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 2008 results

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

First Place

Alida van den Bos, NSW: “Your Majesty”

Second Place

Dean Briggs, NSW: “Pin Some Tales on the Donkey”

Third Place

Peter Holz, VIC: “Bushmal and the Bus”

Highly Commended

David Campbell, VIC: “The King of Logic and the Queen of Irrationality”

Bob Sugden, NSW: “A Boy and His Dragon”

Keith Youman, NSW: "The Ballad of Upper Mugsley Bog"

Keith Youman, NSW: "One Fine Day"

Commended

Bob Sugden, NSW: “Morris Dancing, Wheat Seeds and Trouser Cuffs”

Nan Doyle, NSW: “A Blowfly's View of the Party”

Margaret E Symonds, NSW: "Fido's Feisty Finale"

Daan Spijer, VIC: “Remote Control”

Ross Duffy, SA: "Last Rites"


There were 40 short stories in the competition, from 28 entrants.