Rules of Entry

Please read the following rules carefully before submitting your entry.

• There are three categories in these Awards: Short Story, Poetry, and True Story (formerly Research Report).
• Short Story and Poetry have two sections, the Open section, and Secondary School section. The Research Article only permits entries from secondary school students.
• The Secondary School section is open to all students who have parents/guardians who are residents or ratepayers of the Taranaki Region. The entrants must be attending a secondary school or be home schooled at a secondary school level.
• Short Story and Poetry Open section is for residents/ratepayers of the Taranaki and must not be eligible for the secondary school section.
• True Story entrants must have parents/guardians who are residents/ratepayers of the Taranaki region.
• Theme: All Short Story and Poetry entries should reflect aspects of present-day life in the local area or a revealing character description of a local person rather than science fiction, futuristic or foreign settings.
• Theme: True Story entries for 2026 should be about the following - A True Family Story.
• Entry to the competition will be online only with entrants submitting their entry (as a Word document) via our entry form.
• The work must be titled
• Each page must be numbered
• Please ensure you DO NOT have your name or address ANYWHERE in your uploaded document: we judge all entries 'blind' and including your name or address will invalidate your entry.
• Length: Short Story up to 2,000 words; Poetry up to 50 lines; True Story 750 - 1250 words
• All entries must be the original work of the entrant alone and must not have appeared in any publication, including online.
• Teachers may advise a student on their work in the initial stages; however, the final entry piece must not be edited by a teacher.
• Entrants may submit a maximum of five entries in each of the short story and poetry sections. Only one entry is permitted for the research article.
• Entries in poetry and short story must not contain any photographs or illustrations.
• Poems may be rhymed or unrhymed and may take any poetic form
• The competition opens on Wednesday 10 June 2026 and closes at 11.59pm (NZ time) on Wednesday 19 August 2026. No entries will be accepted prior to the opening date or after the closing date.
• Once an entry is submitted, the manuscript is final. The entry cannot be withdrawn, and no alterations can be made to it.
• The South Taranaki District Council (STDC) takes no responsibility for entries.
• All entries will receive an acknowledgement of their entry immediately on submission.
• Manuscripts will not be returned to the entrants.
• STDC will endeavour to arrange first publication and/or broadcast of the winning manuscript.
• Copyright remains with the author. However, STDC reserves the right to publish the winning entries without fee. A selection of manuscripts (other than the winner) may be chosen for publication (without fee) after the presentation of the Awards.
• Winners' names, entry details, biographical information and photographs will be required by STDC for promotional purposes.
• The entries chosen as finalists will be universally formatted to fit our chosen template for publication.
• True Story - the winning student agrees to address a meeting of the Normanby & Districts Lions Club following the conclusion of the competition.
• Stuff's Taranaki Newspapers has the right to use articles for publication as they see fit.
• Entries selected for publication (including online); will be subject to edition to usual newspaper requirements before publication. This may include being abridged or in the case of the True Story, added to. Where possible, this will be in consultation with the author.
• All entries must be submitted under your legal name. If you have previously published under another name and wish to use it, please contact us to discuss.

Contacting you

1. By entering the competition and providing your details, you are consenting to us contacting you by email, post, or phone about the 2026 competition and related events. We may do so to give information, update you on shortlisted entries, let you know about available workshops, invite you to the October Awards Ceremony or any other related information.

2026 Shortlisting and Awards Dates

• Thursday 1 October 2026 - Shortlists announced
• Thursday 22 October 2026 - Awards Ceremony.
  Please note that although shortlisted authors will be invited to the awards ceremony, the ceremony is open to the public, free to attend. Judges will also be in attendance.