Competitions, Awards & Opportunities
An initiative of the Heraldry and Genealogy Society of Canberra (HAGSOC), the competition is an opportunity for family history enthusiasts to share their writing, and is a forum to foster the preservation of family history research through stories.
Each year, ten outstanding writers are selected to receive $15,000 each to develop their work. They are matched with a mentor and will work closely with them on bringing their writing to life, connecting them with peers, publishers and readers.
In honour of historical novelist, Elizabeth Jane Corbett, the HNSA is offering the chance for a previously unpublished author from Australia or New Zealand to receive a mentorship with Wendy J Dunn to develop a completed first draft of an unpublished historical fiction manuscript for young adults.
Have a daunting project but no support? Queensland Writers Centre’s Fishbowl Residency provides the writing space, mentorship and assistance for one lucky writer to complete a draft of their work. Over this ten-week residency, the successful resident works from our offices and shares their progress with our members. Applications are accepted all year round and are open only to current, financial members of Queensland Writers Centre.
Make your work a published bestseller by building your author brand, marketing and business strategy. In this program, get your book ahead in the literary market by building your author brand, digital marketing and business strategy. Walk away with marketing content, a concept website and all the publishing resources needed to make your book a published bestseller. This intensive course is an absolute must for any author with an unpublished manuscript.
Once a year, one writer is selected for the Flinthart Residency, getting the chance to spend 10 weeks working full-time on their next project at a dedicated space in the Queensland Writers Centre offices in the State Library of Queensland. They will be awarded a stipend and 15-hour mentorship with an industry professional to support them during their residency.
Now in its seventh year, the Richell Prize is again open to unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction.
Part of the Northern Territory Literary Awards. Entries open to original works of short fiction or a single poem by a person aged 12 to 18 years as of 1 January 2021 – up to three poetry entries per person with a 300-line limit or a short story up to 3000 words
The Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) celebrate the achievements of authors and publishers in bringing Australian books to readers.
Right Left Write is run in conjunction with Queensland Writers Centre’s weekly newsletter, Pen & Pixel. Each month we announce a prompt word or theme in Pen & Pixel, then it’s over to you to create a short story of up to 500 words and right, left, write. Members can enter for free and non-members can enter for a $5 fee. One entry per person per month.
Scriptable is Queensland Writers Centre’s program for emerging script or screen writers, whether just out of university/film school, still completing a degree, or just looking to enter the industry. Giving writers the opportunity to submit their manuscript, be assessed, participate in a workshop, and potentially be matched with an industry mentor, the idea is to form longer standing relationships with these industry mentors that reach far into the future.
The Department of English at the University of Sydney invites women poets to submit their collection of poems to Australia’s richest poetry prize, the Helen Anne Bell Poetry Bequest Award. The winning manuscript will be published by Vagabond Press.
The Lane Cove Literary Awards is a prestigious national writing competition organised by Lane Cove Council that recognises writing excellence and fosters Australian writing talent.
The Queensland Literary Awards celebrate and promote outstanding Australian writers. State Library of Queensland proudly manages the awards in collaboration with sponsors, industry partners and the writing community.
Each ABR Fellowship is worth $5000. Funded by ABR’s generous Patrons and by philanthropic foundations, the Fellowship program is intended to reward outstanding Australian writers and to advance the magazine’s commitment to critical debate and literary values. ABR will offer two or three such Fellowships each year.
Internationally recognised competition in two categories: Poetry and Short Fiction. Finalists published in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual.
The AlburyCity Short Story Award offers $1000 cash first prize. The maximum word limit is 3000 words. Entry fee is $10. Details and conditions of entry can be found on the website.
The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association is to foster and encourage the growth of Bush Poetry in Australia. By definition, Australian Bush Poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life.
All entrants must reside in Australia. Young Writers Awards (YWA) for Prose and Poetry on open theme (Junior 600-800 words/200 lines; Senior 1,000-1,200 words/200 lines). All YWA entrants must reside, work, or go to school in the City of Boroondara. Confirm closing date, rules and prize money with organisers.
The Debut Dagger is open to anyone who has not yet had a novel published commercially. Send the opening chapter(s) – up to 3000 words – and a 500-1000 word synopsis of your proposed crime novel.
Competition includes categories for preschool aged picture books, primary-school aged picture books, non-fiction picture books, chapter books, Middle Grade illustrated novel (NEW section), young adult Novels, graphic novels and illustrated picture books, and illustration. Published author section. Please see the website for further details.
Awarded on the even biennial year for an original, unpublished manuscript which shows some aspect of Australian History or has some Australian Historical significance. Theme is ‘Life Writing’, defined as a work of biography, autobiography, memoir, monograph, bibliography. Word count: 10,000 to 25,000.
Calling all queer writers – Feast’s annual writing competition is now open. The theme this year is ‘Square’. Max. 1,500 words prose, 20 lines poetry. Entry fee $5 each entry.
Original and previously unpublished poems with a limit of two poems per poet. Names and addresses of poets must appear on cover sheet only, not on poems. Poem title to appear on entries, and on the cover sheet for identification purposes. Please supply a contact phone number. The competition is restricted to South Australian residents. Entries will not be returned. Check website for further details.
The Gold Coast Writers’ Association (GCWA) encourages and supports writers from all genres, age groups and levels of writing to grow and excel in their craft. Guest speakers are invited from all genres of writing. Speakers are encouraged to share information about their writing life, discuss their techniques, and launch and sell their books. We encourage guest speakers to include a mini-workshop for members during their presentation. Vistors are invited to attend meetings (entry fee: members $5, non-members $10). Membership offers the additional advantag…