Same Same But Different Festival 2017 Writing Contest Closing 20 December 2016

Same Same But Different presents

the 2017 Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Contest.

Entries open on 1 October 2016 for the Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Contest was first awarded in 2016, replacing a previous contest, begun in 2014 by express.

The Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Contest gives New Zealand LGBTIQ writers an opportunity to prove their creative skills and the chance to publish and publicise their work. The competition provides a safe and supportive environment for both emerging and established writers to share their stories. Other than a word limit of 1500 words there are no creative restrictions; entries might express the triumph and joy of alternate sexuality, or the pain and difficulty. They might be funny or sad, sweet or bitter, outrageous or introspective.  This longer story should allow you to develop your theme and really demonstrate your storytelling skills.  The word limit is a maximum of 1500 words and should not be exceeded.

Participation is the most valued aspect of the Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Contest. It is a competition, however, and we are blessed to be part of a kind and generous community — so the prize is fabulous!

With the support of The Wallace Foundation and GABA Trust, we are awarding  $600 cash for the winning story and $300 cash for the best writing from an emerging writer aged under 25.  Please state in your covering email if you are entering this emerging youth category. All entries will be judged for the overall contest winner.

The inaugural winner in 2016 with Lily of the Valley was Jade du Preez. The contest will be celebrated at an event at the Pah Homestead in November 2016. The winner will be announced during Same Same But Different during Auckland Pride Festival 2017.

Our judges are well known in queer literary circles and they take their duties very seriously.  They are looking for outstanding sparks of creative brilliance. This year the judges are established publisher Ian Watt, who has notably published books for Reed Publishing, HarperCollins NZ and Exisle Publishing and Aorewa McLeod who taught in the University of Auckland English Department for 37 years until her retirement. She undertook the MA in creative writing at Victoria University of Wellington in 2011. She has published as a critic, edited anthologies and published the book Who Was That Woman Anyway?. They are both thoroughly looking forward to the experience.  Their decision is final.

If the Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Contest encourages us to keep telling our unique stories the best way we can, it will have achieved its aim.

There is no specified theme for 2017. Go with your heart and share your chosen story.

2017 COMPETITION RULES

1.  Stories must be your own work, and not previously published. 

2. Stories must be original works of fiction. 

3. All stories should have relevance to the broader New Zealand LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer) community.

4.  Stories must not exceed 1500 words. Any entry over this limit will be disallowed automatically. Please include your word count at the end of your story.

5.  Stories must be emailed as attachments in Word to alternativebindings@gmail.com 

6.  All stories must be received by midnight on 20 December 2016.  Late entries will not be accepted.

7.  Please include your full name, email address and contact phone number in your submission email.

8. Please state in your covering email if you are entering your story for the award for the best writing from an emerging  writer youth category. If you are please confirm that you are aged under 25. You will still be eligible to win the Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Contest.

9. Your name must not appear in headers or footers or anywhere in your story – our judges read all stories in blissful ignorance of the writer’s identity.

10. Please give your work a name.  This helps us identify each piece.

11.  If you submit a story to the competition, you are also giving us permission to publish it, which may be online or in a printed publication.

12. The winner may be invited to read their work at our winner’s event. 

13.  You may submit more than one story.

14.  We only accept stories from writers resident or normally resident in New Zealand.