Entries are now CLOSED as of 11.59pm on 1 June 2025.

2025 THEME
The Seasons

WHO CAN ENTER

KIDS: open to young writers aged 7-12 years residing in Australia OR enrolled for Semester 1, 2025.

• Entry is free for young writers enrolled in a Story Studios Australia weekly group or mentorship for Semester 1, 2025.
• Entry for all other young writers is $10.

TEENS: open to teen writers aged 13-17 years residing in Australia OR enrolled for Semester 1, 2025 and aged 13-17.

• Entry is free for young writers enrolled in a Story Studios Australia weekly group or mentorship for Semester 1, 2025. Submission codes will be emailed to all enrolled young writers – get in touch if you need your code resent.
• Entry for all other teen writers is $10.

THE PRIZES

• KIDS: 7-12 year olds winner to receive $150
• TEENS: 13-17 year olds winner to receive $300

Winners will be announced in Term 3, 2025 (Victorian Government School Terms)

RULES
Entries that fail to meet the following criteria will not be accepted:

KIDS AND TEENS

• Stories must be between 500 words (minimum) and 1000 words (maximum)
• Your entry must be a new and original story (no assistance from parents, teachers, AI etc.) and should not infringe on a third party’s intellectual property rights (i.e. no copycats)
• Your story must relate to the theme in some way
• You are only permitted to submit one story
• Your story cannot be something you have worked on in school or in a Story Studios Australia weekly group or mentorship
• All stories must be works of fiction (poetry will be accepted as long as there is an element of story/narrative)
• Entries must not contain any strong language, strong violence or gore. (think PG)
• Submissions must not be offensive or rude (a little bit cheeky is fine). We recommend ambiguity and subtlety for any stories dealing with darker themes and references!
• The entry must be unpublished (either in print or online) and not under consideration elsewhere.
• They must adhere with the Terms of and Conditions and Entry Formatting Rules (view these in submissions portal).

HOW TO ENTER
Enter via the submissions portal on the website

Submission portal formatting rules:

• All stories must be submitted in font Arial size 12 with 1.15 spacing
• All stories must be submitted as a Word or Pages document
• Title the subject of your document ‘Fresh Fiction Entry – Writer Name’

2024 WINNERS 

Read Zoe Wensor’s Winning Entry: I Believe

Read Sophie Nikolarakos’ Winning Entry: Children Of Nowhere

PAST WINNERS 

2022 Winners

2023 Winners

The Fresh Fiction Writing Competition invited Australian writers aged 18 and over to craft original fiction pieces inspired by the theme “A Touch of Magic.” Participants submitted stories between 500 and 1,000 words for a chance to win prizes:

• 1st Place: $500
• 2nd Place: 5 free entries to Write Nights or Write Ins
• 3rd Place: 3 free entries to Write Nights or Write Ins

Submissions Saturday 23rd November 2024, with winners were announced in December 2024.

2024 Winner

Reach Mike Pearson’s Winning Entry: That Magical Smile

In 2023, Melbourne Young Writers’ Studio teamed up with Ukiyo, Melbourne’s top escape room, to bring you an immersive and imaginative series of school holiday programs. The Spirit Stories Story Competition was open to those who attended in the 2023 winter school holidays.

2023 WINNERS

Read Ariana Fais’ Winning Entry: A Twisted Tale

Read Zachary Hobbs’ Winning Entry: The Shadow Wolves

This prize was created to nurture young talent and give emerging writers the incredible opportunity to see their ideas transformed into a published book.

The Publishing Prize offered:

• 4 private mentoring sessions with expert story mentors to help develop your story idea.
• Your very own published book, professionally designed and typeset.
• 20 printed copies of your masterpiece to share and cherish!

To qualify for entry, writers who enrolled in our Earlybird offer for Semester 1, 2025, by December 31, 2024, were eligible.

The 2025 winners are…

Kiara Peries (8-12 Category)

Up and Away by Kiara Peries is a heartwarming adventure about Sofia Ozer, a young girl craving excitement in her ordinary life. When she discovers that the brilliant inventor Mr. Mehmet is offering a free ride in his magical hot air balloon, Sofia sees a chance to explore wondrous places—including the bustling Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. But first, she must convince her busy parents to join her on the adventure of a lifetime. A captivating blend of fantasy and adventure, perfect for dreamers of all ages!

Isavella Dimopoulos (13–17 category)

Enigma (or Bloodline) by Isavella Dimopoulos is a gothic mystery that blurs the line between dreams and reality. Twenty-five-year-old Ida Custos has been plagued by vivid, all-too-real visions since her teenage years. Now, they strike even while she’s awake—always accompanied by an eerie sense of being watched. As her nightmares take a deadly turn, she must unravel long-buried secrets and confront the past before it consumes her. Inspired by Dracula and Midnight in Paris, this haunting tale follows Ida through history in a quest to uncover the demons we all face.

Congratulations to these incredible young writers! 🎉📚

And let’s not forget our amazing shortlisted applicants!

8-12 Category

• Rosie Xiong
• Alyssa Vincent
• Isabel Morgan
• Alena Veltre

13-17 Category

• Leila Rafferty-Gould
• Lila Dymott-Khuong
• Zaynab Syed
• Neve McSweeney
• Sadie Crane

These young writers all stood out with their creativity and dedication, and we couldn’t be prouder of their hard work. We know they’ll continue to shine in their writing journeys. Keep up the fantastic work!