Terms and Conditions
These Terms and Conditions set out the agreement between the Not Quite Write podcast (“we”) and
entrants (“you”) regarding entry in the 2023 Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction (“the competition”).
Yes, even a competition that breaks the rules must have rules. It’s a little bit ironic, don’t you think?By entering the competition, you agree that your entry is a work of original fiction composed by you specifically for the competition during the competition window. You further agree to abide by the following terms and conditions.
Key dates
The competition commences midday on Friday 14 July 2023 AEST (“commencement”). At commencement, we will announce the prompts by email to those who have registered for updates at notquitewritepodcast.com/prize. We will also publish the prompts on the website at this same address.
The competition closes strictly at midnight on Sunday 16 July 2023 AEST (“deadline”). Late entries will not be accepted except in the event of a technology failure on the part of Not Quite Write and at our sole discretion.
The 60-hour period between the commencement and deadline of the competition is referred to in these Terms and Conditions as the “competition window.”
Judging will commence on Monday 17 July 2023 AEST and continue until 27 August 2023 (“judging window”).
We will announce the winner using their given pen name on the Not Quite Write website and podcast at 5.00pm Sunday 27 August AEST (“announcement”). We may also announce shortlisted entries at our discretion.
We reserve the right to extend the judging window and delay the planned announcement at our discretion.
Unless otherwise specified, all dates and times associated with the competition are based on Sydney, Australia time (AEST or AEDT as applicable).
Who can enter
You don’t need to have any specific skills or experience to enter this competition beyond the basic ability to write in the English language. Skilled writers may possess a distinct advantage however flash fiction offers the opportunity for all people to freely express their creativity. We warmly welcome those new to the world of writing competitions to enter and wish you well in your journey towards an unhealthy addiction to writing competitions.
Anyone in the world can enter the competition. The competition is run from New South Wales, Australia. All times, dates and monetary amounts are of that region unless otherwise specified.
The competition is open to all ages. Parents and guardians should note, however, that entries are not censored, and young entrants may be exposed to themes and language inappropriate for their age.
We strongly advise those who wish to enter the competition to register for updates at notquitewritepodcast.com.
How to enter
Entry is free.
You must submit your entry using the entry form at notquitewritepodcast.com/prize. The entry form will be only available within the competition window. Email entries will not be accepted.
It is your sole responsibility to ensure we receive your entry via the entry form by the deadline.
The entry form will ask you for some basic personal information as well as a pen name if you use one. You will also have the option to briefly explain your entry, should you feel the need to do so.
The judges will only access information entered in the Title, Entry, and Brief Explanation fields during the judging window. For this reason, you must not include any information in these fields which could reasonably identify you as the entrant. This includes characters, themes and settings that may identify a writer known to Ed and/or Amanda. We will exclude identifiable entries from consideration in the interests of fairness.
Refer to the Privacy Policy for more information about how we collect, store, and use your personal information.
Judging criteria
Your entry must be an original piece of fiction you composed for the competition during the competition window. We take it on good faith that you will not submit work that you wrote in whole or substantial part prior to commencement of the competition, or for another purpose.
Your entry must be strictly no more than 600 words. The title is not included in this count. Hyphenated words count as one word. Some forms of punctuation may be counted as words. Ultimately, the word count is determined by the entry form, and entries containing more than 600 words will be automatically rejected. We recommend you leave enough time to check your word count in the Entry field prior to the deadline.
Your entry must include evidence that you have followed the two typical prompts and one anti-prompt (“the prompts”) we provide at the commencement of the competition.
The prompts will be in the following form:
- Word prompt: You will be given a word which you must use somewhere in the main body of your entry. This word must be used in full, with no spaces or interrupting punctuation, however it may be included within a longer word provided the original spelling is retained. For example, if the word was “ice,” we would accept “iced,” “splice” and “jaundice” but we would not accept “icicle” or “icy.”
- Action prompt: You will be given an action which must feature somewhere in your entry. You don’t need to use the exact wording of the action provided, and you can feature the action prominently or simply as an aside. It may occur before the beginning of your story or after it ends provided it is referenced either directly or by implication within the main body of your entry.
- Anti-prompt: The anti-prompt will challenge you to break a traditionally accepted “rule” of writing.
You may interpret these prompts in whatever creative way you see fit. The judges take a relaxed approach and will consider all entries written genuinely in the spirit of the prompts. Where necessary, you will have the opportunity to explain your interpretation of the prompts in the Brief Explanation field of the entry form.
The judging process
The competition is a game of skill and will be judged blind by the hosts of the Not Quite Write podcast, Ed and Amanda (“the judges”). If overwhelmed by entries, we reserve the right to call on additional judges for assistance.
We further reserve the right to make reasonable accommodations to allow entrants with relevant disabilities to fully participate in the competition. What is “reasonable” in this case will be at our sole discretion, however must, at a minimum, allow the judges to consider the entry without being able to identify the entrant.
We aim to be as transparent as possible in our judging process. We may discuss the judging process on the podcast, and we may discuss individual competition entries prior to the announcement of the winner. We may also discuss our preferences and prejudices on the podcast. Listeners to the podcast may have the advantage of this insight, however we strongly advise against trying to meet these perceived preferences and prejudices and instead focus on telling the best story possible.
The website entry form facilitates blind judging by obscuring any personal information before entries are provided to judges. The judges will not access identifying information until the judging process is complete.
Because judging is blind, the competition remains open to friends and family of Ed and Amanda.
The judges will select one entry to be the winner of the competition. The winning entry will be the one which the judges find to be the most compelling response to the prompts. In the unlikely event of a tie, the prize will be split between the winning entries.
We reserve the right to make all decisions necessary to facilitate the competition. The judges’ decision on all matters is final.
The prize
There is one cash prize of AU$300 for the winner. Any applicable taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner or winners.
The cash prize will be distributed by bank transfer or PayPal (if in Australia) or PayPal transfer (if international). Any applicable currency conversion will be determined by PayPal at the time of transfer.
The winning entry will be published on the Not Quite Write website, email and social media platforms and may be read in full on the Not Quite Write podcast. Shortlisted entries may also be published in the same manner, at our discretion. Where provided, we will use pen names in these communications.
Intellectual property rights
If you win or are shortlisted, you agree to allow Not Quite Write to publish your entry and your pen name in perpetuity, both in writing and audio on all Not Quite Write public platforms and social media. This extends to publication by us purely for promotional purposes.
You retain all other rights to your work however you agree not to publish or sell your entry until after the announcement of the winner.
Responsibility for notices
It is your sole responsibility to mark relevant dates and times in your calendar and ensure that you have all the information necessary to enter the competition before the deadline.
We strongly recommend adding our email address to your safe senders list to ensure timely communication about the competition. We also recommend that you periodically check our website for updates.
Plagiarism and bad faith
Plagiarism has no place in this competition. Entrants found to have plagiarised any part of their entry will be disqualified.
Further, any entrants found to have otherwise acted in bad faith in this competition may be removed from consideration at the sole discretion of the judges.
Costs and indemnity
This competition is administered in good faith by the Not Quite Write podcast. You agree to accept full responsibility for any costs you incur in connection with entering the competition. You also agree to indemnify us from any liability associated with your entry to the competition including, but not limited to, claims of any violation or personal or proprietary rights associated with your entry or the publication of your entry by us.
We are not responsible for any entries lost, misdirected or otherwise mishandled. It is your sole responsibility to maintain a backup of your entry.
A comment on Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
At Not Quite Write, we welcome our new A.I. overlords. Having said that, this competition rewards human talent, not technological prowess. We recognise that A.I. tools have a place in researching and workshopping ideas, so we allow you to use the available technology in this way. However, by entering this competition, you agree that your work is your own creation and not generated in whole or part by A.I. or similar means.
Entrants found to have generated any part of their entry by A.I. or similar means will be disqualified.
F.A.Q.s
You’ve told us to “break the rules”: can I break these rules too?
No. The Terms and Conditions are binding on all entrants.
I have a disability that makes it difficult or impossible for me to enter this competition. Can you make special accommodations for me?
Yes. We welcome you to email us in advance of the competition window to determine reasonable accommodations. To be considered reasonable, any accommodations must allow for us to consider your entry without being able to identify you.
What is “flash fiction”?
Flash fiction is a very short story, typically no more than 1500 words and, in the case of this competition, no more than 600 words. The category is defined by its word count rather than its genre or narrative style.
Can my entry contain fewer than 600 words?
Yes. Your entry may contain fewer than, but not more than, 600 words. The official word count is determined by the entry form.
Can I submit more than one entry?
Yes. There is no limit to the number of entries you submit. Each entry should be submitted separately.
Can I submit a joint entry with someone else?
Yes. Provided the “someone else” is another human being (or human beings) and not A.I., we welcome you to submit a joint entry. You will need to choose one person to be the main contact and recipient of any prize money, however you may enter all authors’ names in the Pen Name field. You should only submit the entry once.
Do I have to use Australian English spellings?
No. Provided your entry is substantially in the English language, alternative spellings are acceptable. It is worth noting however that the competition will be judged in Australia by Australians.
Can I enter in a language other than English?
No. Your entry must be written substantially in the English language to allow us to judge it effectively. You may use individual words and phrases from other languages provided the meaning is clear in the context of your entry.
I spotted a typo as soon as I hit ‘Submit’! What do I do?
If you still have time before the deadline, you may resubmit your entry within the competition window using the word RESUBMITTING before the title in the Title field. We will take your most recent entry and delete the older entry. If you’ve missed the deadline, don’t fret. We’ve all been there, and a typo won’t rule your entry out of consideration.
What do I do if I miss the deadline?
Unfortunately, we cannot consider entries received after the deadline. The only exception to this would be in the event of some catastrophic technical failure on our part (for example, the website being offline for an extended period during the competition window). In that case, we reserve the right to extend the deadline for all entrants. We cannot, however, accommodate late entries for reasons outside our control.
We strongly recommend allowing yourself enough time to account for any last-minute technical difficulties. It is your sole responsibility to ensure we receive your entry via the entry form by the deadline. This extends to ensuring you are aware of the correct time difference relevant to your respective time zone.
Can I use profanity?
Fuck oath. Sometimes there’s just no better option.
Can I cover dark or disturbing themes?
Yes. There is no limit to your creativity beyond the judging criteria.
Can I submit an entry that doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure, for example a poem?
Yes. There is no limit to your creativity beyond the judging criteria. Full disclosure: Amanda has an internalised bias against poetry and diary entries in flash fiction. She welcomes you to challenge this bias, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
Do I have to listen to the Not Quite Write podcast to be eligible to enter?
No. Listeners to the podcast may have the advantage of additional or early information however it is not essential to listen to the podcast to enter and win the competition. Relevant details will be published on our website and communicated via email.
We strongly advise those who wish to enter the competition to register for updates at notquitewritepodcast.com/prize.
Can I share my entry with others?
Yes and no.
We encourage you to share your entry privately with others during the competition window for the purpose of giving and receiving feedback (also known as “beta reading”).
You may not publish or discuss any part of your entry (including the title, extracts or key themes) on any public platform until after the winner is announced. This is to ensure that we are not able to identify your entry.
When discussing the competition on social media during the competition window and judging window, we invite you to use the hashtag #NotQuiteWritePrize. Make sure that you do not share any detail that would allow the judges to identify your entry.
Note that we will exclude identifiable entries from consideration in the interests of fairness.
I need to communicate with you. How do I get in touch?
You can contact us via email at contact@notquitewritepodcast.com. If you want to discuss the competition, please make sure you don’t include any information that would allow us to identify your entry (for example the title or content of your entry). Note that we will exclude identifiable entries from consideration in the interests of fairness.