Welcome to our December Newsletter.
We are excited to announce the winners of our 2025 Short Story Competition – please see all details below and the link to read the winning entries!
With Christmas fast approaching, it’s good to remember that creative writing is the gift that keeps on giving. Every time you write your novel, screenplay or short story, you access your imagination and take your main character and yourself on a profound emotional journey of change.
As Anne Lamott said in Bird by Bird:
“I encourage anyone, who feels at all compelled to write to do so. Writing has so much to give, so much to teach, so many surprises. The thing you had to force yourself to do – the actual writing – turns out to be the best part. It’s like discovering that while you thought you needed the tea ceremony for the caffeine, what you really needed was the tea ceremony. The act of writing turns out to be its own reward.”
So steal back the time from your busy life and find time to write. The art is in the doing. The act of writing will nourish your spirit. It is the best gift you can give yourself.
Upcoming Xmas–January Break
Our tutors will be heading off on their annual Xmas–January break from Saturday 20 December and back on Monday 19 January.
Some tutors may come back earlier and will be in touch with you directly about their individual holiday schedules.
The Studio office will close on Wednesday 24 December and reopen on Monday 5 January. Please note that your course materials and your Boards will be available over the break.
Congratulations To Our Competition Winners!
We are very excited to announce the winners of the Writers’ Studio 2025 Short Story Competition.
Congratulations to Michelle Jardim, Maya Linden and William Stanforth.
We received a record amount of entries this year, and we want to thank every writer who sent in a story.
Our Judge, Zahid Gamieldien has included his short list in order, and also a long list and a commended list in alphabetical order, and we’d like to also acknowledge those writers and their stories.
Please click to read the winning entries for the Writers’ Studio 2025 Short Story Competition.
Winners
1st Prize – The Body For It by Michelle Jardim
2nd Prize – Hope by Maya Linden
3rd Prize – The God of Punching On by William Stanforth
Shortlist (in order)
4. Parting Gift by Jordan Moussavi
5. Regret by Alexandra O’Sullivan
6. From Izzy – with Love by Jenny Thompson
7. Daisy by Catriona Hedderwick
8. Suskin’s Mother by D M Roddick
9. Eating the Sunlight Between Us by Liv Declerck
10. Taniwha by Mish Moore
11. Unfurled by Sybilla Drake
12. Doubt by Ineke Blakeman
13. The Paraguayan Bread Man by Juliet Hill
Longlist (in alphabetical order)
Beachcombers by Sophie Chenoweth
Heimat by Kerstin Oberprieler
Judge Me Not by Marlis Grosseholz
Just So by Suzanne Hevey
Lucky Lane by Robert Phillips
Mambo Rose’s Miracle Restorative Lotion by Gayle Beveridge
No Great Loss by Ros Millar
The Diary of Jenny Jones by William Cattell
The Parcel by Dominic Carew
What Kind of Daughter by Princess R Lakshman
Commended (in alphabetical order)
Antonella by Lionel Robinson
Egypt by Rhian Healy
Lakshmi by Gursimrat Kaur
Passenger by D M Roddick
Princess Fee by Andrew Milestone
The Black Spire by Nicholas Martin
The Foreclosure by Mark Rutherford
The Journey Home by Ros Millar
The Late Bus by Sarah Myles
Discounted Xmas Gift Certificates!
If you are thinking about creative Christmas presents, our Unlocking Creativity Gift Certificates are an excellent gift for any writer and creative in your life!
You might have a loved one who has been wanting to write but needs a push, or is wanting to develop their writing further. Unlocking Creativity is the perfect stepping stone in helping them achieve their goals. Plus, it is such a generous act to support people in realising their creative dream.
The Certificate will arrive almost instantly in your inbox. Valid for 3 years, the recipient will have the choice to select the course dates that suit them!
Use discount code XMAS80 to get $80 off Unlocking Creativity Gift Certificates. Offer expires 31/12/2025 11:59PM.
Click to buy a Gift Certificate
Giveaways!
Not My Shame
Thanks to Ventura Press, we have 2 copies of Writers’ Studio alumnus, Martina Zangger’s intensely personal memoir, Not My Shame, to give away!
A testament to the power of female courage and strength, this intensely personal memoir reveals how one woman confronted her dark past and broke free from lifelong trauma bonds.
No longer silenced by shame, Martina’s greatest discovery is that love doesn’t have to be dangerous, that it can be respectful and kind instead. This is her story, and it is a story of hope for all survivors.
For your chance to win a copy of Martina’s novel, email with your name, address, the book title and your mobile number to: rsvp@writerstudio.com.au
Sentimental Value
Thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have 10 double pass tickets to give away to Sentimental Value, released nationally on December 25, 2025.
Sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a once renowned director. When Nora turns down a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star (Elle Fanning).
Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.
You can watch the trailer here
For your chance to win, email with your name, address, the film title and your mobile to: rsvp@writerstudio.com.au
Harry Wild: Season 4
Thanks to Acorn Media, we have 2 DVDs to give away to detective comedy-drama series, Harry Wild: Season 4.
From an international assassination attempt to a literary-inspired murder, Harry (Jane Seymour) and Fergus (Rohan Nedd) find themselves improving on the police solve rate as they tackle their most elusive and dangerous cases yet.
You can watch the trailer here
For your chance to win, email with your name, address, the series title and your mobile to: rsvp@writerstudio.com.au
Recent Course Feedback
Some snippets of the wonderful feedback that we receive back from recently completed courses.
“While writing is a solo activity having a team around you to cheer you on keeps you moving forward. The group feedback and mentoring makes all the difference.” Peter, First Draft Course
“I know now from doing this course that I’m going to keep on writing. I’ve missed that nearly zen feeling when you’re on a roll and the ideas come and the words spill out onto the page. Doing this course has made me realise that the trick to writing is consistency, doing a little bit every day, diving in and getting started, putting the words down even if they’re junk. Just get the story down then I can polish it.” Louise, Short Story – Writers’ Gym
“The creative writing course has inspired me in ways that I was not expecting. In fact, I didn’t really know what to expect. I just knew that I was feeling stuck in the novel that I was already writing and I needed some kind of boost – a hit of vivacity, a change of attitude, a new perspective. This course has given me all of this and more. I am so excited to revise and extend upon my novel and I thank everyone involved in the creative course for giving me the opportunity to make it great.” Zeta, Unlocking Creativity Online
“Over the last four weeks I have reconnected with my creative thinking after many years of doing little to feed my soul. It has been a wonderful experience getting to see not only my stories come alive but experiencing the support and acknowledgement of the others in my class through feedback has been inspiring. If you ever wanted to write a story I would recommend you try this course. You’ll love it.” Natasha, Unlocking Creativity Live
“The Second Draft course didn’t improve my story 200%. It improved 1000%! Irrelevancies were discarded, subsidiary characters came to life and revealed formerly hidden depths, events took on an internal logic and my main character, Aaron Stern, deepened and broadened before my astonished eyes. I saw the same thing happen with everyone else’s stories as well.” Gilbert, Second Draft Course
“Third Draft Part Two helped me to find depths in my story that I had never explored despite years of previous work. My tutor was able to guide me in writing a draft that elevated the work to a new level entirely. They were a huge help, and their feedback was invaluable. Thanks to this course, I’m in a much better position to finish working on my novel and hopefully get it ready for publishing. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to attend this course, and would recommend it to any first-time author willing to accept constructive criticism and improve.” Michael, Third Draft Part Two Course
