Jun 30, 2025
Want to capture your reader’s attention from the very first line? Understanding the basic storytelling arc—beginning, conflict, climax, resolution—is key. A strong opening paragraph sets the tone and decides whether your reader keeps going or clicks away. To...
Jun 23, 2025
Words from the Wise: Writing Quotes to Inspire You Need a little boost to get those creative juices flowing? We’ve gathered some favourite quotes from well-known writers — all about perseverance, creativity, and the writing process. Whether you’re...
Jun 15, 2025
In last year’s Great Kiwi Write Off, the judges were drawn to stories that showed heart, originality, and a strong connection to the theme. What stood out most were authentic, thoughtfully crafted pieces — whether through a surprising twist, vivid description,...
Jun 9, 2025
THE GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF 2025 is back for Round 2, and this time we’re diving into the theme: Discovered / Lost / Found. From vanishing pets and unexpected treasures to wild voyages and world-changing discoveries, the prompts are packed with possibilities — and...
Jun 3, 2025
We’re excited to let you know that Round One of THE GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF 2025 has officially wrapped up! Thank you to everyone who entered—we’ve loved seeing the creativity, heart, and effort you’ve poured into your stories. But don’t worry if you missed...
May 26, 2025
Practical advice for last-minute tweaks, common mistakes, and making your story stand out. So, you’ve written your story and it’s ready to go but… wait! Before you hit send, here’s how you can make your judge go: “Wow, this entry deserves to be in the possible pile.”...
May 13, 2025
We’re excited to share how Stylefit can support writers in refining their voice, style, and clarity—using real student work. With thanks to Ekam Kaur Minhas for permission, we’ll be using excerpts from her story Villain or Not, a historical fiction piece based on...
Dec 13, 2024
This year we had 400 students enter THE GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF. It was a marvellous show of support for short story/essay writing by teachers and parents who encouraged their students to enter. However, the greatest applause should go to the students who took the time...
Dec 11, 2023
It’s time for another celebratory blog post! This time, we’d like to introduce and celebrate two incredibly talented student writers, Shelby Park and Dayna de Bruin-Adcock. Shelby Park from Morrinsville College placed 1st in the Year 9-10 category of the...
Dec 7, 2023
In this blog post, we are excited to celebrate Jacob O’Toole Corrigan, from Tauranga Boys College! Jacob placed 1st in the Year 11-13 category of our 2023 NZ-wide Student Writing Competition. What an incredible achievement for Jacob, whose story competed against...
Dec 5, 2023
Claire Sutherland, Chloe Page and Christina Wang swept us away with their fantastic stories. These talented Year 4s took out the top three places in our 2023 NZ-wide Student Writing Competition. This in itself was an uneasy feat, with hundreds of students competing...
Dec 3, 2023
Welcome back to our post series celebrating the incredible achievements of the 2023 Writing Competition place getters! Sebastian Roos, who wrote The Collision of Universes and placed 1st in the Year 7-8 Category, created two worlds in outer space. One world loved...
