Jennifer Haugh, left, was named the staff fiction winner of Writer 2025, for her story ‘Homecoming’, while Anna Williams won the staff poetry category for her poem ‘Tumbleweed’.
Enrolling in a University of Otago paper was the encouragement staff member Jennifer Haugh needed to rediscover her passion for creative writing.
Haugh, who currently works in Timetables, took ENGL475 Reading and Writing Crime Fiction in semester one – and found that having a specific reason to write helped her actively find the time to do so.
“So when the [Writer] competition was announced I thought it would be good motivation to sit down and write something.”
It turned out to be very worthwhile – as her resulting story, Homecoming, has been named the staff fiction winner of Writer 2025, the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka’s annual creative writing competition – which this year had the prompt “Being and Belonging”.
Homecoming explores the experiences of a woman returning to Central Otago after having lived all her adult life in London, creating tension with the questions: how will she cope? What will she notice? How has she changed?
It impressed this year’s judge, Dunedin author Breton Dukes, who named Haugh the staff fiction winner alongside other category winners:
Student poetry: Ellen Murray
Student fiction: Stella Weston
Staff poetry: Anna Williams
Staff fiction: Jennifer Haugh
Alumni poetry: Tui Bevin
Alumni fiction: Ellen Bernstein
- Read the full winning entries here:
Dukes says this year’s prompt provided an array of fascinating pieces of creative prose and poetry.
“I read about different towns and cities in New Zealand, about our neighbours in the Pacific about places well beyond the horizon. There were characters both young and old. There was humour, there was sex, there was pain, there was longing.”
Haugh says her story was inspired by a recent road trip to Wānaka, where her grandmother and cousins used to live.
“The family no longer lives there but we drove past my grandmother’s old house and went out to look at the farm, which inevitably led to a lot of reminiscing about days gone by.
“It made me think about how valuable those experiences were, and how fascinating it is that the dynamic between us cousins hasn’t changed since we were kids, even though we rarely see each other these days and our lives have gone in different directions. All of that, together with the “Being and Belonging” prompt, somehow came together to spark this story. I have also always loved the rocky scenery in Alexandra. It’s my favourite part of the drive to Central.”
Dukes says Haugh’s prose was clean and clear, and the ending, on a hilltop overlooking her hometown, is both powerful and poignant.
“In a few short pages we get a really clear picture of a character and her conundrum.”
The staff poetry winner was Assistant Research Fellow Anna Williams for her poem Tumbleweed, which was inspired by a conversation she had with someone close to her.
“I am a British migrant, and we immigrated here when I was a young child. I have moved around a lot as an adult and have struggled to find a place that I feel 'at home' in so the poem is expressing some of that.”
She clearly expressed it well. Dukes: “As someone who is moved most by writing about the emotional landscape of people, I chose Tumbleweed.”
Williams says she is delighted to have been chosen as a winner.
“I am so happy! This is such a boost for me. There is so much creative talent in Otago and to be recognised like this is so encouraging.”
Haugh agrees.
“I’m truly thrilled, and somewhat bewildered – definitely not something I was expecting!”
This is the sixth year the competition has been offered – and it once again drew high-quality entries from all the University’s campuses, and from around Aotearoa New Zealand and the world.
Dukes urges all those who entered and didn’t win not to feel dispirited.
“Firstly, judging is completely subjective. I picked pieces that grabbed my heart, another reader would judge differently. Results aside, the real achievement is the bravery it takes to put yourself down on the page.”
He also encourages all entrants to keep going.
“Creative writing is a skill that is developed through practice, through honest reflection, and through close reading. It is not easy. If it was easy, it wouldn’t be so glorious when you get it right, or close to right!”
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 Senior Teaching Fellow Nicola Cummins and supported by the University Book Shop, Otago University Press, Dunedin City of Literature, Otago Access Radio, and the Otago Daily Times.
This year a special publication celebrating all the winning entries was released.