Announcing the winners of the Poppies Booksellers and NZSA Central Districts Short Story Competition for 2013!
Open Section:
Beth Rust, 1st; Noeline Arnott, 2nd; Vivienne Bailey, 3rd.
Young Adults Section:
Madeleine Ross, 1st; Shane Meekin, 2nd; Callum Finn Reason, 3rd.
Congratulations to all of you.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The welcome speech from Jill Robinson, Branch Chair, for the Poppies Booksellers and Central Districts Short Story Awards.
Welcome everyone. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jill Robinson and I'm the chair of the Central Districts Branch of the NZSA. Thank-you for coming along today. And thank-you to Hastings District libraries who are hosting us this afternoon. An especial welcome to our competitors and their supporters, to representatives of our sponsors,and to our judges, Sue McCauley and Anna Mackenzie who will, in a moment be announcing the results of their deliberations.
Any competition, whether artistic, sporting, or business, takes time and money to organise and run. So a big thank-you to our principal sponsors this year, Poppies Booksellers. It was their willingness, early in the year to support our endeavours that provided the impetus for our committee to pursue the competition. We have been fortunate in securing sponsorship from several other businesses: Spec Savers, Hastings, John Craven and Associates, Land Surveyors, Gary Bernsten Accounting Services, Cathrynes State of Grace, Jackie Rutherford who arranged for the printing of our posters during her holidays and last, but by no means least, Reading Cinemas who provided the two for one movie vouchers to each YA entrant. This proved to be very popular. The vouchers were posted out this week.
Please remember our sponsors and support us by supporting them!
To everyone who took the time to enter : Thank you. There would be no competition without you. It is a major achievement to put a story together and to meet the deadline that goes with a competition. Whether or not you were successful this time around we hope you keep writing, and we hope you will support us again in the future.
The success of the competition also depended on people power. From the design of the posters and their distribution across the region, to keeping information current on our Facebook page, the NZSA website and on our blog, to receiving and collating the entries and the pre-judging, the tasks at times seemed multitudinous and we couldn't have done it without the help of each and everyone of you who lent a hand. My especial thanks go to our small but hard working committee, Anna Mackenzie - author, Adele Broadbent and Carmel Hurdle.
Open Category Judging Notes
Poppies NZSA CD Branch Short Story Competition 2013
- open category judging notes
Entries in this year’s competition represented the usual range of themes, though there was a dominance of domestic and relationship stories. This is not necessarily a bad thing: our home lives and our emotional lives are a fundamental part of who we are.
And the main function, if not the over-riding purpose, of short story is to show us the world in a way that sheds light on human experience – on our experience.
It is important, however, to go beyond the obvious and clichéd; to push the boundaries, if not in topic then in form; if not in form, perhaps in perspective.
To make sure your voice is heard, the writing itself must secure the reader’s attention – hopefully in a good way!
Congratulations to all those who entered, and especially to those who were shortlisted. This represents a considerable achievement in itself. Your writing has stood out over and above all other entries. Be proud.
Advice to writers of short stories: read. Read the best, read widely, read outside your usual genre and comfort zone. Be open-minded, be analytical.
Don’t be afraid to experiment; always be prepared to tweak and adjust. Edit, edit, edit. And proofread!
To the winners. In third place, a story which doesn’t necessarily traverse new ground, but which is tidily written, uses dialogue well, captures character concisely. The author writes with deft assurance, revealing more of the main character than the surface narrative allows.
(A note to writers: always give your characters room to breathe; your readers room to think.)
In third place, sponsored by Gary Bernsten Accountants, A chance encounter by Vivienne Bailey.
The story that takes second place pushes just a little harder. Characterisation is strong – we certainly don’t like the main character, but we do believe he could and does exist. The theme of bigotry is one that – sadly – never seems to lose relevance; the political commentary is both measured and pertinent.
That I, too, once learned the poem referred to was an added hook, though not one that could be universally relied upon.
A couple of minor cavils that detract from an otherwise smoothly competent and compelling piece of writing. First, subtlety is important in short story, but the writer needs to be aware of the line between being subtle and being obscure. An added word or reference would have given this story a beneficial nudge towards the former.
Similarly, while a twist at the end can be highly successful, be wary of ending up with a piece that feels as if it has been framed around the twist.
One further minor note: the definition at the beginning adds nothing. Leave it out.
In second place, sponsored by Spec Savers, Presumed Innocent by Noeline Arnott.
And in first place:
A subtle, accomplished piece of writing that presents us with small jewels of observation; the connections between them jointly unlocked by the whole.
Understated and yet richly textured, each section carries us into the past, thereby revealing the character’s present and future; showing us the interconnectedness of things, the disjointed amalgam of experience that goes into explaining who we are and what we become. Original in form, the story challenges and rewards the attentive reader.
This story comes from a writer whose work we’ve read before, one of last year’s winners: and what a feat, to win the YA section in 2012 and then a year later to win the Open category. I expect we will see much more of this young writer’s work in the years to come.
Winning the Poppies Bookshops CD Branch 2013 Short story competition, Afterimages, by Beth Rust.
Anna Mackenzie
- open category judging notes
Entries in this year’s competition represented the usual range of themes, though there was a dominance of domestic and relationship stories. This is not necessarily a bad thing: our home lives and our emotional lives are a fundamental part of who we are.
And the main function, if not the over-riding purpose, of short story is to show us the world in a way that sheds light on human experience – on our experience.
It is important, however, to go beyond the obvious and clichéd; to push the boundaries, if not in topic then in form; if not in form, perhaps in perspective.
To make sure your voice is heard, the writing itself must secure the reader’s attention – hopefully in a good way!
Congratulations to all those who entered, and especially to those who were shortlisted. This represents a considerable achievement in itself. Your writing has stood out over and above all other entries. Be proud.
Advice to writers of short stories: read. Read the best, read widely, read outside your usual genre and comfort zone. Be open-minded, be analytical.
Don’t be afraid to experiment; always be prepared to tweak and adjust. Edit, edit, edit. And proofread!
To the winners. In third place, a story which doesn’t necessarily traverse new ground, but which is tidily written, uses dialogue well, captures character concisely. The author writes with deft assurance, revealing more of the main character than the surface narrative allows.
(A note to writers: always give your characters room to breathe; your readers room to think.)
In third place, sponsored by Gary Bernsten Accountants, A chance encounter by Vivienne Bailey.
The story that takes second place pushes just a little harder. Characterisation is strong – we certainly don’t like the main character, but we do believe he could and does exist. The theme of bigotry is one that – sadly – never seems to lose relevance; the political commentary is both measured and pertinent.
That I, too, once learned the poem referred to was an added hook, though not one that could be universally relied upon.
A couple of minor cavils that detract from an otherwise smoothly competent and compelling piece of writing. First, subtlety is important in short story, but the writer needs to be aware of the line between being subtle and being obscure. An added word or reference would have given this story a beneficial nudge towards the former.
Similarly, while a twist at the end can be highly successful, be wary of ending up with a piece that feels as if it has been framed around the twist.
One further minor note: the definition at the beginning adds nothing. Leave it out.
In second place, sponsored by Spec Savers, Presumed Innocent by Noeline Arnott.
And in first place:
A subtle, accomplished piece of writing that presents us with small jewels of observation; the connections between them jointly unlocked by the whole.
Understated and yet richly textured, each section carries us into the past, thereby revealing the character’s present and future; showing us the interconnectedness of things, the disjointed amalgam of experience that goes into explaining who we are and what we become. Original in form, the story challenges and rewards the attentive reader.
This story comes from a writer whose work we’ve read before, one of last year’s winners: and what a feat, to win the YA section in 2012 and then a year later to win the Open category. I expect we will see much more of this young writer’s work in the years to come.
Winning the Poppies Bookshops CD Branch 2013 Short story competition, Afterimages, by Beth Rust.
Anna Mackenzie
Report from Sue McCauley for the Young Adult Section
Sue McCauley's report for the Young Adult Section.
All the stories that came to me had merit, so this wasn’t an easy competition to judge.
I know, I know, judges always seem to say that. It’s the feel-good response - designed to make those who didn’t win feel that they ALMOST made it. And, at the same time, pointing out that the judge had a tricky and onerous task.
But in this case it’s true. It really is. I had to read, weigh up, re-read, rearrange and colour code my piles.
Eighty five young people had sent in stories (or at least pieces of writing). Eighty five of you care about the written word. Great. Good on you. Rather a large number of those stories, I’m told, were about death, bullying, isolation. Fair enough; they’re important matters. Especially when you’re young. But if you’re hoping to win a literary competition it’s probably a good idea to look for a theme that will stand out as different.
From those eighty five entries twenty one were pre-selected and sent to me for judging. They were the selectors’ short list. One story in four. That, in itself, is an achievement. Congratulations to you all.
My short list was purple in ink and nine in number. The purple stories were: When the Music Left, Joseph, Professor Darien, Relax, Falling at my Feet, Coming Out, The Hunter’s Game, Zombie Rights, The Lost Experiment. Each of these stories had a quality that caught and held my attention. They all had something to say, and I felt that thought had been given to the manner of saying. Each of the stories had at least the semblance of a story structure - with an end that related to the beginning. Some struggled a bit to achieve this, others did it with ease and style.
I also had a green pile (maybes) and a yellow one (probably nots). Some of these also had a satisfying structure, but didn’t measure up in other ways. Others were fragmentary ; in need of building up or stretching out or delving into. Some were little more than a lead up to a tricky ending. (It’s not enough.) Others felt over-familiar, less than original – at least to an old thing like me. Though I’m aware that every subject or idea seems wonderfully original when you are young and
come across it for the first time. Even the oldest and crummiest of clichés began life as an original turn of phrase.
Every young writer, inevitably, spends some time re-inventing the literary wheel and every aging reader, inevitably, spends some time sighing oh not that again! That’s just the way things work. Believing in the originality and uniqueness of your own perceptions is both the gift and the curse of young writers. It gives you the confidence you need, but in time you will realise that you were deluding yourself.
Perhaps the biggest difference between successful short stories and the rest lies with whether the writer is concerned about pleasing the reader, or simply intent on pleasing her or himself. That difference can be a matter of emotional maturity, or possibly of commitment . A committed writer takes the time to reconsider, revise, redraft. In their first draft writers should certainly set out to please themselves. But in subsequent drafts they should shape, shade and style the work in order to please their readers. Whom they appreciate and respect.
The stories I finally chose from my purple pile made me feel appreciated and (two out of three) respected.
3rd Place: Zombie Rights.
A brief black comedy about politically correct compassion. It cheerfully and adeptly combines elements that are rare in short stories. It’s seriously funny, satirical, economical and almost entirely dialogue.
2nd The Hunter’s Game.
A sophisticated and cleverly deceptive story which, despite the surprise ending, still manages to be disturbing. The writing is powerful and atmospheric. It might have been the winner except that, as the reader, I felt somewhat manipulated. This may have been a necessary part of the story but it felt unrespectful.
1st Falling at my feet
I have to confess I didn’t, initially, want this story to win. It’s set in Paris, and I was ready to dislike it. Paris. Europe. Here, I thought, was a writer out to flaunt her cultural superiority. But the story won both me and my inverted snobberies over very quickly. Within a brief word length Falling at my feet does everything right. It has substance and shape. It feels original and unpredictable The writing is spare, clear, effective. The four young characters are drawn as individuals. The dialogue is apt and believable. I found it a highly satisfying story.
All the stories that came to me had merit, so this wasn’t an easy competition to judge.
I know, I know, judges always seem to say that. It’s the feel-good response - designed to make those who didn’t win feel that they ALMOST made it. And, at the same time, pointing out that the judge had a tricky and onerous task.
But in this case it’s true. It really is. I had to read, weigh up, re-read, rearrange and colour code my piles.
Eighty five young people had sent in stories (or at least pieces of writing). Eighty five of you care about the written word. Great. Good on you. Rather a large number of those stories, I’m told, were about death, bullying, isolation. Fair enough; they’re important matters. Especially when you’re young. But if you’re hoping to win a literary competition it’s probably a good idea to look for a theme that will stand out as different.
From those eighty five entries twenty one were pre-selected and sent to me for judging. They were the selectors’ short list. One story in four. That, in itself, is an achievement. Congratulations to you all.
My short list was purple in ink and nine in number. The purple stories were: When the Music Left, Joseph, Professor Darien, Relax, Falling at my Feet, Coming Out, The Hunter’s Game, Zombie Rights, The Lost Experiment. Each of these stories had a quality that caught and held my attention. They all had something to say, and I felt that thought had been given to the manner of saying. Each of the stories had at least the semblance of a story structure - with an end that related to the beginning. Some struggled a bit to achieve this, others did it with ease and style.
I also had a green pile (maybes) and a yellow one (probably nots). Some of these also had a satisfying structure, but didn’t measure up in other ways. Others were fragmentary ; in need of building up or stretching out or delving into. Some were little more than a lead up to a tricky ending. (It’s not enough.) Others felt over-familiar, less than original – at least to an old thing like me. Though I’m aware that every subject or idea seems wonderfully original when you are young and
come across it for the first time. Even the oldest and crummiest of clichés began life as an original turn of phrase.
Every young writer, inevitably, spends some time re-inventing the literary wheel and every aging reader, inevitably, spends some time sighing oh not that again! That’s just the way things work. Believing in the originality and uniqueness of your own perceptions is both the gift and the curse of young writers. It gives you the confidence you need, but in time you will realise that you were deluding yourself.
Perhaps the biggest difference between successful short stories and the rest lies with whether the writer is concerned about pleasing the reader, or simply intent on pleasing her or himself. That difference can be a matter of emotional maturity, or possibly of commitment . A committed writer takes the time to reconsider, revise, redraft. In their first draft writers should certainly set out to please themselves. But in subsequent drafts they should shape, shade and style the work in order to please their readers. Whom they appreciate and respect.
The stories I finally chose from my purple pile made me feel appreciated and (two out of three) respected.
3rd Place: Zombie Rights.
A brief black comedy about politically correct compassion. It cheerfully and adeptly combines elements that are rare in short stories. It’s seriously funny, satirical, economical and almost entirely dialogue.
2nd The Hunter’s Game.
A sophisticated and cleverly deceptive story which, despite the surprise ending, still manages to be disturbing. The writing is powerful and atmospheric. It might have been the winner except that, as the reader, I felt somewhat manipulated. This may have been a necessary part of the story but it felt unrespectful.
1st Falling at my feet
I have to confess I didn’t, initially, want this story to win. It’s set in Paris, and I was ready to dislike it. Paris. Europe. Here, I thought, was a writer out to flaunt her cultural superiority. But the story won both me and my inverted snobberies over very quickly. Within a brief word length Falling at my feet does everything right. It has substance and shape. It feels original and unpredictable The writing is spare, clear, effective. The four young characters are drawn as individuals. The dialogue is apt and believable. I found it a highly satisfying story.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Announcing the shortlist for the open section.
And another drum roll! This time it's the shortlist for the open section.
Again, in no particular order:
Barbara Ferguson, Vivienne Bailey, Jan Fitzgerald, Dorothy Wharehoka, Beth Rust, Hayley Solomon, Noeline Arnott.
Our congratulations to you all!
Winners announced 6th October
Hastings District Library, 204 Warren St Hastings.
Again, in no particular order:
Barbara Ferguson, Vivienne Bailey, Jan Fitzgerald, Dorothy Wharehoka, Beth Rust, Hayley Solomon, Noeline Arnott.
Our congratulations to you all!
Winners announced 6th October
Hastings District Library, 204 Warren St Hastings.
Announcing the YA Shortlist
Here it is folks! Drum Roll ... In no particular order, the short list for the YA section of the Poppies Booksellers and Central Districts NZSA Short Story Competition, 2013.
Heather Bird, Lily Grace Coles-Griffiths, Eden Eldred, Rebekah Bowling, Samantha Batt, Maraina Shane, Joseph Croskery, Reinhardt Schwanecke, Callum Finn Reason, Benjamin McCook-Weir, Pranay Singh, Amanda Hayes, Rebekah Durning, Shane Meekin, Madeleine Ross, and Alexis Allen.
Our congratulations to you all! Winners will be announced October 6th!
Heather Bird, Lily Grace Coles-Griffiths, Eden Eldred, Rebekah Bowling, Samantha Batt, Maraina Shane, Joseph Croskery, Reinhardt Schwanecke, Callum Finn Reason, Benjamin McCook-Weir, Pranay Singh, Amanda Hayes, Rebekah Durning, Shane Meekin, Madeleine Ross, and Alexis Allen.
Our congratulations to you all! Winners will be announced October 6th!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Hurry, hurry, competition closing
Hurry, hurry, get your stories in the mail now. Our competition closes this Saturday!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Anna Mackenzie wins residency
Congratulations to Anna Mackenzie, judge of the open section in this year's Poppies and Central Districts Short Story Competition.
Anna has won a residency to Belgium from the Passa Porta International House of Literature.
She'll be jetting off to Europe later this year, after the conclusion of our competition, for some uninterrupted writing time on her new novel.
If you want to know more about Anna's writing and the residency here's the link to her blogsite:
http://annamackenzie-writes.blogspot.co.nz/
Anna has won a residency to Belgium from the Passa Porta International House of Literature.
She'll be jetting off to Europe later this year, after the conclusion of our competition, for some uninterrupted writing time on her new novel.
If you want to know more about Anna's writing and the residency here's the link to her blogsite:
http://annamackenzie-writes.blogspot.co.nz/
Thursday, May 23, 2013
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