Blog | Ned Stephenson

Sep 245 min

Why enter writing competitions?

Entering a writing contest is like any competitive endeavour that involves a crowd, with the exception being that you don’t get to see...

Ned Stephenson

Sep 2411 min

Short Story - Thor's Goats

(Shortlisted in the inaugural 2023 Ernestine Hill Memorial Short Story Competition) The spring wind has character. Weaned from its winter...

Ned Stephenson

Aug 176 min

Short Story - By Prescription Only

(Highly Commended - Stringybark Short Story Competition 2024) Today’s work clothes lie folded away from everyone’s feet on the bench...

Ned Stephenson

Aug 119 min

Short Story - Hotel Rafflesia

( Second Place - The Best of Times Short Story Competition 2024) On page 25 of the Times Atlas, Chughanutha Island is a tiny green oyster...

Ned Stephenson

Jan 16 min

Short Story - The Blue Dragon

(1st Place in the Stringybark Publishing Erotic Short Story Competition 2023) I’ve come to the Blue Dragon for a back tattoo before...

Short Story - Mr Popperwell Takes the Lead

Ned Stephenson

Jan 14 min

Short Story - Mr Popperwell Takes the Lead

(1st Place in the Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story competition 2023) Today’s magistrate loathes me. I know because when he looks at my...

Ned Stephenson

Jan 9, 20234 min

Short Story - Telegraph Hill

(People's Choice Winner in the Newcastle Herald Short Story competition 2023) It was hot, the day we drove to Bingleburra. Dad thought...

Ned Stephenson

Jan 9, 20236 min

Short Story - Son of Prometheus

(Second place in the Alice Sinclair Memorial Writing Competition 2022) My hands shook when filling the bag and now there’s dust on my...

Ned Stephenson

Oct 30, 20224 min

On polishing stones and cutting novels.

For those of you out there who write for a hobby, or on the slim chance you are reading this, and you are someone who writes for a...

Ned Stephenson

Oct 23, 20229 min

Short Story - The Mulley Hill Mob

(Originally submitted to the Best Australian Yarn short story competition 2022, then revised and submitted to the Peter Carey Short Story...

Ned Stephenson

Sep 17, 20227 min

Short Story - Iron Rose

When Sofie asked her mother why she had to give Alice a present, the response was; even when you don’t get along with people, it’s...

Ned Stephenson

Jul 17, 20222 min

Short story - Thinktank

Two men stood outside their company boardroom, looking through the glass wall at the assembly inside. ‘Do you think this is a good idea?’...

Ned Stephenson

Jun 18, 20222 min

Short story - Night-time prayer

Submitted to a short story competition on the subject of grieving. Word limit - 500 Night-time Prayer I gave him the penknife your...

Ned Stephenson

Jun 18, 20225 min

Short Story - The Fin

Published in the Newcastle Short Story Award 2019 competition Newcastle Short Story Award Anthologies - Hunter Writers Centre Word limit...

Ned Stephenson

May 15, 20223 min

Paradox of intergenerational learning

The title for this essay is heavier than I’d hoped. I had thought to use something like: Why we don’t care what our...

Ned Stephenson

Jan 23, 20225 min

Who wrote this book?

Last week my Publishing Coordinator posted a blog that sparked a notion in my mind – how often do you read or hear something, from a news...

Ned Stephenson

Dec 18, 20214 min

The benefits of hindsight

In the late 80s, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a university in Sydney. Having come from a country background, but without...

Ned Stephenson

Dec 15, 20218 min

I Love Lucy

It’s been said the first evidence of humankind that an alien life-form will receive is an episode of the 1950s sitcom, I love Lucy. If...

A repository of short stories and writing award entries. As well as general musings about the world and writing fiction

Australian Author

NED STEPHENSON