Two of the winners of Writer 2022, the University of Otago’s annual creative writing competition, set their entries in the supermarket – but their interpretations of the theme “Brave New World” couldn’t be more different.
BCom/LLB finalist Lennox Tait won the student poetry category with a witty poem which flipped the theme and took the reader on a journey about Braving New World, the supermarket; while 2010 BA(Hons) graduate Rebecca Styles won the alumni fiction category with “Stock Levels”, a story exploring the worst-case scenario if there aren’t enough protections in place to ensure people’s right to data privacy.
Both say they are thrilled to win, alongside the other category winners:
- Student poetry: Lennox Tait
- Student fiction: Jessica Bent
- Staff poetry: Abby Smith
- Staff fiction: Gini Jory
- Alumni poetry: Giles Graham
- Alumni fiction: Rebecca Styles
Tait says he can’t write sad or serious pieces. Rather, he prefers to write something that will make people smile.
“With this year’s theme, doing that was challenging, which made me even more determined to flip the thing on its head. I like to remind myself to not take things so seriously; and that there’s always something to laugh about.”
The competition’s judge, New Zealand writer and Otago staff member Craig Cliff, says Tait’s untitled poem “really went for it … speaking to the challenges we face in 2022”. It also featured the best “dad-joke-adjacent take on the theme Brave New World”.
Styles, who graduated in 2010 with a BA(Hons) in English, then completed an MA in Creative Writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters and a PhD in Creative Writing at Massey University. She is currently an investigative writer at Consumer NZ, and teaches short story writing part-time at Wellington High School Community College.
“At work, I write about consumer issues, such as privacy and how data could potentially be used,” she says. “So, I’ve taken a flight of fancy, with this story.”
Cliff says Styles’ winning story “Stock Levels” has the key elements of a good story: “a mystery, a touch of humour, interesting characters. Immensely enjoyable and thought-provoking.”
There were nearly 100 entries across six categories this year – with the contest open to alumni for the first time this year. Cliff says the standard was, as always, very high “making choosing winners very difficult”.
“Reading the entries this year, I have been transported to different planets, asked to ponder the plight of refuges, native birds and captive octopuses, and been granted windows into depression and anxiety, romance and joy.
“It was a privilege to get a taste of what concerns and delights staff, students and alumni in 2022.”
He says many staff entries related to experience of leaving one’s homeland for another country, possibly exacerbated by the pandemic, while many students were concerned by environmental degradation.
“Some of the winning entries stood out because they were so polished. Others might still have a few rough edges, but their raw energy and inventiveness was irresistible. But all entrants should feel proud for taking the time to think creatively and make something in the midst of their busy lives.”
The competition was established in 2019 as part of the University’s 150th celebrations. It is organised by University Publications Editor Lisa Dick and English and Linguistics Programme Teaching Fellow Nicola Cummins and supported by University Book Shop, Otago University Press, Dunedin City of Literature, Otago Access Radio and the Otago Daily Times.
