In this article, we interview Louise Walton, WINNER of the April 2025 Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction with her story, Zombie Babe.
Hi Louise, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing backstory?
I’m a home-schooling mum of three tween-aged kids. We live in a quiet spot but often travel and live away (for hubby’s work, mostly, when needed, and holidays too). Life can be chaotic and lack routine sometimes, but the adventures and flexibility are good.
I was an avid reader of fiction growing up, but didn’t write much, aside from school, and joke and satire stuff with friends. Actually, when I was maybe 20, my two younger sisters and I and our live-in friend regularly wrote in a “poo journal,” a thick notebook we kept next to the toilet, which was probably unhygienic, but mostly hilarious. Quite contemplative too. Outside the bathroom, I also loved writing funny plays for kids, youth groups, and for my classes when I was a primary teacher (I also LOVE musicals).
After having kids, I tried writing a novel-length fantasy because I’d read all the good ones already. It wasn’t good. Then I discovered story comps. Motherhood probably made me softer and less cynical, and I cried at new and strangely benign things after kids, like wholesome moments in Peppa Pig, just something pure or kind. I began to explore what it took to get to that heart-tugging moment, and developed a love for drama too.
My favourite is now combining comedy and drama—laugh and cry all in one. Bargain.
You WON the April 2025 Not Quite Write Prize. What did/will you spend your prize money on?
In reality, probably the mortgage, but I like to think it paid for our gear for a family snow trip this year. I’m currently on said trip as I answer these questions, so a huge thank you! 😊
We understand you were already on a bit of a winning streak when you found out you won the Not Quite Write Prize. Can you tell us a bit about your other successes?
Not Quite Write was my second big win out of three, all 500 word stories—I won NYCM Rhyming Story in Feb, then in June, Not Quite Write, and a few days later won Writing Battle with a story called Twice-Lucky! Very fun and surreal time.
What’s the big secret behind your repeated success?
I eat a lot of sauerkraut.
I don’t know… For first prize, I think luck is a pretty big factor—by the time you’re in the top 10, it could go to anyone.
But I did see improvement over four years with a story comp hobby, reading thousands of debrief stories, forum and writing group discussions, and giving and receiving feedback. I noticed that I started to move up, as far as averages go, beginning to longlist and shortlist in things.
My biggest jump in improvement was 2024 when I joined the Twist writing community, and did small weekly writing activities (called Side Quests, with feedback and scores) for an entire year. I’m a stats-n-trends kinda girl, and I saw patterns emerge on what I could improve (which I worked on), and probably more importantly, what I was good at (one of which was voice, which I really leaned into).
Zombie Babe was a wild story. What prompted you to write something so unhinged?
I’m pretty offended, I thought it was delicate literary art.
Ha, kidding, I don’t know. I’ve written a heap of unhinged things for fun, you just happen to be the first judges to pick one to win. Due to the anti-prompt, I knew early on that my last line would roughly be, ‘I can’t kill my darling, but I can kill someone else’s.’ And it had to be comedy or I wouldn’t write it (I don’t really do scary stories), and high-stakes comedy is naturally over the top. Not Quite Write is freeing compared to other comps—you’re local, relatable and funny. I honestly just had fun, and I knew I could let loose, because I knew you’d get it. What other comp has such a high guarantee of unhinged reader connection?
Now that you’ve had so much success, what’s next on your vision board?
I’m at a busy stage of life right now, and I don’t know if I’ve got the staying power for a novel, but I’d love to have a go. Novella-in-flash sounds the most appealing. My favourite niche genre to write is YA Aussie-dramedy-coming-of-age type stories, and mixing that with fantasy or dystopia could be fun too, and I’ve also collected my Ukrainian grandma’s childhood war biography into a huge amount of notes… So a few ideas and side projects, but realistically, I’m not that organised, nor dedicated, and they might only be done by the time AI has taken over the world.
Can you share any words of wisdom with our Not Quite Write Prize hopefuls?
Just write about something gross. The judges are secret weirdos. Jokes—they’re fully open weirdos, hahaha. Nah, they’re great. The daredevil episodes are where the tips are at, go listen to those. Tons of useful stuff. Plus Amanda’s laugh is the best. And sometimes Ed legit giggles like a schoolgirl.
About Louise
Louise Walton lives on NSW’s Mid-North Coast with her husband and three children (and chickens, rabbits and a dog). She loves writing comedy, drama, or Aussie dramedy, and is especially drawn to finding the sweet moments of function within dysfunction.
She has had winning stories in New York City Midnight Rhyming Story, Writing Battle, and the Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction, and her two favourite pieces shortlisted in the Furphy Literary Award 2025 and Australia’s Best Yarn 2024.
Published or soon to be published stories can be found on Louise’s author page: