Format and submission
Length: Maximum 3000 words
Text format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), 12 point, double-spaced, A4; please do not submit a PDF
Anonymity: Only the administrators will see your name when you submit your entry; do not include your name on any part of the story itself or in author notes.
Entry fee: Open Division $35, Secondary School Division $25
Only one entry to be submitted per entrant in each division. Secondary School Division entrants may submit a different story to the Open Division.
Entrants should follow the instructions on the ESU website: esu.org.au.
Awards and publication
ESU (Queensland) will assist first- and second-placed authors from outside South-East Queensland to attend the awards ceremony (towards travel and accommodation). Winners should discuss travel costs by email to rolysussexstory@esu.org.au.
Stories that are placed first or second in the Roly Sussex Short Story Competition will be published by the ESU and may be used for marketing and publicity by the ESU. Entries awarded a judges’ commendation will not be published. In submitting their stories for publication, authors indicate their consent to these initiatives.
Authors retain copyright of their work under the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC BY-NC-ND-4.0:
- All stories are for non-commercial publication purposes.
- No changes can be made to stories after publication without indication to you.
- Your name will be included in your work.
Please carefully read the detailed notes after the declaration before you sign it. When you submit your story, you will be required to agree to the following declaration:
Declaration by author
I agree to the conditions of entry:
- I am an Australian resident or citizen.
- I am not a relative of the judges or members of the board of the English-Speaking Union.
- Entrants to the Secondary School Division must be enrolled full time at an Australian secondary school.
- The work submitted is my original work and all sources are indicated as such.
- The work is free from any plagiarism and has not been generated by AI software or similar products.
- No part has been copied from any other source or published elsewhere.
- I understand that the Roly Sussex Short Story Competition respects and values diversity and cultural identity. Should my work express creative liberty by harnessing cultural themes, I have detailed the inspiration for this to the ESU (Qld).
- I agree that the ESU may select my first- or second-placed story for publication on the understanding that I retain copyright.
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ________________
Author’s notes (200 words maximum)
________________________________________________________________________________
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Originality of material: plagiarism and use of AI software
Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, attention has focused on the ability of AI software to write in natural language. Some writers might be tempted to submit stories composed by ChatGPT or similar software, in whole or part.
We do allow use of basic AI tools embedded in word-processing software, such as spelling and grammar checkers. However, all narrative voice and concepts, structure and word choice must be the writer’s own. Entries must not be generated or substantially composed by AI.
Further guidance on the use of AI in creative writing is provided by the US Authors Guild.
https://authorsguild.org/resource/ai-best-practices-for-authors/
The Australian Society of Authors also has useful information about AI and copyright.
https://www.asauthors.org.au/advocacy/artificial-intelligence/
Entrants are reminded that all shortlisted stories will be checked by plagiarism-testing software to verify their originality.
Cultural appropriation, and cultural diversity, authenticity and sensitivity
In recent times, the matters of cultural appropriation, and cultural diversity, authenticity and sensitivity have been prominent in public debate. While much has been written and discussed, these matters remain complex – they are not easily explained or understood.
Writers should consider whether their work aligns with community expectations regarding topics such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religious and spiritual beliefs. This is particularly important when involving minority groups. To help consider these issues, the following definitions might be useful:
“Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way.”
https://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-cultural-appropriation
“Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression and doesn’t respect their original meaning or give credit to their source. It also includes the unauthorized use of parts of their culture (their dress, dance, etc.) without permission.”
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cultural-appropriation-5070458
Psychology website VeryWellMind expands on their definition:
“… cultural appropriation is a layered and nuanced phenomenon that many people may have trouble understanding and may not realize when they are doing it themselves.
“It can be natural to merge and blend cultures as people from different backgrounds come together and interact. In fact, many wonderful inventions and creations have been born from the merging of such cultures (such as country music).
“However, the line is drawn when a dominant cultural group makes use of elements of a non-dominant group in a way that the non-dominant group views as exploitative.”
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cultural-appropriation-5070458
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
This competition supports Creative Australia’s protocols in relation to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP): https://creative.gov.au/investment-and-development/protocols-and-resources/protocols-for-using-first-nations-cultural-and-intellectual-property-in-the-arts/. Writing with First Nations themes, content and characters that does not meet Creative Australia’s protocols regarding Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property is not eligible for entry.
Please contact rolysussexstory@esu.org.au if you are concerned your entry may raise any issues relating to the matters discussed here.