THE GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF 2025
The GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF 2025 starts now!
See the details of how to enter below.
Share it with your friends and
LET’S GET WRITING!
Round 5 is now open for entries and closes 10 December.
How to enter
Entry Fee & Payment Instructions
➤ $6 for students (under 18) and $12 for adults (18 and over).
➤ Payment is accepted via PayPal only.
➤ Click the button below to make your payment.
➤ Be sure to include your name and email address as the payment reference.
Visual Prompts
Year 4 (300 words)
- You are eating spaghetti. It turns bright red and glows.
- You are with friends in a playground. The equipment weirdly changes shape.
- You receive a package and what is in it is a real surprise.
- Topic of your choice.
Year 5-6 (350-400 words)
- The characters in a book you’re reading come to life.
- You step into a room. The room turns into a time machine.
- A glowing object in your garden turns into something magical when you touch it.
- Topic of your choice.
Year 7-8 (500-600 words)
- Your favourite fictional character from a movie or book visits you.
- You eat pizza with ghosts or other Halloween characters on it. They come to life.
- You are on holiday. You find a cave. You go in ….
- Topic of your choice
Year 9-13 (700-1000 words)
- You’re out on the streets doing Halloween trick or treat with friends when Zombies take over the world.
- A fairground appears out of nowhere and all the rides are operated by weird people. You go in.
- You carve a Halloween face into a pumpkin. It comes to life and talks to you.
- Topic of your choice.
Judges
Craig Smith
Craig Smith is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, author, and performer best known for the hit children’s book and song The Wonky Donkey. Based in Christchurch, he tours widely, entertaining kids and families with his fun, musical storytelling. Craig also writes easy-listening music for adults.
Website: https://www.craigsmith.co.nz
Michèle A’Court ONZM
Michèle A’Court ONZM is an award-winning New Zealand comedian, writer, and speaker. Known for her sharp wit and regular TV appearances, she’s also a bestselling author and columnist. In 2023, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her contributions to entertainment.
Website: https://www.micheleacourt.com/about
Tessa Duder, CNZM OBE
Tessa Duder CNZM OBE is a celebrated New Zealand author best known for her Alex series. A former Commonwealth Games swimmer and journalist, she has written over 45 books and is a strong advocate for children’s literature in Aotearoa.
Bronwyn Elsmore
Bronwyn Elsmore is an award-winning New Zealand author, playwright, and former academic. With work spanning fiction, non-fiction, and theatre, she’s known for exploring Aotearoa’s culture and history through powerful storytelling. She also runs Flaxroots, a platform supporting Kiwi writers and literature.
Website: https://www.flaxroots.com
Stephanie Hammond
Stephanie Hammond is a New Zealand author of both fiction and non-fiction, as well as a blogger, businesswoman, and mentor. Her writing explores themes of hope, resilience, and second chances, with works ranging from memoir to novels and children’s stories.
Vicky Adin
Vicky Adin is an award-winning New Zealand author whose novels weave together family, history, and language to bring the past alive. With a background in genealogical research and a passion for storytelling, her works have been compared to Catherine Cookson’s and have earned multiple international accolades.
Find Her Books Here: https://www.ketebooks.co.nz/en/author/vicky-adin-100
Stylefit Upcoming Competition Rounds
This year’s Stylefit writing competition features multiple entry rounds, each with its own exciting theme — choose the one that inspires you most, or have a go at entering more than one!
Here’s a quick peek at what’s coming up:
Round 1: Daylight Savings (Closed)
Round 2: Discovered / Lost / Found (Closed)
Round 3: Betrayed (Closed)
Round 4: What if… (Closed)
Round 5: Now, That’s a Surprise! (Open 21 October – Close 10 December)
Prizes
Competition 2024
to see details of this year’s competition.
THE RESULTS ARE OUT!
Thank you to all the schools and individuals that supported THE GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF.?
We received nearly 400 entries. These came from schools around the country and also from independent individuals.
While almost all competitions talk about the challenge judges face in deciding placegetters we can sincerely say that every judge commented on the difficulty they had to make their final selection and that there was little separating each entrant.
Thank you everyone for entering. Without you there would be no competition and we wish everyone writing success.
We will post the judges reports over the next few weeks along with the winning stories.
Congratulations to everyone and thank you for supporting THE GREAT KIWI WRITE OFF!
to see the results.
Teachers Share Their Thoughts on The Great Kiwi Write Off
to check the latest update
Previous Student Writing Competitions
to see the previous student writing competitons