Competitions, Awards & Opportunities
A prize for traditional verse, where ‘traditional’ is defined as any style or genre of poetry that has been popular for at least 50 years, including free verse, metrical verse, rhyming verse, but not prose poems.
The Miami University Novella Prize is awarded annually to a novella-length manuscript of original fiction (18,000–40,000 words). The winner receives $750 USD, a standard contract, publication and 10 copies of the book.
Original poems on any theme, maximum line limit of 50 lines. Must not have been published or won a major prize before.
Mslexia.co.uk runs a number of writing competitions from novel, short, story, poetry and memoir. Check website for current competitions. Prize money awarded.
For previously unpublished memoirists, 5,000 words full-length memoir. Judging panel to be confirmed. First prize is £5,000.
This biennial competition is organised by The Neil Gunn Trust in partnership with High Life Highland. Writers worldwide are invited to choose one of the themes and interpret it in any way they wish – the entries do not have to be set in Scotland or during the time when Neil Gunn himself was writing. Stories up to 2500 words, written in English, Scots or a combination of both.
Knightville Poetry Contest: Three poems per entry. Up to 150 lines per poem. Machigonne Fiction Contest: Submit up to 5000 words of prose, anything from flash to long stories. Novel excerpts are welcome, as long as the manuscript functions as a stand-alone story. Previously unpublished work only. International submissions welcome.
Knightville Poetry Contest: Three poems per entry. Up to 300 lines per poem. Machigonne Fiction Contest: Submit up to 7,500 words of prose, anything from flash to long stories. Novel excerpts are welcome, as long as the manuscript functions as a stand-alone story. Previously unpublished work only. International submissions welcome.
Poets are invited to respond to artworks selected from the Council Visual Art Collection. Each poem must be no longer than twelve lines, and may be in any genre of poetry. The artworks will be exhibited in the Council Office foyer and on the Council website.
The competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over. Poems should be in English, unpublished, not accepted or submitted for publication elsewhere, and must be the entrant’s original work.
We are looking for an opening chapter up to 3,000 words, plus a one page synopsis outlining the balance of the story. Entry fee: £10 Optional Critique of Chapter and Synopsis: £25
The NSW Writers’ Centre Varuna Fellowship is open to writers in any genre who have a manuscript that is ready for the next stage of development. The winning writer receives a one-week residential fellowship at Varuna, the Writers’ House. Entrants must be members of the NSW Writers’ Centre.
Enter a single poem of no more than 100 lines. Guarantees winners wide exposure through publication in ABR. The guidelines, closing date and entry form are available on the ABR website.
For the best article of the year that appears in ‘Australiana’.
Categories for poetry and short stories. Closing dates: 23 April, 31 October. Also mini-challenge every month, entry fee $1.20 in unused postage stamps. Contact the Editor for details.
Administered by the Australian Society of Authors, this program offers a one-week residency at Varuna, The Writers’ House, to an unpublished writer or illustrator under 30. Applicants must be Associate members of the ASA. The recipient is provided with a private working space to further develop a work-in-progress, as well as accommodation and meals. Travel expenses are not covered.
Entries must be fiction but can be on any subject and written in any style or form. International competition based in the UK. Entries must be between 180-360 words.
The Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award encourages the development of new Australian plays or performing arts projects emphasizing positive values. The Award is offered each year for the development of a play or other approved performing arts project. The Award provides financial assistance for playwrights during the writing or development of a play or a project. It is not intended as a prize for a finished work.
Poetry entries must be unpublished, and not entered in any other competition. Maximum 40 lines, typed on A4 paper with pen name only. Contact the Society for details about competitions and to confirm closing dates.
The Somerset National Novella Writing Competition is offered by Somerset College and is part of its Celebration of Literature Festival. Competition open to all Australian secondary students. Entrants must be under 19 years of age at close of entries. Required word length is 8,000 to 20,000 words.
The Young Australian Christian Writer Award is given annually for the best unpublished manuscript by an Australian citizen under 30 years of age. With the Young Australian Christian Writer Award Sparklit discovers and nurtures writers of the future.
Humour – maximum 1500 words
Annual short story competition, up to 1,000 words. See website for this year’s theme. Winner receives financial prize and anthology cover based on their story. Top 40 stories are published and all those published receive a free copy of the anthology.
Poems of any length, type or theme. Must be neatly written, typed, or lodged online. Winning poems will be published online every year. All other rights remain with the author.
Short stories, essays and prose of any type. Maximum length: 6,000 words. Must be neatly written, typed, or lodged online. Winning stories will be published on the Winning Writers website. All other rights remain with the author.