On Monday, Dr Pete Court had a chat with Maz at LifeFM about the start of the 2026 Stories of Life competition on 1 April. As usual, creative writing lecturer Pete had lots of interesting things to say about the process of turning real life experiences into a well-crafted story to engage the reader. You can listen to the full conversation below. In addition, we have also put together a list of frequently asked questions, which we hope that you will find helpful.

FAQ

What is Stories of Life?

Stories of Life is a writing competition where judges award first, second and third prizes in two categories: Open (1500 words or less) and Short (500 words or less). In addition, the Stories of Life editorial team selects around 50 of the best stories each year for publication in an anthology. The book launch and announcement of prize winners take place each November at Tabor Adelaide and online.

When can I send in my story?

The submission period runs from 1 April to 31 July. In June, writers may send in story drafts for feedback, so that they can improve their stories and send in the best version possible before the submission period closes. For more information, please read the Entry Guidelines.

Who judges the stories?

Every year, the Stories of Life team invites a different person to judge each category. The judges are published writers, skilled in the craft of writing. This year, Cecily Paterson and Rev Dr Mark Worthing will be judging the Open and Short Categories respectively. We will post more information on our judges soon.

What prizes do you award?

We award cash prizes and Omega Writers sponsors membership and discount vouchers for prize-winners. To be honest, getting published is an award in itself. It is not only an affirmation of the quality of the writing, but it is an opportunity for your story to bless many more people. 

All stories are judged as anonymous entries. Stories of Life team members and immediate family members are not eligible for prizes. 

Can the stories be fiction?

No, we do not accept works of fiction. The stories need to be true, but we encourage writers to tell the stories in creative ways. The genre is creative non-fiction. If you look through our archive, you will be able to see that we celebrate creativity in writing and storytelling.

What resources are available?

We have videos and short write-ups on every stage of the writing process: from how to start to how to edit it well so that the finished product is well-written and engaging. In June, we also provide individualised feedback on story drafts that you can send to us. 

How much does it cost to get feedback?

It's free to the writers - editors and the Creative Writing Department at Tabor give their time to help people who want to enter their story in the competition.

How much does it cost to enter?

It costs AUD15 to enter a story. Each writer may enter one story in each category. The entry fee is waived for writers aged under 18 years old.