reside in Australia

    • Entrants must be in Grades 1 to Year 8.

    • The word limit is 350 words for stories

    • Entries must be original

    • One (1) story per person

    PICTURE STORIES

    • All entrants must reside in Australia

    • Entrants must be in Grades 1-8.

    • The limit is a maximum of 4 double page spreads with a maximum of 12 sentences

    • Entries must be original

    • One (1) picture story per person

  • All Entries open July 10 2023

    All Entries close September 16 2023

    20 stories selected October 6 2023

    20 stories performed at the Fish Creek Festival of Stories November 18 & 19 2023

  • Categories of entries for both stories and picture stories

    Entries be divided into grade 1-2; 3–4; 5-6; 7-8.

    Word limits. Stories 350 words.

    The word limit assists with some of our younger writers and provides a challenge for older writers.

    Picture stories has a limit of 4 double page spreads and a title page.

    It is expected that the story is most important and drives the pictures and the picture helps to tell the story!

    Topics for Stories / Picture stories and Suggestions for Schools

    Stories and picture stories can be about anything teachers and students choose.

    The sky and your imagination is the limit!

  • STORIES

    • Captures imagination of the reader

    • Interesting, brave, innovative use of words (vocab etc )

    • Story makes sense

    • Dialogue – sounds believable (not wooden)

    • Description and Imagery – makes scenes and characters come to life

    • Characters – feel real and three dimensional

    • Action – reader feels part of the action

    • Something unique about the story

    • Punctuation, spelling and grammar – NOT the most important aspect

    PICTURE STORIES

    • Illustrations be funny, or dramatic, or scary and suit the story

    • Illustrations are well positioned within the story

    • Illustrations bring life and interest to the story.

    • Illustrations use a mixture of close up, mid-distance or far-away

    • Illustrations of people have emotional personality ie; facial expression, and or body-language.

    • Illustrations have some surprise, or extra imaginative element about them, that is not always in the text.

  • How do I enter the Fishy Stories Writing Challenge?

    All entries should be submitted using the entry form for stories and upload for picture stories

    Is there a theme for the Fishy Stories Writing Challenge?

    Your entry can be about anything! Fantasy, personal experience, adventure, science fiction, description, places, heroes, sporting champions, people you admire, relatives, holidays, pets, romance, friends, happiness, fear, worry, anger or confusion.

    Is the story title included in the Story 350 word limit?

    No.

    Is the story title included in the Picture Story 4 double page limit?

    No, add your separate title page

    When is the closing date for the Fishy Stories Writing Challenge?

    Saturday September 16 2023

    When and how will you announce the twenty selected stories and picture stories?

    The twenty stories / picture stories selected by the judging panel for performance at the Fishy Stories Festival will announced by October 20 2023. Parents of the student writers selected will be contacted directly via email.

    How will the twenty stories / picture stories be selected?

    A panel of adults and students will consider the following when selecting the twenty stories.

    1. A story that is original and sparks intrigue and imagination.

    2. Engaging and strong characters.

    3. Clear description which brings the story to life.

    4. Clear diagrams which brings the story to life.

    5. Story makes sense

    Can I submit more than one story?

    You can only enter one story or one picture story - and it has to be all your own work.

    If you enter more than one story or one picture story then we will only consider the first submission as part of the Writing Challenge.

    Does my story have to be written in prose?

    All stories will be judged on the same criteria. Your story can take any form - be that a poem, play, dialogue or other written form.

    Can I submit my story in non-English language?

    All stories must be submitted in English language.

    When is the Fish Creek Children’s Festival of Stories?

    Saturday and Sunday 18 & 19 November 2023.

    I am having problems submitting my story, what should I do?

    Often the pages not loading or not being able to get to the next page of registration can be caused by a browser/device/internet issue.

    We recommend that you try the below:

    - Use a different browser to your default browser

    - Try resetting your cache/cookies

    - Try a different device

    - It could also be that there is a security/firewall setting that is preventing you from accessing the page. – Are you able to try a different internet connection?

    Who can I contact if I have further questions about the Fishy Stories Writing Challenge?

    writingchallenge@fishystories.org

Looking
for writing resources?

CLICK HERE!

Ready to submit your story?

Make sure you have read the guidelines above. Once you are ready, fill in the form below to submit your story!

Please note: If you are uploading a file, you must also complete the form below otherwise we will not know the contact details of the writer! If you have already uploaded a file (but not filled out the form) please resubmit your story and fill in the form so we know who you are! Thankyou!

Have a question?

Fill in the dedicated form below and one of our friendly members will reply to your question as soon as possible!