Competitions, Awards & Opportunities
The Bath Novel Award is an annual £2,000 prize for prize for unpublished and self-published or independently published novelists in any genre written for adult or young adult (13+) readers. The award is open to writers of any nationality, genre and perspective and has a strong track record in helping emerging writers to further their writing careers. 2019 dates to be confirmed.
Betty Trask left a bequest to the Society of Authors in 1983 to fund prizes for first novels written by authors under the age of 35 in a traditional or romantic, but not experimental, style.
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 fellowship will support an established Australian writer to create new work within Australia’s leading interdisciplinary centre dedicated to easing the global burden of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and related conditions through innovative research and teaching. Expressions of Interest for the 2019/2020 Writer in Residence Fellowship will open late 2018.
The CHASS Australia Prizes honour distinguished achievements by Australians working, studying, or training in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) sectors, including academics, practitioners, philanthropists, policy makers, and students. Nominations have now opened for four prizes. Two prizes are sponsored by Routledge (cash prize of $3,500 each): one for a non-fiction book/e-book that enriches Australian cultural and intellectual life, the second for ‘Distinctive Work’- an exceptional artistic performance, exhibition, film, television show, p…
Varuna, the National Writers House invites writers living in New South Wales and the greater Sydney area to apply for a two-week residency at this historic home in the Blue Mountains. Residency dates for 2017 are 11-24 September. For full details of the program and to apply, see the website.
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.
Short Story (max 3000 words), Memoir (Max 1500 words), Poetry (free and traditional combined)(Max 80 lines), Short Story (Max 800 words), Boree Log Bush Verse (max 80 lines).
National competition on theme ‘faraway’ seeks short stories, poetry, and illustrations from writers aged 7-18. Prizes include vouchers up to $250 towards Creative Write-it courses, including online mentorships for young people who are ‘faraway’, fantastic for rural and remote young people. Each category is divided into three age groups: 7-9, 10-13, and 14-18.
Category A – free verse,open style, open theme. Category B – traditional, rhymed or structured verse, open style, open theme. Maximum 60 lines. See website for further details.
The Jean Stone Award is given on the even biennial year for a poem or group of poems up to 60 lines. All entries must be unpublished, in English and typed. Check with organisers to confirm competition details.
The Marjorie Barnard Award is for a short story of no more than 3,000 words. Entrants are to be permanent residents of Australia and the work should be original, unpublished, not have won any previous competition at the time of entry, typed and double spaced on one side of A4 paper. Check with organisers to confirm 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.
An article writing competition on an open theme for punchy (even opinionated!) articles up to 2,000 words.
An award for a short story on any theme to a maximum of 3000 words. In honour of the late Angelo B. Natoli, who for many years served as the Honorary Solicitor to FAW (Victoria) Inc. One copy of each story is required; more than one entry per author may be submitted.
For a first book of poetry published after November in the preceding year. The book must have at least 20 pages of text. Self-published works are eligible. Publishers or authors are welcome to submit entries. Three copies of the book are required. Entries will not be returned. See website for entry forms (under National Literary Awards).
An award for a work of fiction by an Australian author, first published after November of previous year, and not previously published locally or overseas. Two copies of the book are required and will not be returned.
An award for an unpublished short story of up to 3000 words. This award honours Jennifer Burbidge, who suffered severe developmental difficulties and died soon after her 21st birthday, and whose story is told in Forever Baby. Royalties from the book help to fund the sponsorship of this award. Stories may deal with any aspect of the lives of those who suffer some form of physical, intellectual or mental health disability and/or the impact of disability on their families in an Australian situation. One copy of each story is required; more than one entry pe…
An anthology of writing entered by a Writers Group i.e. a number of people who meet regularly to share and further their writing interests (TAFE/University groups are ineligible). The anthology must have been created within the preceding 12 months. Each group may only submit one entry and only one copy is required. Ask for competition guidelines before submitting.
Open Theme Competition run by the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA. This is an annual competition named after two well-known West Australian short story writers. There is a new judge every year. 3,000 words maximum, maximum 3 entries.
The Tom Collins Poetry Prize is an annual open competition, held since the 1970s. Maximum three entries per person.
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.
The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is an opportunity for any young poet aged 11-17 to accelerate their writing career. Poems can be of any length and on any subject, but must be original and unpublished.
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.