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 2025 results

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

First Place ($315)

John AD Fraser, SA: The Dog of the South

Second Place ($80)

Meg Freeman, QLD: Incriminations

Third Place ($25)

Ned Stephenson, NSW: The Mulley Hill Mob

Highly Commended

James Wily, NSW: I Will Never Die

Varda Tully, VIC: Gourmet Connect

Janeen Samuel, VIC: A Reading

Commended

Carolyn Eldridge-Alfonzetti, NSW: Orange Crush

Bob Vinnicombe, NSW: His First Date

Cameron Bishop, NSW: Two Idiots

William McDonald, NSW: The Pet and the Pendulum


There were 54 short stories in the competition, from 43 entrants.