Highlighting our 100th Anniversary Literary Festival
Mentone Public Library is celebrating 100 years of service to the community as a Book Lender and Writers Centre with a Centenary Literary Festival and our first-ever Writing Competition.
By entering it, you will be part of history.
Help us celebrate the happy milestone by sharing your writing skills with us!
OVERVIEW
CATEGORIES, SUBJECT & PRIZES
IMPORTANT DATES
JUDGING PANEL
HOW TO SUBMIT
ELIGIBILITY
TERMS & CONDITIONS
ABOUT THE JUDGES
OVERVIEW
Mentone Public Library was opened on May 6, 1925, by a group of enthusiastic volunteers determined to provide the local community with much-needed easy access to the written word.
It pre-empted municipal lending centres and was launched “by the people, for the people” 35 years before the first local Council-run library opened its doors.
Blossoming in this literary void, the busy operation grew and grew to the point it was lending out books by the hundreds every day.
But times, society and the way information is disseminated have dramatically changed, and we are transforming ourselves into a Writers Centre, providing a welcoming and inclusive space where members can access a diverse collection of literary resources, programs and services to network and develop their skills.
We offer writers a range of opportunities to showcase their work, including “An Author For All Seasons”, “Open Mic” and “The Writer Meets The Readers”.
The 100th celebrations are the perfect time to hold the library’s first ever Writing Competition, underlining our role of promoting literacy, lifelong learning and creative expression.
CATEGORIES, SUBJECTS & PRIZES
Categories
Entries are open in three categories:
Short Story 1500 words, maximum
Poem 50 lines, maximum
Travel Story 1500 words, maximum
Subject selection
Select a Subject from the following list for any Category:
That Day On The Beach
In The Year 2125
It Happened In The Library
Under The Bridge
OMG!!! Can you believe that?
PRIZES
First Prize: $500 for each Category, plus 12 months Membership of the Mentone Public Library.
Runner-up: $50 Book Voucher for each Category, plus 12 months Membership of the Mentone Public Library.
Entry Fee
Nil.
IMPORTANT DATES
Launch: Monday, March 10, 2025, AEDT.
Entries close: Monday April 21, 2025, at 5.00 pm AEST.
Winners announced: Saturday, May 10, at 5.00 pm AEST at Mentone Activity Hub, 29 Venice Street, Mentone, Victoria, 3194.
JUDGING PANEL
Chief Judge: George Ivanoff
Short Story: Carly Moulang
Poem: Virginia & John Lowe
Travel Story: Ian McMahon
Associate Judge, all Categories: Judy Sullivan
HOW TO SUBMIT
Submissions
Entries will be accepted via online application only.
All entries to be emailed to mentonepubliclibrary@gmail.com, with entry attached.
Attached manuscripts will be accepted as a PDF file only.
Entries will be judged blind, so:
In the email Subject space, write: Festival Writing Competition.
In the body of the email, include your:
- Name, address, email and phone number.
- The Category, the Subject selection, and the Heading of the work that is attached.
- Refer to the below image for a sample email:
At the top of the attached manuscript, include:
- The Category, the Subject selection, the word count of the work, and the Heading of the work.
- Ensure there is no name or any identifying mark on the manuscript.
Note:
- Each entry will be given a number on receipt to ensure anonymity.
- Hard copies or documents other than PDF format will not be accepted.
Formatting
Type: Times New Roman, 12 point, Double Spaced, 2.5 cm margins. Each page must be numbered.
ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to all writers in Australia, published or unpublished.
Age limit, 18 years plus.
You may enter each category if you wish.
One submission per person per category.
Entries can be fiction or non-fiction.
Entries must be the author’s original work, written in English.
Entries must comply with the word or line limit as outlined for each category in the “Category, Subjects & Prizes” section.
Entries must unpublished, either in print or online, at the time of submission and remain unpublished until after the Mentone Public Library Centenary Literary Festival winners are announced on Saturday, May 10, at 5.00 pm AEST.
Entries must not be entered in any other competition at the time of submission and must remain so until after the Mentone Public Library Centenary Literary Festival winners are announced on Saturday, May 10, at 5.00 pm AEST.
Entries will be deemed invalid if:
- The entry, excluding the title, exceeds the word or line limit set for the category.
- It is shown that the entry was not written by the entrant.
- The entry is considered by the organisers to be offensive or of an inappropriate nature.
- The entry, in any way, partly or fully, has been generated, produced, edited or altered by Artificial Intelligence. (Entries will be subject to checking through AI detecting technology.)
TERMS & CONDITIONS
No late submissions will be accepted.
Submissions that do not follow the rules will be disqualified.
Organisers will not accept an entry that does not follow the guidelines, and will not notify the entrant in those circumstances.
No material will be returned, so authors should retain copies of all submitted work.
The winners will be selected by the judge or judges based on creativity and skill.
The author retains copyright over an entry, but the Mentone Public Library reserves the right to reproduce the whole or any part of an entry in any format, whether or not a winning entry, for promotional purposes.
Winners agree to participate as required in promotional activities relating to the competition, including but not limited to, being interviewed and photographed, and agree to grant the organisers perpetual and non-exclusive licence to use such footage and photographs in all media.
Members of the competition organising committee, judges and/or their immediate families are ineligible to enter.
Entrants indemnify the organizer against all and any actions, claims or damages, arising from unauthorised use of an entry (including but not limited to infringement of intellectual property rights) that may be taken against the organiser by authorised persons.
To the extent permitted by law, all entrants release from, and indemnify the organizer against all liability, cost, loss, or expense arising out of acceptance of any prizes or participation in the competition including, but not limited to, loss of income, loss of opportunity, personal injury, and damage to property, whether direct or consequential, foreseeable, due to some negligent act or omission or otherwise.
Although every endeavour will be made to apply the rules of the contest as stated, these rules may be subject to change and Mentone Public Library reserves the right to change them.
The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
ABOUT THE JUDGES
George Ivanoff, Chief Judge
George Ivanoff has written more than 100 award-winning books for kids and teens, including RFDS Adventures, Other Worlds, the interactive You Choose series, the Gamers Trilogy, and the non-fiction Survival Guides. His latest novel, Monster Island, (Penguin Random House/Puffin) is described as a “great collision of science and legend.” George drinks too much coffee, eats too much chocolate and watches too much Doctor Who. He has one wife, two children and an uncontrollable imagination.
Carly Moulang, Short Story
Carly Moulang is an Associate Professor at Monash Business School, in the role of Director of Engagement and Impact in the Department of Accounting. She has had 25 years’ experience in higher education and is an award-winning researcher and educator. Carly is also the Treasurer and a Board Member of MSFIN, (Mums Supporting Families in Need), a local not-for-profit which provides material aid to families in crisis. In her spare time she loves to read a large variety of books.
Virginia & John Lowe, Poem
Partners for fifty-six years, Virginia and John Lowe have both been writing poems for most of their lives. Virginia’s latest collection, The Myopic’s Vision, uniquely comprises one poem for each of her years up to 80, while John’s Houndstooth is more philosophical, about the contrasts in life, joy and pain. Virginia worked as a lecturer in English, poetry and children’s literature at various universities and as a school librarian, and now teaches Creative Writing at U3A. John was the Chief Cataloguer at the State Library.
Ian McMahon, Travel Story
Ian McMahon’s journalism career saw him take out numerous Australian and international awards including the Australian Society of Travel Writers Journalist of the Year. He edited the premier industry newspaper Travel Week Australia for more than 30 years, then co-founded and edited Travel Bulletin. He also contributed to a wide range of media, including a much-loved weekly segment on Doug Aiton’s drivetime program on 3LO (now ABC Melbourne). Ian continues as a judge for the Australian Society of Travel Writers.
Judy Sullivan, Associate Judge, all Categories
A Library member for almost 30 years, Judy Sullivan has led a wonderfully creative life, teaching art at Mentone Girls Secondary College, directing the U3A Mordialloc choir, and – inspired by actress Terri Adams, another talented member – writing 30 radio plays. A talented pianist, she directed musical theatre shows for MLOC Productions, designing the sets as well as regularly playing in the orchestra and conducting the cast. Judy enjoys hearing authors talk at the Library about the whole writing process, from formulating the idea to choosing the cover.
Mentone Public Library 