The 2025 Graeme Lay Short Story Competition winners were announced by the NZSA Auckland Branch at their 29 November meeting.
This annual competition has once again celebrated the vitality of short story writing in New Zealand.
In his judge’s report, Graeme Lay writes:
“Writing a successful short story remains one of literature’s greatest challenges… ‘Many are called, but few are chosen’.”
He notes the exceptionally high standard of the ten finalists, describing them as “almost all… of a publishable quality” and showcasing “a singular range of subjects and styles.”
He enjoyed the strength of the narratives, many of which wove multiple plotlines together while demonstrating a strong grasp of dramatic conflict and the maxim ‘Show, don’t tell’.
He remarks:
“[The shortlisting judges’] task must have been difficult, going by the impressive quality of the final ten.”
The winning writers and stories are as follows:
1st – “Still Here” by Claire Jewitt
Claire Jewitt is a writer living in Diamond Harbour, Banks Peninsula. Her work often explores how certain places can hold memory, resilience and human stories. Still Here began with reflections on the Godley Head lighthouse at the entrance to Lyttelton Harbour and the way lighthouses are often witnesses to weather, history and loss. While writing, a severe local storm stirred a childhood memory of Cyclone Giselle and the Wahine disaster, prompting a shift in setting and tone. The result is a fictional weaving of past and present, grounded in New Zealand’s coastal history and the human cost of the Wahine tragedy.
2nd – “Borders” by Jeff Taylor
Jeff Taylor lives in Hamilton, New Zealand, and enjoys writing short fiction. Particularly Humour. Won NZFF Day 2019, published in BestMicrofictions2020, and nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He has won, been placed, shortlisted, and published, in a number of NZ and international competitions and anthologies. The story was probably inspired from a tour of Turkey with my wife about ten years ago. The only other kiwis on the trip were a middle-aged farming couple from the Hawkes Bay who had no children. We got to know them more and more as the tour progressed and noticed how they reacted to small children at the stops.
3rd – “Janet Frame Does Not Live Here” by Bronwyn Elsmore
After living in several places in NZ, Bronwyn’s home is now West Auckland, where she spends her time writing, patting cats, and gardening. The short story has long been a favourite form of hers, though she also enjoys writing plays and novels. Website: www.flaxroots.com This story is inspired by Bronwyn’s memories of brief contacts with Janet Frame, observing her unease in social events, and by reading her novels.
We also congratulate Amanda Aitken, Joan Leitch, and Shannon Savvas for their highly commended stories, and Feby Idrus, Sharni Wilson, and Vivienne Bailey for their commended stories.
Special thanks to shortlisting judges Maria Gill and Kit Willett who volunteered their time to help this branch competition to run in 2025.
The Graeme Lay Short Story Award continues to recognise and celebrate the talent of New Zealand’s emerging and established writers. Thank you to all who submitted, for your time and your stories.
