The Peter Wells Short Fiction Contest 2022

With the generous support of our sponsors, samesame but different is again running a short fiction writing contest in 2022. The competition celebrates the life and work of our founder, Peter Wells. It gives New Zealand LGBTQI writers the opportunity to prove their creative skills and to promote their work to a wider audience in a safe and supportive environment.

First prize is $1000 for the winning story, $500 for the runner-up and $500 for the best writing by a promising young writer aged under 25. This makes it one of the leading short fiction competitions in Aotearoa. That it is only for LGBTQI writers offers a unique opportunity to display your writing talent. Short fiction is demanding and we are looking for quality writers.

The theme of the 2022 samesame but different festival is Legacy. With this in mind, we have decided this year to ask writers to include the phrase ‘once upon a time’ somewhere in their story. Writers do not have to restrict their story to any particular theme, but the phrase must appear in the story. It may be used in any way and in any place in the story. As always, it is excellence that the judges are looking for. Past winners have demonstrated originality and good storytelling. Their work has been about inventiveness, imagination and the powerful use of language.

The maximum word limit of 2000 words must not be exceeded, with a minimum requirement of 1200 words. Our judges this year are Carole Beu and David Herkt. Carole is the proud owner/manager of The Women’s Bookshop in Auckland and one of the best-read people in the country. David is a writer and has published memoirs, short stories, poetry and arts journalism, including many interviews and book reviews. The judges are looking for writing flair and creative brilliance. Their decision is final.

Please state in your covering email if you are eligible for the promising young writer award. All entries will be judged for the overall contest winner. Entries will close on 5 January 2022. The winners will be announced during our seventh samesame but different festival, 18-19 February 2022.

Go with your heart and share your story. LGBTQI readers in Aotearoa are very keen to read more of our own stories.

For the contest rules and how to enter