Many writers have shared their thoughts with the public:

"There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you." - Beatrix Potter

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." - Anaïs Nin

"Sharing your writing, being enlarged by others' writing, is what makes you feel famous." - Gretchen Bernabei

"Writing is not an amusing occupation. It is a combination of ditch-digging, mountain-climbing, treadmill and childbirth." - Edna Ferber

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." - Ben Franklin

"One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones to form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment." - Hart Crane

"There are three rules for writing. Unfortunately, no one can agree what they are." - W. Somerset Maugham

The Best of Times Short Story Competition

Autumn 2011 results

Note: stories are available for reading only where the authors have given permission.

First Place ($200)

Dean Briggs, NSW: "Hello Again From the Grumbles Clan"

Second Place ($50)

Jim Murphy, VIC: "Hildegard Wool-Ball"

Third Place ($25)

Ross Kinnish, VIC: "A Problem of Knightly Proportions"

Highly Commended

Harold Mally, NSW: "The Magical Leaking Wiki"

Ingrid Banwell, NSW: "Jasmine and Arrghbleck"

Kate Williams, QLD: "The Word Collector"

Janice Williams, VIC: "The Gap in the Fence"

Commended

Steven Gepp, SA: "Primitive Religious Practices"

David Campbell, VIC: “The Naked Robot”

Janeen Samuel, VIC: "House Swap"

Neil McInnes, NSW: "A Curious Kinship"

Peter Lingard, VIC: "In Praise of Gallus Gallus"


There were 61 short stories in the competition, from 51 entrants.