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.”
That’s the first hurdle down. Next comes the decision to put your entry among the placegetters.
Here are some tips to help you get there:
- Are there ANY spelling or grammar mistakes?
- Are there too many adjectives or adverbs?
- Does your story flow?
- Are your characters believable?
- Does your story keep moving along. Avoid flabbiness at all costs.
- Does the first paragraph grab the reader’s attention?
- Does the end tie in with the beginning and finish the story off?
- Is dialogue separated from the narrative by paragraphs.
- And here’s the clincher – is your work totally original?
⚠️ Important: Please be aware that if you have copy and pasted anything from the Internet your submission will be automatically eliminated. If you use Chat GPT or any other programme like it, it is highly likely this will be picked up and it will lead to elimination.
Finally, ask yourself: If you were the reader, would you enjoy this story?
If you’re not able to make the 30th May deadline, kei te pai — there’s more rounds coming up soon, so you’ll still have a chance to enter. Keep an eye on your inbox — more details coming soon!
Click here for a sneak peek at what’s coming up.