We are on a mission to ignite the imagination of generation next

What is Little Stories, Big Ideas?

Little Stories, Big Ideas is a literary competition for Australian Secondary School Students. Entrants write to a specific themed prompt in 100 words or less, in any literary style they like – think: climate change, environmental issues, diversity, respect, acceptance, inclusion, political landscape, asylum seekers and refugees, and more. The competition runs 4 times a year and there are great prizes on offer for winners. Entry is free and entries from all over Australia are welcome.

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What is Little Stories, Big Ideas?

Meet the team

Rebecca Fraser

Past Competition Director

Rebecca Fraser is an award-winning Mornington Peninsula-based author,whose genre-mashing fiction for children and adults has won, been shortlisted for, and honourably mentioned for numerous awards and prizes including the Aurealis, Australian Shadows, Ditmars, and Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor’s Writing Award. To date, her traditionally-published works include three middle grade novels, a speculative short story collection, and over sixty short stories, poems, and articles in numerous Australian and international anthologies, journals, and magazines.

 

Rebecca is equally passionate about sharing her skills and knowledge, and after several years of mentoring beginner writers and helping emerging writers achieve their creative dreams, she launched StoryCraft Creative Writing Workshops for aspiring writers of every age and ability.

 

 Rebecca has served as a convenor and on the judging panel of nationally-recognised literary competitions, and delivers author talks and workshops at schools, literary festivals, libraries, and community centres, in both physical and online capacities. She’s proud to be an Ambassador for Australia Reads and a participant in the Author Pen Pals program.

To learn more about Rebecca and her work visit www.rebeccafraser.com or say G’day on Twitter / Insta @becksmuse

Rebecca Fraser
Sarah Halfpenny

Sarah Halfpenny

Competition Director

Introducing the one and only, word nerd and ice-skater extraordinaire and our newest Judge – Sarah Halfpenny 

Sarah is a skilled wearer of glasses, extremely proficient at playing Mario Kart, and is quite experienced at ordering Thai food from the local restaurant. For over two decades, she has worked as a freelance writer and sub-editor, working on scores of arts-related exhibitions across Australia, including Mambo: 30 Years of Shelf-indulgence; and various activations at Vivid Sydney.

She’s also written copy for advertising campaigns, social media, and websites, and had work commissioned by dozens of clients including Nickelodeon, the City of Melbourne, Child Magazines, Kidspot, Writers Victoria, and the RSPCA. Her play, Celebrity is the New Bleak, was performed at the Victorian Arts Centre, and one of her screenplays was turned into a short film called No Returns.

Sarah is also the co-founder of the highly acclaimed Stellar Short Film Festival, a premium outdoor festival held annually at the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery.

In her spare time, she enjoys attending literary and film festivals to soak up the creativity (and watch people’s confused expressions when they hear her unusual surname).
It is our vision that Little Stories, Big Ideas will become a popular platform for today’s youth to express their literary voices, using contemporary issues and themes as a springboard to allow their imagination to leap in any direction it chooses.

Joe Novella

Joe Novella

Founder

Joe Novella is the author three books, ‘Pepe and Poppy’, ‘The Ultimate Self-Help Guide for Men’ and his latest written for his beautiful boy James titled ‘Naughty Bart and his Giant Fart’.

A documentary maker, podcast host and short-film maker, Joe has a passion for all things creative and digital. Currently, Joe works as a Marketing and Content Manager for a busy small business and juggles his day job, with being a Husband and Dad, and somewhere in there he gets to indulge his passion for storytelling. Sleep is not an option for Joe.

www.joe-novella.com

Get your school involved! We have an info pack for parents and educators

Click here to download the School's Information Flyer