Telling your own story: Spin-a-story wheels at WORD Christchurch 2026

We all have a story to share, whether it’s silly or serious, a story from our past or one that looks to the future. Sometimes all we need encouragement to tell it.

Spin-a-Story was held at Hapori, Tūranga over the weekend of WORD Christchurch 2026, encouraging anyone to spin the wheels and have a go at writing a story. Each wheel provided a ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘why’ – all prompts to get a story started. The combinations were endless and there was the fun of spinning the wheel itself.

• Who – a helpful robot, a curious kiwi, a sad footballer, a crafty librarian
• Where – a research submarine, at Tūranga after dark, a mountain top cave
• What – a secret portal to the past/future, a mysterious map, a trending TikTok dance

A prompt is simply something that gets us writing, frees the imagination to write for pleasure and without judgement – to turn off your inner critic and be in the moment. A prompt can take many forms from words to start or include in a story, to inspiration from art, music and even scents. What results is a first draft of what may become a finely tuned piece of writing, or in the case of Spin-a-Story, a spontaneous story.

The event was a great success. Many people visiting Tūranga gave it a go: published writers, those who were learning to spell first words, solo writers and collaborations between friends and family. There were many adults who took part, and as many rangatahi as tamariki. Most importantly, everyone had fun and everyone was encouraged to give it a go and let their imaginations run wild.

There is power in that – in enabling storytelling at its most basic form. It is how we communicate with each other, sharing our ideas and histories.

These stories, and many more, were on display at Tūranga over the weekend of WORD Christchurch and in the week following.

For Tamariki and Rangatahi

Submit

• Write On – submissions open now for Issue 67
• Toitoi – submission open for Issue 36 until April 2027
• NZ National Flash Fiction Day 2027 – free submissions for youth open in April 2027
• Starling – under 25 years

Work on your writing craft

• School for Young Writers – Saturday writing classes and holidays workshops

For Adults

Submit

Aotearoa literary magazines for poetry and/or prose:

• takahē
• Headland
• Mote
• Flash Frontier
• Poetry NZ Yearbook
• Sweet Mammalian
• Landfall Tauraka

Work on your writing craft

• Village Arts Centre – Creative Writing
• NZ Society of Authors online workshops
• Hagley Writers’ Institute

Library resources: Use your imagination and get writing

Get inspired by reading our interviews with children's authors from Aotearoa New Zealand or try some of the titles in our collection.