The focus of the competition is short stories in any genre. All entries must be original works and unpublished. The word count should be in the range of 400 -1,500 words.

Entry is free and schools with an ACTATE Group Membership may submit up to five entries for each category:

• Years 7-8
• Years 9-10
• Years 11-12
• Teachers as Writers (ACTATE members).

To be considered for judging, entries must comply with the required word count range and be proofread to a publication standard. Original artwork may be included.

PRIZES

Prizes include book vouchers, passes to the Canberra Writers’ Festival in 2025, MARION memberships and certificates for all entrants, with a prize pool of $7,000, sponsored by Paperchain Bookstore Manuka and ACT Doorland.

ENTRY GUIDELINES

The following entry requirements apply:

• The school contact person may submit up to 5 entries for each category. Only one entry is permitted per student/teacher.
• Entries must be submitted as electronic files in .docx or .doc format (no PDFs or Google files please). Do not include rationales. All files will be de-identified before judging.
• For administration purposes, electronic files should be named by the title of the work.
• Entrants must not use AI tools such as ChatGP to generate any part of their short story or artwork.
• Only entries accompanied by a completed entry form that confirms acknowledgment of the entrant’s agreement to the terms and conditions will be accepted.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

• The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• All submitted work (including artwork/photography) must be their own original work and all entrants must agree that their entries do not contain any material that infringes the rights of anyone else. Artworks may be created by another student/person, as long as the work is original and acknowledged.
• All entrants agree to their stories being published on the Litlinks Website, and to ACTATE using them in teaching and learning resources.

JUDGING

Winner,  highly commended, judges’ choice, speculative fiction and writing encouragement awards are determined in each category.

ACTATE has formed a panel of highly qualified educators and writers to serve as competition judges:

• Emma Batchelor (author, Chair – MARION, ACT Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge ambassador, Member of Minister’s Creative Council)
• Christina Cochrane (English teacher, ACTATE member, educational consultant)
• Dennis Flannery (English teacher, ACTATE life member, former president, school principal)
• Sandra Lambert (English teacher, ACTATE member, school principal)
• Katy Mutton (MARION CEO, writing and publishing industry advocate)
• Teresa Nugent (Early Childhood, speech and drama teacher, ACTATE member, reading and writing advocate)
• Janet Rickwood (English teacher, ACTATE life member, former president, school principal)
• Madeleine Rutzou (English teacher, ACTATE member)
• Jenine Westerburg (English teacher, ACTATE member, reading tutor, writing advocate)

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have queries about any of the information above, please contact info@actlitlinks.com.au.