The sea never keeps its secrets forever.
Write a short story of up to 1000 words inspired by the theme Tales from the Tide. Your story may be literary, historical, romantic, mysterious, magical, humorous, or something entirely unexpected—but somewhere within it there must be a tide, a shoreline, or something brought in or taken away by the water.
The details
- 1,000 words.
Entrants must begin their story with: - “The tide brought back something that should have stayed lost.”
The Rules
Eligibility
- Open to writers aged 16 years and over.
- One entry per person.
- Entries must be the entrant’s original, unpublished work.
Theme
- Stories must start with the opening line provided.
- Any genre is welcome.
Length
- Maximum 1000 words (excluding title).
- Stories exceeding the word limit will not be considered.
Format
- Submit as a Word document
- Include story title and word count.
- Do not include your name within the manuscript to allow blind judging.
- Email entries to hello@uminabeachbooknook.com.au
Entry Period
- Entries open: 1st July 2026
- Entries close: 29th July 2026
- Winner will be announced: 5th August 2026
Judging Criteria
Stories will be judged on:
- Originality and creativity
- Quality of writing
- Character development
- Plot and structure
- Interpretation of the theme
Prizes
- First Prize: $200 and your short story published on our website, as well as emailed to our database, and snippets shared on social media.
- Runner-up: $50 voucher.
Rights
- Copyright remains with the author.
- By entering, authors grant Tales from the Tide permission to publish winning and shortlisted entries in promotional materials, on the website.
General Conditions
- The judges’ decision is final.
- No correspondence will be entered into regarding judging decisions.
- Entries generated wholly by AI are not permitted. Authors may use standard editing tools, but the creative work must be substantially their own.
