creative writing competitions australia 2021

COMPETITIONS

• WRITERS' GROUPS
• OTHER INTERESTING SITES

AUSTRALIAN WRITERS' RESOURCE

[email protected]

UPDATED 01/09/2024

The following information has been extracted from other websites and no assurance can be given as its correctnes s.

Give your hard work the best chance to win, make sure that you follow the entry requirements!

If the entry conditions don't specify it, then generally you can submit the same entry to different competitions at the same time - but if your entry places in one then you should inform the organisers of the other competitions. It is then up to them whether your entry is disqualified or not.

Allow for time to post and double-check closing dates, particularly if the organiser is in another time zone.

NEW LISTINGS THIS MONTH

Armadale Writers' Award Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize Campbelltown Writers' Competition Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Competition Lambing Flat Regional Writing Competition Once Upon in Our Minds Pens Against Poverty Queensland Poetry Awards Shore Scripts Short Film Fund - Fall Season Short Stories Unlimited Poetry Competition Somerset National Poetry Prize Sorrento Creative Writing Prize Southword Editor's Poetry Award Storyfest National Novella Writing Competition The Best of Times Short Story Competition The Bethamy Nader Short Story Prize The Commonwealth Short Story Prize The Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Competition The Masters Review Chapbook Award for Emerging Writers The Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest The Moth Poetry Prize The Pearl Prize The Poetry Society National Competition The Stringybark Past Times Short Story Award The Westwords Prize University of Tasmania Prize

AWC Furious Fiction

Opens:  5pm (Sydney/Melbourne time) Monthly Closes: 55 hours later Open to:  17 years and older Theme:  Story prompt provided Accepts:  Flash Fiction Size:  500 words Entry Fee:  Nil Prize : Not mentioned

Flash 500 Flash Fiction Competition

Closing Date:  Quarterly competitions - see website Open to:  All Theme:  None Accepts:  Flash Fiction Size:  500 words Entry Fee:  £5 for one story, £8 for two stories Prize : First:  £300,  Second:  £200,  Third:  £100 Little Stories, Big Ideas Closing Date:  Quarterly competitions - see website Open to: Australian Secondary School Students Theme: See website * Accepts: Any literary style - Year 10 - 12 Size: 100 words Entry Fee: Nil Prize : First: VentralIP Hosting and Domain Name Package (value $140), Second: Express Media membership and latest issue of Voiceworks magazine,  Third: $50 voucher from Readings Bookstore * Accepts: Any literary style - Year 7 - 9 Size: 100 words Entry Fee: Nil Prize : First: $50 voucher from Readings Bookstore, Second: StoryCraft Writing Mentorship

The Letter Review Prize US COMPETITION Closing date: Every second month Open to: All Theme: None * Accepts: Short Fiction Size: 5,000 words Entry Fee: Nil for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool * Accepts: Poetry Size: 70 lines Entry Fee: Nil for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool * Accepts: Nonfiction Size: 5,000 words Entry Fee: $US 2 for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool * Accepts: Unpublished Book Size: Prose: First 5,000 words, Poetry: First 15 pages, Total size: Novels: minimum 45,000 words, Novellas: 25,000 – 45,000 words, Short Story Collections: minimum 25,000 words, Nonfiction: minimum 40,000 words. Poetry: minimum 20 pages (with some flexibility) Entry Fee: Nil for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool

THROUGH THE YEAR

Website Created & Hosted with Doteasy Web Hosting Canada

• Opportunities
• Winter Program
• Youth Workshops
• Online Events
• Regional Program

Competitions and Opportunities

Whatever your writing goals for 2024, you’ll find a range of opportunities in our round-up of literary prizes, competitions, fellowships, calls for submissions and more below—updated weekly! 

Subscribe to our weekly e-news for the latest opportunities straight to your inbox, and view a list of Australian and international publications here .

Writing prizes are a great way to give yourself a deadline, build your publication credits, as well offering a financial incentive at any stage of your writing career. Keep an eye on our program of workshops to get you ready to enter your best work.

Please note that inclusion on this page is not an endorsement. Writers should always carefully check terms and conditions for information on fees, rights, and eligibility.

Do you have an opportunity to share? Submit it for review here .

Skip to a month:

Closes 1 July

Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award

With a major prize of $40,000, this award is Waverley Council’s annual celebration of the best in Australian research-based literature. Literary works of any genre first published between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 are eligible for submission.

Fellowships

2024 abr inglis fellowship.

The recipient of this fellowship will contribute three review essays and/or commentaries in the field of Australia history and culture, which the Australian Book Review will publish in print and online. The Fellow will receive a total of $5000, in three instalments, and will work closely with ABR Editor Peter Rose. Any writer aged thirty-five and under is eligible to apply: scholars, academics, journalists, commentators, creative writers, etc. 1 July.

Kate Challis RAKA Award

The Kate Challis RAKA Award is now open for applications from Indigenous screenwriters working in film and television. In 2024, the $25,000 award supports an Indigenous screenwriter who has the best script for film or television performed in the past five years.

Wasafiri Queen Mary New Writing Prize

The prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. Categories: Fiction, Life Writing and Poetry. Word Count: Max 3,000 words. Entry: £12 for a single entry, £16 for a double entry, and £6 for a single subsidised entry. Winners: £1,000 cash prize (for each category) and publication in Wasafiri’s print magazine. Deadline: 5pm BST on 1 July.

Closes 7 July

The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers

Entries are now open for unpublished writers of adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. The Prize will be judged on the first three chapters of the submitted work, along with a synopsis and detail about how the author’s writing career would benefit from winning the Prize. The winner will receive $10,000 in prize money and a year’s mentoring with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers.

Closes 12 July

Imago Fellowship

$50,000 – For creative writing – fiction or non-fiction, across any genre – utilising the collections of the State Library of NSW.

Closes 14 July

Carclew Fellowships

Carclew Fellowships offer financial support up to $10,000 to young artists and arts workers, across a variety of mediums including the written word. Age limit: up to 26 years; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants up to 30 years.

Closes 1 7 July

Australian Publishers Association (APA) – Children’s Editorial Program

APA’s new Children Editorial Program makes training available for editorial staff working in children’s publishing. A two-day picture book editing Intensive will take place at RMIT in Melbourne in October for successful applicants.

Closes 21 + 28 July

Open for submissions

Voiceworks – submissions.

Non-fiction pitches close: 21 July. Fiction & poetry submissions close: 28 July. Voiceworks publishes works by writers and artists under the age of 25. Submit fiction up to 3,000 words, poetry up to 100 lines, and pitches for non-fiction, for consideration for publication in upcoming issue Loaf .

Closes 21 July

July Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Calling writers of all ages and levels of ability to create an original piece of flash fiction of 500 words or less based on two typical writing prompts plus one “anti-prompt”. Compete for A$2,000 in cash prizes, including $1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and 2 ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice

Closes 27 July

The 2024 Nakata Brophy Short Fiction and Poetry Prize for Young Indigenous Writers

The Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers, established in 2014 and now in its ninth year, recognises the talent of young Indigenous writers across Australia. In 2024, first prize will be awarded to the best poem up to 88 lines by an Indigenous writer who is 35 years or younger at the closing date of the competition. A runner-up prize may also be awarded. Entries close 27 July 2024 at 11:59pm AEST.

Closes 22 July

Call for submissions

Splinter journal.

We are thrilled to announce that our new literary journal, Splinter , has opened submissions for its inaugural issue. We warmly invite writers to send us writing across various fiction, non-fiction and poetic forms.

mindshare Awards

A poetry and creative writing competition open to South Australians with lived experience of mental health challenges. Categories include Unpublished Emerging Poets, Unpublished Emerging Writers, Published Established Poets, Published Established Writers. Prizes for shortlisted writers and winner.

Closes 31 July

The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers

Open to Australian secondary school-aged students; recognises writing excellence in three categories: Poetry (up to 100 lines), Fiction and Creative Nonfiction (up to 3,000 words). Prize winners in each category receive $500 and publication online with Express Media. 15 shortlisted writers participate in a writing masterclass.

Anthology Short Story Competition

Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Short Story Competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.

Port Writers Open Writing Competition 2024

Entries invited in 2 categories – Short Story (to 2500 words), Poetry (to 32 lines). Prizes in each category – 1st $200, 2nd $50, Hastings Award (local writers) $50. Entry Fee $10 (limit in 3 entries per category).

Competition

New writers poetry competition 2024.

The New Writers Poetry Competition 2024 is open for entries of poems (42 lines max) on any theme and from anywhere in the world. The winner will receive £1,000 (with £300 for second place and £200 for third). The three winning poems will be published on the site and in a future New Writers Anthology. £1.00 from each entry will be donated to First Story, a creative writing charity for young people.

Flying Islands Poetry Manuscript Competition

Prize for a full length poetry manuscript (between 60-90 A4 pages); entries open to poets who have not yet published a full-length poetry collection. Winner receives $1,000 cash, publication Flying Island Pocket Poets Series, and consideration for a Arbaro Writers and Artists Residency. Other finalists may also be offered publication.

The Society of Women Writers Tasmania – Rose Frankcombe Short Story Award

Open to all Australian writers. Submit short fiction up to 1,500 words on the theme of Blue. First prize $200, second prize $50.

Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) Indexing Awards and John Simkin Medal 2024

Nominations are now open for the above awards. The ANZSI John Simkin Medal recognises an outstanding book index or periodical index compiled in Australia or New Zealand. ‘Highly Commended’ certificates may also be awarded.

Indexes may be nominated by authors, editors, indexers, publishers or readers.

Nomination forms, assessment criteria and lists of previous winners are available at the website .

The Ampersand Prize for Debut Manuscript

Awarded biennially to an extraordinary debut manuscript for children or young adults, with the winning author receiving a publishing contract with an advance against royalties, as well as editorial development to prepare the book for market.

UWA Publishing – submissions

University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP) is now accepting general submissions of adult fiction and poetry manuscripts. UWAP now also accepts submissions of scholarly and non-fiction manuscripts year-round.

Writers SA Varuna Fellowship

Each year we team up with Varuna, the National Writers’ House, to offer writing residency and development fellowships for South Australian writers working in any genre or form. The fellowships provide time, writing space, and consultation to work on your writing in a dedicated writers’ retreat in the beautiful Country of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples in the Blue Mountains. Opens for applications in July.

First Friday of each month

Writing challenges

Furious fiction.

On the first Friday of the month, you are invited to submit a short story up to 500 words, referencing the monthly theme, with only 55 hours to write.

Entries close monthly

The Wakefield Weekly Writing Competition

An exciting monthly challenge for authors Australia-wide. Each month, Wakefield Press release a new prompt for authors to respond to. The prize includes gift vouchers and the publication of winning entries on the Wakefield Press blog. 

Entries close Monthly

Submissions

Aniko press guest book reviews.

Aniko will be accepting one to two guest book reviews per month that fit with the tone and style of Aniko Press. The main focus is on literary and contemporary fiction, short story collections, poetry, interesting/experimental nonfiction and exciting graphic novels. Book reviews should be between 600-900 words, and contain a mix of literary criticism and personal opinion. Each published review is paid $50.00.

Entries close Various

Country Arts SA Grants 

Country Arts SA have a range of grants to support arts and cultural activities in regional South Australia . View the grants page for those currently open.

Closes Monthly

Right Left Write

QLD Writers Centre’s monthly short fiction competition Right Left Write is a great opportunity to get your writing published. Winning entries are published in the newsletter, on their website, and in an annual print anthology edition. Monthly.

Entries close 4 August

The 2024 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize

In 2016 at the age of 93, the poet and activist Venie Holmgren passed away. To honour his mother, David Holmgren, permaculture co-originator established the Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize. *Fee

Entries close 11 August

SA Literary Fellowships 2025

Writers SA and State Library of South Australia have partnered to offer the SA Literary Fellowships program to support emerging, established, and First Nations writers. This program will offer five annual creative writing fellowships with a cash component, desk space, and access to the Library’s collections. It is open to all writers living in South Australia to encourage the original and imaginative use of the Library’s spaces and collections to develop new literary works.

Entries close 12 August

The Best Australian Yarn

The West Australian is calling all writers – published or unpublished – from every corner of Australia to get creative and submit their short story of up to 2,500 words. Whether you’re an accomplished author, a budding writer or a complete newcomer to creative writing, submissions from everyone 12 years and over are welcome. The prize pool is $80,000 across 18 prizes with the winning entry receiving a $50,000 cash prize.

Peter Blazey Fellowship

$17,000 award intended to further a work in progress from writers in the non-fiction fields of biography, autobiography and life writing.

The Hage Award for First Nations Writers

Over a period of 12 months, two First Nations writers will be awarded financial and in-kind support to develop a debut manuscript (fiction and/or nonfiction).

Entries close 15 August

Screen Australia/SBS/NITV Digital Originals Program

Calling all emerging SA writers. This program is aimed at developing exciting and innovative online scripted series, with applicant teams from around the country chosen to develop and produce bold and original series of 6 x 10 minute episodes for broadcast on SBS and NITV.

Entries close 25 August

2025 Varuna Fellowship s

The Writers SA Varuna Fellowship is open to all writers living in South Australia who are current Writers SA members. The fellowship provides time, writing space, and consultation to work on your writing in a dedicated writers’ retreat in the beautiful Country of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples in the Blue Mountains.

Entries close 26 August

ASLA DANZ Children’s Book Award

Open to nominations for published works (2022, 2023 or 2024) of young adult fiction, non-fiction, ​graphic novels and poetry that ‘pushes boundaries, challenges stereotypes, and celebrates diverse and marginalised people and communities’.

Entries close 30 August

Deaf Writing Commission 2024

With generous funding from the Copyright Agency and Arts SA, Writers SA will commission 6 Deaf* writers to create pieces of work to be published in our new literary journal –  Splinter . Each writer will have a piece of up to 1,000 words published in English and recorded in Auslan, and will receive a $1,000 payment.

Entries close 31 August

Olga Masters Short Story Award

Accepts entries of short stories (2,000–4,000 words) on the theme of life in rural Australia. Main Prize of $1,500 plus publication in Island magazine; $500 for runner-up.

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award

An international literary prize that is a hotbed for new talent in poetry and short fiction. Each winner is awarded with £2,500 as well as publication.

BREW Poetry Award

The BREW Poetry Award honours the profound beauty and transformative impact of verse, recognising poets who skillfully weave language to evoke emotions and imagery. Awards include Judges’ Pick and Community’s Pick, with winners receiving a badge, digital certificate, and potential feature in an anthology or in a The World’s Best Magazine print edition. Entry is free.

Anthology Personal Memoir Competition

Everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours? Authors are invited to share a unique life experience. Whether your memoir recounts a transformative journey, a poignant moment, or a life-altering event, we welcome your story. The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition is open to original and previously unpublished memoirs in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. The winner will receive €500 and publication.

NSW Poetry Pr ize

Open to Australian and international residents aged 17 years and over. Submissions up to 50 lines (excluding line spaces) are accepted. The theme is courage. The top 3 winning entries will receive cash prizes. For full terms and conditions and entry form please visit our website.

Entries close August

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards

The most valuable literary prize in the country, with prizes for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Award for Indigenous Writing and Writing for Young Adults – each receive $25,000. The winner of the Award for an Unpublished Manuscript receives $15,000. The winners of the six main suite categories go on to contest the overall Victorian Prize for Literature, worth an additional $100,000. Usually closes August.

Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Awards

Cash prizes for the best crime short stories by Australian women. Maximum length: 5000 words.  $12,365 in prizes on offer. The awards usually close August.

Opens 1 September

Commonwealth Short Story Prize

The prize is free to enter and open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country who is aged 18 and over. It is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–5,000 words). Regional winners each receive £2,500 and the opportunity to be published online by Granta magazine, and the overall winner receives £5,000. A free prize for unpublished short fiction, open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country. Translations or entries in languages other than English are also accepted. The 2025 prize will open for submissions on 1 September 2024.

Opens 6 September

ESU – Roly Sussex Short Story Competition

Literary award that fosters original creative writing, including ‘experimental, challenging or thought-provoking work’. Submit writing up to 3,000 words. First-place winners’ travel to attend the awards ceremony covered up to $500. All stories submitted will be considered for publication by ESU.

Closes 8 September

Carclew Project and Development Grants

Project and Development Grants are now open for Round 1 2025. This program is designed to support and encourage the growth and development of young talent in the South Australian arts community. Receive a grant up to $10,000 to fund development and/or presentation of new or existing work, and/or projects which enable participation in the arts for children and young people.

Closes 15 September

Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund

Round 12 is now open for the Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund which recognises the unique value of travel in the development of writing and literary careers. Applicants can apply for grants between $2,000 and $10,000. These grants support professional development through travel. Travel activities are to take place between: 11 November 2024 – 11 November 2025 (inclusive).

Entries close 23 September

2024 Illustration Prize for Children’s Picture Book Publishing

This annual, nationally recognised prize garners a great deal of interest from the industry and several of our winners have been awarded contracts with major publishers.

Closing 29 September

Open submissions

Story unlikely.

Story Unlikely is seeking short stories. Submission period runs from February 2nd through September 29th. No restrictions on genre (seeking all types of stories; fiction and creative nonfiction). 10k word limit (15k for Members). 8 cents a word, reprints are 1 cent a word (we cap payment at $200, or $400 for Members). All published stories are illustrated. No submission fee.

Closing September

Saddleworthy Book & Art Event

An artist and author event to be held in the Saddleworth Institute on 28th September 2024. This is an opportunity to showcase your talent and is open to everyone. EOIs are open now.

Closing 27 September

The Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing

The Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing is open to writers from all over Australia, for unpublished works in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry categories. Visit the New England Writers’ Centre (NEWC) website for information and guidelines. Entry fee is $10 for adults, and $5 for writers under-18 years. Submission window closes at the end of September, and winners announced in November. The entries are all judged anonymously by industry professionals.

Entries close 30 September

Campbelltown Writers’ Competition

Writers from across SA are invited to submit their original stories inspired by the theme of “Journey”. Open to all genres and formats, including short stories, factual articles, memoirs and poetry to 2,500 words, and must have a link to the Campbelltown or resident. 30 September .

The Letter Review Prize

For short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and unpublished books. Winners share in the $4000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Shortlisted in each category. All entries considered for publication, and for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other anthologies.

Woorilla Poetry Prize

Be part of a highly recognised poetry competition that has assisted poets for over 30 years. Enjoy the opportunity to win cash prizes and have your work published in multiple categories.  Closes 30th September 2024.

The Moth Nature Writing Prize

The Prize will be awarded to three unpublished pieces of prose (word limit 4000) or poetry which best combine exceptional literary merit with an exploration of the writer’s relationship with the natural world. 1st prize €1,000 plus a week at Circle of Misse in France, 2nd prize €500, 3rd prize €250. Open to anyone (over 16). There is an entry fee of €15. This year’s judge is award-winning nature writer Cal Flyn.

Port Stephens Literature Award

The award is for short stories of up to 2000 words on any topic and must be original. $1100 in prize money.

Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

Established to inspire creativity, great writing and to provide a platform for publication. The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is open to original and previously unpublished flash fiction pieces on any theme or genre in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for writing that is clever and unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling story. The winner will receive a €300 cash prize.

Anthology Nature Writing Competition

The Anthology Nature Writing Competition is created to celebrate the beauty of the natural world, inspire literary excellence and encourage Anthology’s readers to explore the great outdoors. Whether it’s the wonder of life right in your own garden, an encounter with wildlife, the serenity of a forest, a reflection on environmental challenges, or the healing power of nature, we welcome your stories. The winner will receive €500.

Applications close March & Sept

Carclew’s Project & Development grants for individuals

Carclew offers grants to early career artists aged 26 years or under, for arts projects with a tangible outcome and/or skills and career development. Project & Development grants for individuals provide up to $10,000 and are offered twice per year for activity occurring in the following six months.  Closing March and September.

Entries usually close September

Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli Fellowship for Writers

Open to mid-career writers, this $13,500 fellowship is awarded to someone in recognition of their literary achievements and commitment to humanity and social justice issues. Applicants must be under the age of 40 and identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, living with a disability, or culturally and linguistically diverse. Usually closes September each year.

May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Ian Wilson Memorial Fellowship

Apply for this “gift of time and support”, which includes accommodation, local support, and travel to Adelaide providing creative time away from home.

Entries close September

POEM FOREST

A free nature writing prize that breathes life back into the natural world that sustains us. Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with Wollongong City Council, POEM FOREST invites students and teachers to use their words to make positive climate action. For every nature poem received a tree is planted to help heal habitats. All POEM FOREST Prize entries are published in a digital library and have the chance to win $5,000 in prizes. Usually closes September.

Entries open September

Fellowship | Scholarship

Magabala books fellowship and scholarship.

The Fellowship, worth $10,000 is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers is intended to provide valuable time for a mid-career author to work on a current manuscript. The scholarships support professional development relating to writing, illustration and storytelling, and are open to both emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers, artists, illustrators and storytellers. Applications usually open in September.

Closes 7 October

2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

Australian Book Review welcomes entries for the twenty-first Peter Porter Poetry Prize, which is open to all international poets from 1 July 2024 until midnight 7 October 2024. First prize is worth $6,000. Entries must be an original single-authored poem of not more than 60 lines written in English. The five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2025 issue and the winner will be announced at a ceremony later that month.

Closes 20 October

October Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Calling writers of all ages and levels of ability to create an original piece of flash fiction of 500 words or less based on two typical writing prompts plus one “anti-prompt”. Compete for A$2,000 in cash prizes, including $1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and 2 ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice.

Closes 30 October

Anthology Photography Competition

Open to photographers working at any level, the Anthology Photography Competition celebrates outstanding standalone images. It also provides a platform for photographers to showcase their work through publication. Images submitted must be on the theme of ‘Everyday Wonders’. Submissions will be judged on quality, creativity, originality, and visual/emotional impact. The winner will receive a €500 cash prize.

Anthology Travel Writing Competition

Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and to provide a platform for publication. The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for an engaging article that captures the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. FIRST: €500

Closes 31 October

Anthology Poetry Competition

Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Poetry Competition is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language. Entries are invited from poets of all nationalities, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Poems submitted should not exceed 40 lines. FIRST: €1,000 cash prize and publication

Anthology Art Competition

The Anthology Art Competition is established to foster and support both established and emerging visual artists and provide a platform for publication. The competition is open to multiple genres including painting, printmaking, mixed media, photography and digital media. The winner will receive €500 and editorial coverage in a future issue of Anthology.

Closes October

Competitions

Nsw premier’s literary awards.

The annual awards are the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia, covering all genres of writing. entries usually close in October.

The Stella Prize

The Stella Prize awards the best book by an Australian woman, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry with $50,000. Nominations usually close October.

Entries close 8 November

The 2024 Marj Wilke Short Story Award

This competition is open to Australian Women Writers over the age of 18 years. Calling for short stories, any genre and up to 1500 words, not including title. Entry Fee is $15 or $40 for three. First prize $350, runner-up $150, and an encouragement award $75, plus certificates.

Closes November

Residencies and Fellowships

Writers sa varuna fellowships.

Each year we team up with Varuna, the National Writers’ House, to offer two new writing residency and development fellowships for SA writers working in any genre or form. The fellowships provide time, writing space, and consultation to work on your writing in a dedicated writers’ retreat in the Blue Mountains. Usually closes November.

Miles Franklin Literary Award

One of Australia’s most prestigious literature prizes, the Miles Franklin accepts applications from publishers usually until November.

Closing November

CBCA Book of the Year Awards

Awards for published Australian books for readers under the age of eighteen. Six categories including Book of the Year for Older Readers, Younger Readers, and Early Childhood Readers; Picture Book of the Year, Eve Pownall Award and Award for New Illustrator. Entries open March-November.

Entries close November 30

Residency at Lighthouse Arts Newcastle

Immerse. Focus. Create. Applications for Lighthouse Arts residencies are now open for August to December 2024. Open to writers and creatives of all backgrounds, disciplines, and stages, our residency rounds cater to both local and visiting artists.

Closing 31 December

Seeking submissions

Sojournal: one image one story.

Sojournal is a non-profit labour of love and at present we cannot offer payment to contributors. We will not be running any advertisements on our site so the only income we might achieve is through donations. Sojournal exists to support you in your story telling because we love great travel stories. If you are published by Sojournal we will spread your work as widely as possible.

Stay in the loop:

The latest literary news, events, opportunities, workshops, competitions and more, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Major Supporters

Minds Shine Bright

Supporting creative communities

Minds Shine Bright acknowledges the Yalukit-Willam clan of the Boon Warring people of the Kulin nations, theTraditional Custodians of the land where we live and work and where this website was made. We pay respects to their long history and culture, and their Elders, past, present and emerging.

Confidence 2 Book Launch

In July we started working in Partnership with Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation to start planning the celebrations for the Confidence 2 Book Launch- Finding New Voices a live event which will be held on Saturday 21st September from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. The event will feature readings from local and international writers, an open mic, a panel discussion ‘Building Confidence in Creative Communities’ and afternoon tea. If you are from Greater Geelong or surrounds and would like a great day out come along and enjoy the celebrations. For more information view the library event listing and you can order tickets here

Be inspired by our latest news and events Minds Shine Bright is dedicated to shining a bright light on the arts, creative writing, books, places where book lovers gather and creative communities.

Follow usConfidence 2 Book Launch

Subscribe here to keep informed and find out more about our competitions, events, books, writers and news. We publish updates at the end of each month.

Winners announced

The winners of the Minds Shine Bright CONFIDENCE writing competition have been announced. Helen Booth from Anglesea, Victoria, Australia was the overall winner for her short story Drift .

There were four category winners. The winner of the Poetry prize was Valerie Wallace from Michigan City in Indiana, US for  Carnelvarium . Dan Micklethwaite from Yorkshire, Great Britain won the Short Story prize for  Blackpool Solo.  The winner of the Flash fiction prize was Kathryn Le Mon from Columbus, Ohio for  When I am the Wolf   and Grace Keller from Dallas, Texas was the winner of the Script prize for The Last Ten Seconds.  You can view the full list of winners, the shortlist of 35 commended writers and poets and the Longlist here .

What is Minds Shine Bright?

Minds Shine Bright is a publisher and arts business based in Melbourne Australia that supports the arts and writers. We run fiction writing competitions including Minds Shine Bright  Confidence,  a longitudinal exploration of the theme confidence in contemporary fiction and poetry, Seasons  a competition with a changing external theme and Places . Minds Shine Bright also runs community writing projects, workshops and literary events that celebrate writers, writing communities, readers and books. We spread the love of anthologies far and wide.

We publish contemporary fiction books of stories, poems and scripts.

Confidence 2, Minds Shine Bright Anthology 2024 i s coming soon (The release date is 21 September) and it’s available to pre-order from bookshops in print.

Confidence, Minds Shine Bright Anthology 2022 was our first publication. After couple of topsy turvy years forty-six writers from eight countries explore the confidence theme in stories, script and poems. The Confidence anthology was launched at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne in 2022. Confidence 2 is being released in September 2024.

Storm Minds Shine Bright Seasons 1 2023 is now available after being launched progressively across Australia starting with a tour to Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and South Gippsland in Victoria. This is anthology is for lovers of stormy people, places and animals. Light and Shadow , the second book in our Seasons series will be available in 2025.

We are always looking for new ways to connect with readers, place our books into bookshops and libraries and places where book lovers gather. and to build our following of readers and writers.

You can purchase Minds Shine Bright anthologies at the Minds Shine Bright bookshop and at many online and ‘bricks and mortar’ bookshops and you can ask your local library to order your favourite Minds Shine Anthology in.

For booksellers seeking new voices Minds Shine Bright has three series of anthologies that capture key shifts in contemporary literature and poetry and a sene of our times; Confidence, Seasons and Places (coming in 2026). The ISBN fo r CONFIDENCE 2 anthology is 978-0-6455231-4-0, for CONFIDENCE anthology is 978-0-6455231-0-2 and for STORM Seasons 1 is 978-0-6455231-2-6. LIGHT AND SHADOW Seasons 2 will be released in 2025.

MSB Writing Competitions

Minds Shine Bright holds one writing competition per year which opens in August and closes in April, alternating between Seasons, Confidence and other themes.

Our latest writing competition ‘The Places we Live, Love and Leave’ is opening soon. So start honing your literary talents to bring us your places stories and poems. Australian and international writers and poets are welcome to submit pieces.

The Seasons writing competition has a changing theme that relates to the external world, and imagined worlds. This competition has smaller prizes, smaller word limits and focuses on a smaller set of writers. Our first two competitions themes were Storm and Light and Shadow.

The Storm Anthology, featuring the winning and commended entries from the first Seasons writing competition is available now. The Light and Shadow writing competition has now closed, judging is underway and a new Seasons anthology Light and Shadow will be launched in 2025.

Minds Shine Bright  Confidence writing competition aims to captures and share how fiction writers explore the theme of confidence over time. There are four categories including short stories, poetry, flash fiction and short scripts. The competition is blind judged, entries are assessed against ten criteria and there are many entries so the judging process takes several months. Once judging is complete there is an online Awards Event and once the anthology is curated, edited and designed and published there is a celebratory launch.

As writers discover and explore different elements and layers of the confidence theme we look forward to seeing how the series of Confidence anthologies evolves and what we can learn from it about our times, trends in contemporary writing and ourselves.

Our next Confidence writing competition will open in September 2025 and close on 31 May 2026.

For more information about our competitions including prizes and terms and conditions visit our Competitions page.

Short and longer poems

up to 260 lines

Flash fiction – up to 1000 words

Short stories – 1001 to 5000 words

Script Writing

Short scripts

up to 5000 words

Founded in 2021 by Amanda Scotney, Minds Shine Bright, is a creative arts business based in Melbourne, Australia

Do you have questions about our writing competitions or the Minds Shine Bright anthologies?

Would you like to enquire about an event or workshop?

Would you like to receive an advanced copy of one of our anthologies to review?

• Confidence 2 Anthology Launch June 2024
• Light And Shadow now closed, preparation for blind judging April to May judging June to September 2024
• Light and Shadow winners announced late 2024
• Light and Shadow anthology launched March-June 2025
• Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition The Places we Live, Love and Leav e opens in September 2024 and closes 31 May 2025

24 thoughts on “ Minds Shine Bright ”

I want to ask: Does the child have to be over 18 years of age to write an entry?

Hi Kathy, a child under 18 can submit a poem if parental approval is given on the entry form.

I’d love to enter this competition. I live in the UK, so how much does the entry fee translate to in sterling please? Thanks! Dorinda

Hi Dorinda, I think the current UK value is 2.74 UK pounds but it depends on the exchange rates. When you complete the form it should take out the right amount for you. You can contact us at [email protected] if you have any further questions, Regards Amanda

Do short stories need to be fictional or can they be based on true and actual events? Can they be like a memoir or shirt biography?

Hi Bruno, For the Minds Shine Bright writing competition the short stories need to be fiction. We don’t have any categories for non fiction or memoir.

Thanks Amanda, I have submitted my entry but haven’t received any indication that it or the competition fee was received. Do you not send out confirmation emails when you receive a submission?

Hi Bruno, we send out confirmation emails when they are requested by competition entrants.

Great! Thanks, I just wanted to make sure you received my entry.

Hi Amanda, This is the first writing competition I have entered in a long time… I included my name at the bottom of my submission but have since realised that might render it void? Do I need to re-submit?

Hi Lauren, we will remove your name before judging so there is no need to resubmit your entry.

Regards Amanda

Perfect – thanks for confirming!

What a great theme! I’ve really enjoyed writing a story based on this.

My daughter entered the storm writing competition, when do we find out the outcome? Thank you Celeste

Hi Celeste, entrants will be advised of the outcome in February 2023.

hello do you do competitions for young women at the age of 16 because i love writing story’s i wanna do my own book one day. so i was just wondering its okay if you don’t i’m just wondering.

Our competitions are open to writers of all ages.

What happened to the Storm competition? I’m not seeing anything about it here anymore. Did anyone win?

The judging process for Storm is well underway. Winners will be announced once the judging process is completed.

For Confidence 2023, will an email be sent to all people who entered when judging is completed, or just the winners?

Hi Haylee, emails will be sent to all entrants once judging is completed. This should occur in late October.

Okay, thanks so much!

When should I expect an email for my Confidence 2023 submission? Are there any new updates on the judging process? I just want to make sure that I don’t miss it. 🙂

Hi Brittany, we will be contacting all writers to advise them if they are on the Long List or on the Short List in November. Winners will be announced in either December or January, following an online Awards event. There will be launch events starting from February 2024.All entries are currently being judged. This involves blind judging and assessing each entry against ten key criteria, moderating and, finalising a Long List and a Short List. We are looking forward to contacting all entrants in November. Thanks so much for your enquiry.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Writing awards, competitions and opportunities in 2021

Writing and Publishing

S. Shakthidharan delivers a speech after receiving the Victorian Prize for Literature 2020. Photo by Hashem McAdams courtesy of the Wheeler Centre.

Writers, could this be the year you win that big prize or crack a prestigious publication? If you are thinking of entering a writing prize or competition in 2021 then populate your calendar with these prizes and opportunities.

Please note that some opportunities are listed based on when submission deadlines are open or closed, while other awards are listed by the date on which winners are announced.

Furious Fiction  (monthly) The Australian Writers’ Centre’s Furious Fiction Challenge, which started on 3 January will propel you into 2021. On the first Friday of every month, a set of story prompts are emailed through and you’ll have 55 hours to submit your best story under 500 words for a chance to win $500. Entry is free. The next challenge will open 5 February.

The Kat Muscat Fellowship  ( entries close 10 January) Presented by Express Media, The Kat Muscat Fellowship offers professional development up to the value of $5,000 for an editorial project or work of writing by a young person of an underrepresented gender. The Fellowship aims to continue Kat Muscat’s legacy.

ABR Calibre Essay Prize  ( entries close 15 January) With $7,500 in prize money, the Calibre Essay Prize is one of the world’s leading prizes for a new non-fiction essay. Entries close on 15 January.

ABR Peter Porter Poetry Prize  ( announced 16 January) First presented in 2005, this poetry prize is now worth a cool $10,000. The winner of the Peter Porter Poetry Prize will be announced at streamed online ceremony on 27 January with the shortlisted poems appearing in the 2021 January/February issue of  Australian Book Review.

Kuracca Prize for Australian Literature  ( entries close 18 January) In honour of Aunty Kerry Reed-Gilbert’s achievements as a brilliant storyteller in multiple genres, Overland literary journal has created a new prize rewarding excellence and generosity in Australian writing, irrespective of form and genre. This new competition encourages excellent and original works in fiction (up to 3,000 words), poetry (up to 88 lines), essay, memoir, and creative non-fiction (up to 3,000 words), cartoon or graphic stories, and digital or audio storytelling are also welcome. A winner will be awarded the first prize of $5,000, as well as two runner-up prizes of $1,000 each.

ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize  ( entries open 21 January) Worth a total of $12,500, the prize is open to anyone in the world writing in English for short stories between 2,000 and 5,000 words.

The South Coast Writers Poetry Prize 2021   (entries close 1 February) In partnership with the Wollongong Art Gallery exhibition of the same name, the SCWC Poetry Award 2020 seeks poems responding to the theme ‘every body’. The 2021 prize submissions opened 1 September 2020 and will close shortly. Winners will be announced on 27th March 2021 at an event at the Wollongong Art Gallery. The winner will receive $1000.

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards  ( announced 1 February) One of Australia’s richest literary prizes offers $25,000 for each of the main award categories, plus $100,000 for the overall winner. There’s also a $2,000  People’s Choice Award  that you can vote for until 5pm Monday 18 January. Submissions from publishers and writers are open in September each year for titles published between 1 January and 31 December of the same year.

Black&write! Fellowships  ( entries close 1 February) The State Library of Queensland’s black&write! program offers two fellowships for unpublished manuscripts by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers. Entry is free for these fellowships, and the winners receive $10,000 in prize money, manuscript development with black&write! editors, and publication opportunity with Hachette Australia.

Voices of Women Monologue Competition (closes 2 February)

Presented by Voices of Women, this prize has a cash award, and presents monologues in film and live events, including a USA collaboration. Accepts entries of up to 800 words.

Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award  ( entries close 7 February) Auspiced by Spineless Wonders, the Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award is for short story collections up to 30,000 words in length. The winner gets $3,000 cash and two runners up will get $1,000 each, as well as digital publication.

The Russell Prize for Humour Writing  ( entries close 8 February) Presented by State Library of NSW, The Russell Prize for Humour Writing was established at the bequest of Peter Wentworth Russell to promote humorous writing with the winner receiving $10,000 with the inaugural children’s award for primary school aged children valued at $5,000.

Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards  ( entries close 8 February) Managed by the State Library of Western Australia, these awards offer four categories and more than $100,000 in total prize money. Made available by the Western Australian Government, the awards support excellence in West Australian writing. The winners will be announced during the Disrupted Festival of Ideas 2021.

Overland  Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers  ( entries close 16 February) Presented by  Overland  magazine, in 2021 the prize will be awarded to the best poem by an Indigenous writer who is 30 years or younger. First place is a $5,000 prize, publication in  Overland ’s print magazine, and a writing residency of up to three months at Trinity College, the oldest student residence at the University of Melbourne. Two runner-up prizes of $500 may also be awarded.

KYD New Australian Fiction 2021 (closes 26 February)

The third print anthology of short fiction is now open for submissions. KYD’s   New Australian Fiction 2021  will showcase stories from Australia’s best and brightest established and emerging writers.

Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction (closes 28 February)

Book Links celebrates outstanding work of fiction that increases the awareness and understanding of history in children. The Award is a prize of $1000.

Overland  Judith Wright Poetry Prize  (announced February) Worth $9000, the 2021 prize has closed for entries (November 2020) but  Overland  will announce winners in February. The major prize is $6000, with a second prize of $2000 and a third prize of $1000. All three winners will be published in the first issue of  Overland ’s print magazine of 2021.

Overland  Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize   (announced February) Worth $5000, the 2021 prize has closed for entries (November 2020) but  Overland  will announce winners in February. The winning story will receive a $5000 first prize and be published in  Overland ’s first print issue for 2021. Two runners-up will each receive $750 and be published at  Overland  online to coincide with the release of the first print issue for 2021.

The Prime Minister’s Literary Award winners for 2020. Photo via Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

2021 Hazel Rowley Literary Fellowship (announced 3 March)

In honour of biographer Hazel Rowley, this fellowship is valued at $15,000, and supports Australian writers working on biography projects. The winner of the 2021 Fellowship will be announced at Adelaide Writers Week.

Indie Book Awards  ( announced 22 March) The Indie Book Awards reward the best Australian writing as chosen by Australian Independent Booksellers. The shortlist for 2021 was announced in January.

Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes  ( entries close 31 March) As part of Willy Lit Fest this prize is celebrates19th-century Australian writer Ada Cambridge. Entries for Prose and Poetry is open to all writers living in Victoria.

Cornish Family Prize for Art and Design Publishing  (announced March) The prestigious $15,000 international book prize is being offered as part of Melbourne Art Book Fair at the National Gallery of Victoria, being held this year 26-28 March 2021, with additional $1,000 prizes for five finalists. The winner will be announced at the Fair.

Island Nonfiction Prize  (entries close 11 April) Thanks to the support of the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, Island Magazine have launched the inaugural ISLAND NONFICTION PRIZE . The winning writer will receive $3000 and their work will be published in Island issue 162, due for publication in July 2021.

Newcastle Short Story Award  ( entries close 14 April) Presented by the Hunter Writers Centre, this prize has $7,800 is up for grabs, the Newcastle Short Story Award accepts entries of up to 2,000 words.

The Fogarty Literary Award  (entries close 18 April)

The Fogarty Literary Award is proudly sponsored by the Fogarty Foundation and Fremantle Press. The prize is biennial and is awarded to an unpublished manuscript by a Western Australian author aged between 18 and 35 for a work of adult fiction, narrative non-fiction or young adult fiction. The winner receives a cash prize of $20,000 and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press.

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards  ( announced 27 April) Entries for the 2021 awards closed in October 2020. The shortlist in each category will be announced in March and the winners will be announced at the State Library of NSW. The prize pool for these Awards are at $305,000.

Australian Book Industry Awards  ( winners announced 28 April) The ABIA award ceremony is Australia’s book industry’s night of nights. Nominations are open from 12 January, with the longlist announced on 2 March, and the shortlist on the 12 April.

The Stella Prize  ( announced April) The Stella Prize awards the best book by an Australian woman, fiction or non-fiction, with $50,000. The 2021 Stella Prize longlist and shortlist will be announced in March, and the winner in April.

Furphy Literary Award Short Story Competition (entries close 30 April) This year Furphy Literary Award returns to support emerging writers with an increased prize pool. The theme for 2021 is ‘Australian Life (in all its diversity)’. The competition welcomes fiction and non-fiction entries under 5,000 words.

Questions Writing Prize  ( entries close 1 May) Part of the Future Leaders initiative, the prize recognises a young Australian writer aged 18 to 30. Both fiction and non-fiction submissions are accepted (1,500-2,000 words), with a $2,000 prize for the winner. Free to enter.

The  Australian /Vogel Literary Award  ( entries close 31 May) One of Australia’s richest and the most prestigious awards for an unpublished manuscript, the  Australian /Vogel’s Literary Award offers a $20,000 prize and publication with Allen & Unwin to a writer aged under 35. Entries for the 2022 award will be open from 25 January.

The Next Chapter   ( entries open 6 May) The Wheeler Centre’s development scheme The Next Chapter will open in May 2021 and usually closing mid-November. Each of the 10 successful applicants will receive $15,000 and a mentorship in 2022.

Miles Franklin Literary Award Often touted as Australia’s most prestigious literature prize, the 2020 Miles Franklin will be announced in July, with a longlist released in May and shortlist in June. Applications from publishers are typically open through October and November.

Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers (closes 12 August) Open to Australian secondary school-aged students the prize recognises writing excellence in three categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction and Poetry. Entries can include writing for readers of any age. The prize winner in each category will receive $500 courtesy of Hachette Australia, publication of their work on the Express Media website, plus their names and an acknowledgement printed in Voiceworks, Australia’s premier youth literary journal. Fifteen shortlisted writers will also be invited to participate in a writing masterclass, attend an exclusive Q&A with Prize Mentor Danielle Binks, as well as receive a book pack of YA Titles courtesy of Hachette Australia.

The Helen Anne Bell Poetry Bequest Award (closes 20 August 2021) This year the award offers an increased prize of $40,000 for a collection of poems by an Australian woman poet and its publication by  Vagabond Press. This is the fourth biennial award made under the bequest, and it is now the richest poetry prize in Australia.

Women poets  are invited to submit a collection of poems between 50 to 80 pages. The work should broadly deal with Australian culture in some way; otherwise, there are no restrictions on the subject matter.

CBCA Book of the Year Awards  ( announced 21 August) The Children’s Book Council of Australia will present its Book of the Year Awards across six categories. Before the announcement in August, notable entries will be released on 25 February and a shortlist on 31 March.

The Affirm Press Mentorship Award (closes 15 September) This year’s Award will focus exclusively on contemporary middle-grade (9+) and young adult fiction. Affirm Press are keen to see a wide range of diverse and authentic voices that aren’t always represented in mainstream publishing.

The three winning submissions will receive a week’s residency and manuscript development at Varuna, the National Writers’ House. The Affirm Press editorial team will be in residence with the writers to provide in-depth manuscript development and feedback, as well as establishing ongoing relationships with the winners.

The Speculate Prize (closes 1 September)

Submissions are now open for The Speculate Prize, a new national award aimed at writers who explore the expansive possibilities of literature: those who imagine other worlds—other realities—that may even exist within our own. Writers are encouraged to embrace new literary modes and extend the possibilities of the novel and short story form.

The winner will receive $5000 prizemoney, a mentorship from Giramondo Publishing and a week-long residency at RMIT’s McCraith House on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition (closes 16 September)

SBS is looking for the next generation of diverse Australian writers. The theme this year is ‘Between two Worlds’. The competition is open to those currently living in Australia, are aged 18 or over and have never published a book. Prize-winners will be selected by our judges, Miles Franklin Award winner Tara June Winch and award-winning author Behrouz Boochani.

The winning submission will be awarded a $5000 prize, as well as having their story published on SBS Voices. There will also be a $3000 prize awarded for second place, and two honourable mentions will each receive $1000.

Queensland Literary Awards  ( announced September) Presented by State Library of Queensland, these awards celebrate outstanding Australian books and authors. The top prize is the Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance, for which the winner receives $25,000. The 2020 winners were announced 4 September 2020.

The Olga Masters Short Story Award  ( announced in September) With the continued support of the Masters family, The Olga Masters Short Story Award is now administered by South East Arts, in partnership with The South Coast Writers Centre, and Island Magazine. The Award welcomes entries from writers of all ages resident in Australia. Seeking short stories (2000 to 4000 words) on the theme of life in rural Australia.

Aniko literary Magazine ( closes 30 September) Aniko is opening for submissions from 1-30 September. The theme is Fantasize. Genres: poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Word limit: 50 lines (poetry), 1500 words (fiction/non-fiction). Payment: $125 (AUD) per published piece. Entry is limited to two pieces per person.

The 2022 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards (entries close 5 October) They are the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia and cover all genres of writing. The total pool of $295,000 prize money will be divided into ten categories.

Colin Roderick Literary Award  (announced October) One of Australia’s oldest literary awards, the $20,000 prize recognises an original book, verse or prose, that deals with any aspect of Australian life. The shortlist will be announced in July ahead of the winner in October.

Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction 2021 (announced October)

The 2020 winner was announced on the 29 October of last year, and celebrates new Australian Fiction. To be eligible for the 2021 Prize, books must have been first published between 21 July 2020 and 21 July 2021.

Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing ( entries close 7 November)

Entries for the 2022 Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing (NPCW) are now open, with $18,000 available in prizes to be awarded for best short stories and best poems (both with open, local and youth categories).

KYD New Critic Award  ( entries close 30 November) The  KYD  New Critic Award is open to critics working in all fields of arts and culture. The winner will receive $1000 cash prize and a regular paid column 5 long-form articles at $400 each. The 2021 winner was announced in December 2020.

Book of the Year Award  ( announced in November) Established by the Small Press Network, and formerly known as the Most Underrated Book Award, this award celebrates the hidden gems of Australian publishing. Sponsored by  ArtsHub  in 2020, the award was announced in November. Entries for the 2021 iteration will open in February and any book published by a member of the Small Press Network is eligible. In 2020 ArtsHub was a co-sponsor of the award.

Walkley Awards  ( announced November) The Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism recognise and reward the best in the craft. Entries usually close around August.

Richell Prize for Emerging Writers  ( announced November) Presented by Hachette Australia in partnership with The Guardian and The Emerging Writers’ Festival, the Richell Prize remembers Hachette’s former CEO, Matt Richell. It’s open to unpublished writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction, and the winner receives $10,000 in prize money and mentoring and manuscript development with Hachette.

Deborah Cass Prize  (announced November) The $3,000 Deborah Cass Prize is awarded to a writer from a migrant background. The 2020 prize was announced in November.

The 2022 Boundless Indigenous Writers’ Mentorship (closes 22 November 2021)

This joint venture between Text Publishing and Writing NSW, the mentorship is now open. It was established in 2019 to discover and nurture a new Indigenous voice in Australian literature in fiction or non-fiction.

Prime Minister’s Literary Awards  (announced December) The PM’s literary awards celebrate Australian talent and literature with winners in each category awarded $80,000 tax free. Shortlisted entrants are awarded $5,000 tax free. Last years winners were announced in December 2020.

Dates to be confirmed

Several prizes and opportunities have not yet announced dates and details as of January 2021.

ACT Book of the Year The 2020 winner will be announced in early 2021 with the prize usually closing later in the year.

University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize This prestigious poetry prize did not run in 2020. We will check back for details of the 2021 iteration.

Lane Cove Literary Awards Lane Cove Council offers literary awards across several categories, including short stories and poetry. Due to the current pandemic, the 2020 iteration was cancelled. The Lane Cove Literary Awards will recommence in 2021.

OTHER RESOURCES

Joining a  writers’ centre  will keep you updated on opportunities in your area, while  Books+Publishing  keeps track of news with more of a publishing industry focus. The Australian Society of Authors also has a handy list of  organisations and industry bodies  that support writers.

Libraries and local councils will have newsletters promoting their grants, competitions and other opportunities so join relevant mailing lists to keep you in the loop. There is also funding and support available through the  Australia Council , and State Government funding bodies such as Creative Victoria , and Create NSW .

What did we miss? Email updates to  [email protected] .

Share this:

About the author, related news.

Failure and frustration spawn success for Prime Minister’s Literary Awards winners

Six books including a debut novel and a debut poetry collection have each received $80,000 in this year’s Prime Minister’s…

Richard Watts

This week's arts news and trending topics

We report it – you read it. This week's top arts news stories.

Gina Fairley

Book review: A Sorceress Comes to Call, T Kingfisher

A clever interpretation of a sinister fairy tale that examines the human side of terrifying magic. 

Jemimah Brewster

Victorian Premier's Literary Awards has a new humour writing prize

Writer-satirist John Clarke is the inspiration for a new award category at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards.

Book review: Madame Brussels, Barbara Minchinton

A biographical insight into one of early Melbourne's most successful businesswomen.

Ashleigh Meikle

Want more content.

Get free newsletters full of the best in Australian arts news, jobs and more delivered to your inbox!

Young Writers: Competitions

If you’re a young writer in Australia, and have been wondering about opportunities to submit your work, then look no further. This post contains a list of writing competitions for young writers in Australia, together with useful information such as word limits, closing dates and links to entry forms.

Be sure to check back regularly, though, because I’ll update the post whenever info about other competitions (or publishing opportunities) are released. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter , in which I always include a list of opportunities for the coming month.

The competitions listed are in order of closing date, apart from the first one listed, as it has a different competition each month.

1. Write the World (ongoing monthly competitions)

Write the World describes itself as a ‘community of young writers (ages 13-19.5), hailing from over 80 countries’. Write the World holds monthly competitions, developed around a particular idea or genre of writing. The competitions encourage you to try out new genres and share your work with other readers, as well as offering the opportunity to receive peer and expert feedback, before submitting your final piece.

Upcoming topics include:

• July 2024— journalism (article): global correspondents (draft for optional expert review due Monday 8 July; submissions due Monday 22 July).

Entry fee: Free.

Prizes: Winning entrant receives $100. Runner-up and best peer reviewer are awarded $50. All three winners will be featured on their blog.

More info: For a more detailed information about each topic, including deadlines (for draft and final submissions) and prizes, head to the Write the World website .

2. IndigoTeen Magazine

The brief: submit short stories, essays and novellas, memes, and comics, fan fiction and poetry, graphic design and artwork.

Open to: young people from 13 to 19 years old.

Entry fee: free to submit.

Closing date : rolling.

More information: visit IndigoHub’s website .

3. Little Stories. Big Ideas (term 2)

The brief: submit a piece of flash fiction that is 100 words or less and incorporates the current theme, “approval”. Any literary style is welcome – short-story form, poem, haiku, limerick, song – but entries must be in English.

Open to: Australian Secondary School Students.

Categories: Years 7 to 9; Years 10 to 12.

Entry fee: free.

Prizes: visit the competition’s website to see the prizes.

Closing date: Friday 20 September 2024.

More information: visit the Little Stories. Big Ideas website .

4. KSP Poetry Competition

The brief: submit poems up to 50 lines.

Open to: poets aged 10 and above.

Categories: y outh (10 to 17 years), Open (18 years plus) and Annette Cameron Encouragement Award (for current West Australian residents over the age of 18 who have never published a full collection of poetry either in print or online, and have not won this award previously).

Entry fee: free for youth category, $10 for open category ad Annette Cameron Encouragement Award.

Prizes: f irst place will receive $300 prize for open plus a weekend residency at the KSP Writers’ Centre (non-transferable, $300 value); $100 first place prize for youth $150 for Annette Cameron Award for an Unpublished WA Poet. There are also second place certificates with $150 prize for open and $50 for youth, up to five commended certificates for both open and youth, the Mundaring National Young Writers encouragement award for under 14s with $25 prize.

Closing date: Wednesday 25 September 2024.

More information: visit the KSP Writers’ Centre website .

5. 2024 New England Thunderbolt Prize

The brief: submit fiction & non-fiction up to 2,500 words and/or poems up to 60 lines. All genres of crime writing are eligible.

Categories: includes a Youth Award (Under 18 years), which is the best entry in any category by writers aged under 18. The other categories include fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

Entry fee: $5 for writers under 18, $10 for writers 18 years and over.

Prizes: see competition website for prize list.

Closing date: Friday 27 September 2024.

More information: visit New England Writers’ Centre website .

6. 2025 Storyfest National Novella Writing Competition

The brief: submit a novella of no less than 8,000 words and no more than 20,000 words.

Open to: to all current secondary students attending school in Australia. Students receiving home schooling are eligible to enter. Entrants must be under 19 years of age as at date of close of entries.

Entry fee: $20.

Prizes: There will be monetary prizes awarded to finalists ($100) and a prize of $500 to the national winner.

Closing date: Friday 6 December 2024.

More information: visit Storyfest’s website .

7. 2025 Storyfest National Poetry Prize

The brief:  submit poems up to 50 lines excluding the title, on any subject.

Open to: to all current secondary students attending school in Australia. Students receiving home schooling are eligible to enter.

Categories: j unior secondary (years 7 to 9); s enior secondary (Years 10 to 12).

Entry fee: $15.

Prizes:   the winner of each category will receive $300. Category winners will have the opportunity to attend Somerset Storyfest Writers’ Festival, be billeted by students of the Somerset Wordsmiths’ Club, and attend the events at Storyfest over the three days, where the national winners will be announced and awarded prizes at the Literary Long Table Dinner. This decision will be at the discretion of the competition organisers.

Over to You

Just a quick note: if you do enter a competition, take time to read the guidelines carefully to ensure you’re entry meets the requirements, so that it’s accepted. This can include seemingly minor details such as size, font and spacing of your text.

If you’d like some guidance on what to look out for, then take a look at an earlier post of mine, Writing Competitions: What You Need to Know Before Entering .

What are you waiting for? Start writing, keep writing – and let me know how you go!

• Mathematics
• Humanities & Social Sciences
• Technologies
• Health & Physical Education
• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
• Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
• Sustainability
• SBS Learn news
• About SBS Learn
• Subscribe to SBS Learn
• SBS On Demand

The SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition returns for 2021

August 13, 2021 /

• Meet the judges
• Frequently Asked Questions

SBS is on the hunt for the next generation of diverse Australian writers, with the return of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition for 2021.

An initiative from SBS Voices, the competition aims to uncover bold new voices that reflect the diversity of contemporary Australia by inviting aspiring writers to share their stories and have their voices heard.

Open for entries from 16 August – 16 September 2021 , the theme of this year’s competition is ‘Between Two Worlds: stories from a diverse Australia’. Writers aged 18 and over are asked to submit a first-person memoir piece, between 1,000-2,000 words. The winners will be announced on 10 November 2021.

This year’s entries will be judged by Wiradjuri author Tara June Winch, whose award-winning books include Swallow the Air and The Yield, and Kurdish-Iranian writer/journalist Behrouz Boochani, author of memoir No Friend But the Mountains for which he won the 2019 Victorian Prize for Literature.

When discussing the competition, Tara June Winch said: “We’d love to see entries from first and second-generation Australians. We want to see those new writers and new voices from the diaspora. We just want to hear the whole story of Australia. We want voices from our multicultural Australia. We want First Nations voices. We want these emerging voices that are going to perhaps have the greatest literary careers in Australia, and internationally.”

“Literature is about life. Literature is life,” fellow judge, Behrouz Boochani said.

“I think it is important we hear from people with different perspectives…we need people who have new ideas.”

He continued: “A good story is a simple story, and simple writing, but with deep layers.”

Marshall Heald, Director of TV and Online Content at SBS, said: “Following the success of the inaugural competition last year, we are excited to once again see what stories we uncover with the return of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition. Last year, we were overwhelmed by the incredible diversity and depth of the more than 2000 stories submitted. We received intimate, clever, and often emotionally complex stories that reflected life across culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We read powerful First Nations stories, pieces about sexuality, neurodivergence, disability and a range of lived experiences which make up contemporary Australia. We’re proud to provide a platform for these unique voices to be heard.”

The winning submission will be awarded a $5,000 prize to support further development of the writer’s skills and knowledge. There will also be a $3,000 prize awarded for second place and two honourable mentions who will each receive a $1,000 prize. All winners and runners up will have their works published on the SBS Voices website.

In addition, all entries will be considered for inclusion in an official anthology of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition, published by Hardie Grant. Approximately 30 entries from this year’s competition will be selected for the anthology, to be published in 2022.

The official anthology of the 2020 SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition, Roots: Home is Who We Are , is published by Hardie Grant on 28 July 2021.

The 2021 SBS Emerging Writers Competition opens for submissions on Monday 16th August. Further information can be found on the competition website: sbs.com.au/writers

SBS wants to hear your story…because there’s a writer in all of us. Submit your story of 1000-2000 words that speaks to the beauty and/or challenges of being Between Two Worlds in diverse Australia and you could win up to $5000 and kickstart your career. Entries are open from August 16-September 16. Go to www.sbs.com.au/writers for more information and register here to enter.

SBS Learn acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia where we live and learn, and we pay respect to Elders past and present and their ongoing stewardship of knowledges since time immemorial.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that some of the teacher resources in this website contains images and voices of deceased persons, and kindly ask educators review material before using in the classroom.

• 0 Shopping Cart $ 0.00 -->

• About the competition
• Conditions of Entry

Open Short Story Competition 2024

Everyone can write at least one good story. That was the belief of J. F. Archibald, the editor and founder of the famous nineteenth-century weekly, The Bulletin, who invited his readers to become contributors. It was this encouragement that led Joseph Furphy, working in his brother’s foundry at Shepparton, to write his ‘offensively Australian’ novel, Such is Life, using the pseudonym of ‘Tom Collins’. The book, full of stories derived from Joseph’s experience in the Riverina and told in a voice uniquely his own, is now acknowledged to be a classic of Australian literature

In the spirit of Archibald and honouring the author of Such is Life, the Furphy Literary Award has been established to promote and extend the tradition of story telling, both factual and fictional, that is so much part of Australian life.

There will be an annual award for a prose work, which may be fiction or non-fiction, by a writer aged 18 years or more at the date of closing of entries.

To enquire about the Furphy Literary Award email [email protected]

• Theme : Australian Life in all its diversity
• Length : Not more than 5,000 words
• Reward : Prize Money: 1st Prize – $15,000, 2nd Prize – $3,000, 3rd Prize – $2,000 LaTrobe University Shepparton Residency*, Publication of selected works in annual publication
• Competition commences: Tuesday, February 1, 2024
• Closing date for entries : 11.59pm Tuesday April 30, 2024

*Details of residency to be finalised after completion of awards event.

Only open after 1st of Feb 2024

Entries for the Furphy Literary Award are managed by a software product called Submittable. Please follow the link which will prompt you to:

• Create a free account with Submittable.
• Enter and save submission details
• Upload your work and submit

Can you tell us a story?

Meet the Judges

Anson Cameron

Anson Cameron is the award winning author of seven novels, two collections of short stories, a childhood memoir, and a biography of Neil Balme.

He has also penned something like half-a-thousand columns for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald while still waiting for his editor’s reply to the question, “Okay, but if I agree to write a column, what do you want me to write about?”

His sad observation of the reading public is that many of them aren’t smart enough to see what they’re being accused of – otherwise he’d have offended everyone by now.

Stephanie Holt

Stephanie Holt is an award-winning writer, editor and educator. A former Meanjin editor, she currently works with Overland magazine, and serves on the Board of the Institute of Professional Editors.

John Harms is a writer, historian, and publisher. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Life as I Know It, and numerous editions of The Footy Almanac annual. He lives in the Barossa Valley.

Margaret Hickey

Margaret Hickey is a playwright and an award-winning, best-selling author from rural Victoria. Her short stories have been published in Meanjin, Island magazine, Westerly and The Big Issue and have won and been shortlisted for many prizes. Her plays have been performed all over Australia and read in New York. Her novel Cutters End was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Debut Crime award and won the DANGER award. Her next novel Stone Town was shortlisted for the Davitt Award for Female Crime Writers and Broken Bay was released in June 2023. Margaret’s new novel, The Creeper will be launched July 30 2024.

John Kerr is an independent writer and publisher with a background in corporate educational and general book publishing. His publishing list includes the best-selling autobiography of eye doctor Fred Hollows and Fraser Island environmentalist John Sinclair, written with Peter Corris. He wrote The Big Folbigg Mistake in 2023 and The Wieambilla Shootings in 2024.

Thornton McCamish

Thornton McCamish is a journalist and author, and a former editor of The Big Issue magazine. His biography of Alan Moorehead, Our Man Elsewhere, won the NSW Premier’s Douglas Stewart Prize for Nonfiction and was shortlisted for the 2017 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. His biography of the Australian art critic Robert Hughes is due to be published next year

2023 Furphy Literary Award winner

Jen Rewell writes for a living and for fun. She is an award-winning journalist at the independent POST Newspapers in Perth, and has worked as a copywriter and communications manager.

In 2020, her creative writing won a mentorship in the Emerging Writers Program run by the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA. In 2023, she won the Furphy Literary Award with her short story ‘Away To Me’.

Jen plays piano, runs a 50-voice community choir, captains a hockey team and competes in Master’s weightlifting. She lives in Perth with her husband, three daughters and two dogs.

Established in 1864, it is still family owned (5th generation) and operated from Shepparton, Victoria.

7723 GV Highway Kialla, Victoria 3631 Phone: 5823 5833

Online merchandise sales

Phone: 03 5832 1400 E-mail: [email protected]

The Furphy Anthology 2023!

This hardcover anthology includes 16 of the best short stories selected from the 2023 Furphy Literary Award.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

WestWords and WestLit Libraries are excited to launch the 2024

Living stories western sydney, writing prize.

The theme for this year’s writing competition is … 

Over the line … ?

Sometimes an argument goes too far. A thing that’s been said can’t be taken back.

Does the line divide, Or keep you safe?

Do you regret crossing it? Or are you brave enough to step over The chalk line on the ground Or climb the fence between places

Or countries.  

Announcing the Overall Highly Commended and Winning Writers of the 2024 Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize: Over the Line …?

On July 19th, our patron Her Excellency The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC Governor, and the wonderful Mr Dennis Wilson, launched Over the Line …? at PHIVE. Ft. Michael Campbell, Executive Director and Publishing Director of WestWords, WestWords Chair Vivienne Skinner, and representing the City of Parramatta, Cr Cameron MacLean, who welcomed us to Parramatta.

Zainab Yassine, reading “Coming down” her 2023 winning poem from Canterbury-Bankstown 16-18yrs.

Representing WestLit Libraries, Margaret Redrup-May presents the 10-12yrs Overall Highly Commended to Niya DCunha from Campbelltown City.

Representing WestLit Libraries, Margaret Redrup-May presents the 10-12yrs Overall Winner to Pippa Mann from City of Parramatta.

Absent: Sienna Rose Chouman from Liverpool City announced as the Overall Highly Commended for 13-15yrs.

Representing Arab Bank Australia, Dr Joseph Rizk AM presents the 13-15yrs Overall Winners to Shamaila Faisal from Blacktown City.

Representing Australian Catholic University, Dr Valentine Mukuria presents the 16-18yrs Overall Highly Commended to Mia Gardiner from Wingecarribee Shire.

Representing Australian Catholic University, Dr Valentine Mukuria presents the 16-18yrs Overall Winner to Tanishkaa Ramesh from The Hills Shire.

Thanks to the generous support of Arab Bank Australia, this year Living Stories were able to award two highly commended results in the adult category.

WestWords patron Mr Dennis Wilson presents the Overall Highly Commended in the adult category to Tyswan Slater from the Blue Mountains, and to Marcus Bombardiere from Camden Council.

  WestWords patron Mr Dennis Wilson presents the Overall Winner in the Adult category to J. Marahuyo from Cumberland Council.

Overall winner of the adult category for the 2024 Living Stories Writing Prize: Over the Line …?

J. Marahuyo’s poem “whisper thank you to their king-sized bed for not swallowing them;” performed by renowned poet ali whitelock.

Congratulations to all the featured writers in the Over the Line … ? anthology.

You can purchase copies of the anthology here

Thank you to our first round judges who read approx. 400 entries, and awarded the winning, highly commended and special mention awards. We thank them for their time, expertise, and careful deliberation for the 2024 Living Stories competition. 

Shakira Piggot, Lisa Chaplin, Anna Walsh, Anna Feldman, Alle Lloyd, Kate Barratt, Freya Petterson, Sharon Baldwin, K.T. Major, Ruth Larner, Elizabeth Walton, Libby Hyett, Luke Kains, Saurav Shrestha, Kennedy Estephan, Isabelle Quilty, Ally Burnham, Prameeta Lingam, Lisa Agostino , Nancy Castillon, Ben Lee, Elle McDiarmid, Stephanie Cooper, Gabi Cundy, Therese Baldwin, Lisa Pigna, Bethany Evans, Bess Gilmore, Isabella De Horta, Maggie Walsh and Marijke Morse.

Announcing the Highly Commended Writers from each LGA

These highly commended junior writers will receive $50 and publication of their work in the 2024 Living Stories anthology: Over the line …?

The highly commended writer of the adult category will receive $100 and publication of their work in the 2024 Living Stories anthology: Over the line …?

Congratulations to the highly commended writers!

Announcing the Winning Writers from each LGA

These winning junior writers will receive $100 and publication of their work in the 2024 Living Stories anthology: Over the line …? Their entries will also go on to compete for Overall Winner in the final round of judging!

The winning writer of the adult category will receive $200 and publication of their work in the 2024 Living Stories anthology: Over the line …? Their entry will also go on to compete for Overall Winner in the final round of judging!

Congratulations to the Winning writers!

The 2024 Living Stories Showcase

On August 3rd, we welcomed over 262 people through our doors at the WestWords Centre for Writing, for our Living Stories Over the Line …? publication showcase event!

There is no other event on our calendar quite like it — as we invite all the featured writers onto our stage to celebrate and read their award-winning short stories and poems in front of their friends and family. The award-winners come from all across Western Syndey — and as far south as Wingecarribee — to celebrate this day. Readers ranged from ages 10 to adults, featuring experienced performers and first-time readers alike, up on the same stage.

The joy in the room was infectious, the photos below capture only a small portion of so many wonderful moments. Congratulations all on your strength of creativity, voice and diverse perspectives.

We’d like to thank our partners, WestLit Libraries, Create NSW, Arab Bank Australia, and Australian Catholic University for making this program possible.

The Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize is now closed for entries. 

And Living Stories has closed! Thank you to all the writers and poets who submitted their interpretations of ‘Over the line …?’

Congratulations to Blacktown City Council for receiving the most entries into the comp for the fourth year running! Thank you to all the participating WestLit libraries for encouraging their local communities to enter.

Living Stories 2024

There are two parts to Living Stories :

• The Short Story and Poetry Writing Prize
• The free creative writing workshops hosted in libraries across Western Sydney, in partnership with WestLit Libraries

Scroll below to find more information on both the competition and the workshops!

Living Stories 2024 – The Competition  

The Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize is a creative writing competition for residents of Western Sydney, and Wingecarribee Shire, which is home to over 2.5 million Australians originating from 180 countries, speaking almost 100 different languages, and residing in 14 local government areas. Living Stories is a WestWords, WestLit Libraries initiative. This project is proudly supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Living Stories is your opportunity to share your story. If you are aged 10 years or older, and live in 1 of the 14 competing Western Sydney LGAs, we want your piece of writing responding to the theme Over the line … ?

There are two rounds of judging. In round one , your poem, story or personal essay (500 words maximum) will be judged by panels drawn from your local community. Winners and highly commendeds will be selected from each age group. These results will be announced online in June, 2024. 

In the second round , the winners from each LGA will go to the next round of judging to vie for the overall prize. These results will be announced in person at the Living Stories ceremony and book anthology launch in July 2024. 

The writing prize age categories are as follows:

10 – 12 years ;  13 – 15 years ; 16 – 18 years ; and adults (18+) .

Competition Dates  

Competition Opens: 22 March, 2024.  Competition closes: 6 May, midnight, 2024   Announcement of LGA winners : Early June – via online announcement (WestWords social media and newsletter )   Announcement of Overall Winners and book launch: end of July school holidays at PHIVE Parramatta. This is an RSVP’d event.  

The four winners, and four highly commended entrants, from each competing LGA will have their short story/poem published in the 2024 Living Stories Anthology: Over the line …?  

The four winners, and four highly commended entrants, from each competing lga will receive a cash prize . prize pool to be announced on the competition launch date. .

These cash prizes are made possible thanks to the generous support of our 2024 partners: Create NSW, Arab Bank Australia, and Australian Catholic University. 

The Ts&Cs

• Entry is free
• Entries are limited to one per person
• All entries MUST be submitted digitally via our online form.

Blacktown City

Blue mountains city, camden council, campbelltown city, cumberland council, fairfield city.

• The city of Canterbury-Bankstown

Hawkesbury City

Liverpool city.

• The city of Parramatta

Penrith City

The hills shire.

• Wingecarribee Shire

Wollondilly Shire

• Entries must be written primarily in English, and may be in the form of a short story, poem or essay, and must not exceed 500 words in length.
• Entries must creatively engage to the theme: Over the line …?
• Work must be original, unpublished and solely authored by the applicant.
• Authors maintain creative, copy and moral rights to their work, but grant WestWords permission to publish the work in the 2024 Living Stories: Over the line …? Anthology if they are an LGA winner or highly commended entrant.
• All LGA winners and highly commended entrants will receive (1) free copy of the 2024 Living Stories: Over the line …? Anthology.
• The applicant’s name must not appear on the entry file.
• Originality and creativity
• Construction and use of language
• Engagement with the theme

Living Stories 2024 – The Workshops

In conjunction with the prize, WestWords will run free writing workshops across Western Sydney’s libraries, and online, during the April school holidays, 2024. 

Attend a free 90-minute creative writing workshop hosted by a local professional writer to help improve your craft in short story and poetry. These workshops will also help you generate ideas to create an entry piece of writing for the Living Stories Writing Prize.

Keep scrolling: information on the workshops will appear below throughout March. Please see the list of our partner libraries for Living Stories, and keep an eye out for workshops as they are announced to be able to RSVP.

Click on the image below to RSVP to the creative writing workshop

The City of Canterbury-Bankstown

The City of Parramatta

Wingecarribee

History of Living Stories

The Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize is a creative writing competition for residents of Western Sydney, Wingecarribee and Wollondilly Shire, which is home to over 2.5 million Australians originating from 180 countries, speaking almost 100 different languages, and residing in 14 local government areas.

The competition began in 2021 with assistance from NSW Government as part of its support to the Arts sector recovering from the first year of the COVID pandemic and presented in conjunction with WestLit Libraries, an association of library services from across the region. The competition was the first of its kind for Western Sydney. We were also grateful for support from Australian Catholic University who were the category sponsor for the 16-18 year old category.

The thematic prompt for the competition was in 2021 was Are We Here Yet? To assist the writers we offered in excess of 40 free workshops in libraries across Western Sydney and online. There are winner and highly commended entries awarded in each age category in each participating LGA. The winners then go onto a second round of judging to determine over all winners and highly commended stories and poems. All the 67 regional winners and highly commended work get published in an anthology. In 2021 the book was to be launched at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre by our patrons Her Excellency The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of NSW and Mr Dennis Wilson but that was the first day of the extended lockdown that characterised life in Western Sydney in the second half of that year. Instead the launch was held virtually in a lovely ceremony when such things were relatively novel.

In 2022, with no dedicated COVID recovery funds from Government we felt that a grassroots writing competition to provide a platform and visibility for the voices in Western Sydney was important. This year the prompt was things unsaid. In 2022 we welcomed Booktopia as the category sponsor for the 10-12 year old category joining Australian Catholic University. In 2023 we were excited that James Kirby Foundation partnered with us. A competition of this size is not an insignificant undertaking and we sincerely thank all our partners, library staff, writers and contributors for their contributions.

We see the competition contributes to the central mission of WestWords to provide pathways and opportunities for the stories of Western Sydney to be celebrated and heard. Click on the icons below for more information, to read and enjoy the work emanating from this richly diverse part of Australia.

Past Winners and Publications

The Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize 2023: The Other City

Living Stories 2022: Things Unsaid

Living Stories 2021: Are We Here Yet?

Previous digital workshops – view online.

Bryan Brown Reading from Living Stories: The Other City

We are grateful to WestWords ambassador, Bryan Brown, for taking the time to share his reading of one of the overall winning pieces in the 'Living Stories: The Other City' anthology.

WestWords Living Stories Online Creative Writing Workshop for Adults

Michelle Hamadache, Director of Creative Writing at Macquarie University, will help you out with ideas, techniques and inspiration to assist you in getting a poem or short story written in time to submit into the Living Stories competition.    

WestWords Living Stories Online Creative Writing Workshop for 16-18yr olds

Adam Byatt takes young writers through some tips and tools of the trade in this online writing workshop, aimed at 16 to 18 year olds.    

WestWords Living Stories Online Creative Writing Workshop for 13-15yr olds

Join Kim Pham as she runs 13 to 15yr olds through a hands-on Living Stories Online Creative Writing Workshop to help them develop a short story or poem on the theme of 'the other city' in real time.  

WestWords Living Stories Online Creative Writing Workshop for 10-12yr olds

In a Living Stories Online Creative Writing Workshop, Liz Ledden helps 10 to 12yr olds brainstorm place, characters and plot, as well as utilise mindmaps to assist in the creation of a story or poem.

Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize 2021 – announcement of winners and book launch

"The WestWords/WestLit "Living Stories" Western Sydney Writing Prize took place over all thirteen local government areas in Western Sydney, with one winner and one highly commended entry for each of the four age categories -- 10-12yrs, 13-15yrs, 16-18yrs, and 18+....

Writing Workshop with Rawah Arja, 13-15 yrs

Writing Workshop with Scot Gardner, 16-18 yrs

Poetry Workshop with Harry Laing, 10-16 yrs

Writing Workshop with Luke Johnson, 18+ yrs

• Get Support
• Find a Writer
• Join Writing NSW
• Subscribe to Newsbite – our weekly enewsletter
• Member Login

Writing Competitions & Opportunities

A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.

25 September: KSP Poetry Competition Submit poems up to 50 lines on any theme for the chance to win 300 plus a weekend residency at the KSP Writers’ Centre in WA.

27 September: New England Thunderbolt Prize The Thunderbolt Prize is a prestigious, nationally recognised, literary award for crime writers resident in Australia. Includes major prizes and a youth category for writers under 18yrs. Note word count limits: 2,500 words for Fiction & Non-Fiction. 60 Lines for poems. First prize in each category is $500.

29 September: The Wingate Award for Unpublished Manuscripts   The Wingate Award for Unpublished Manuscripts is dedicated to recognising outstanding contemporary Australian fiction and non-fiction that explore Jewish themes. The submitted excerpt must be between 8,000 and 10,000 words and the topic must engage in some capacity with the Jewish experience.

29 September: The Stringybark Past Times Short Story Award Stringybark Publishing  are proud to sponsor the  Stringybark Times Past Award 2024. We have an award pool of over $1070 in cash and books to encourage you in this endeavour.

30 September: Aurealis Aurealis is looking for science fiction, fantasy or horror short stories between 2000 and 8000 words from Australian and New Zealand writers, and non-fiction articles between 500 and 2000 words that would be of interest to readers of these genres. 

30 September: Ian Wilson Memorial Fellowship Established to support emerging children’s authors and illustrators who explore Australian voices and themes, the May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust provides the successful applicant with accommodation, local support, and travel to Adelaide, providing creative time away from home for 21 nights in March 2025.

30 September: Anthology Flash Fiction Competition Submit an original, unpublished flash fiction piece, written in English with a maximum of 250 words for the chance to win a €300 cash prize and the chance to be published in a future issue of Anthology .

30 September: Bridport Prize Memoir Award Submit a sample of your memoir manuscript for the chance to win £1500, a year’s mentoring from The Literary Consultancy, valuable advice from an editor at John Murray, part of Hachette publishers and more.

30 September: Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize Welcome to the Mayoral Creative Writing Prize 2024. It is open to adults and children (aged 8 to 17 years) who live in Blacktown city. The poems and short stories must be works of fiction.

30 September: SD HARVEY Short Crime Story Award Submit fiction or non-fiction crime stories of between 2000 and 5000 words for the chance to win $1000.

30 September: The Moth Nature Writing Prize This prize is awarded annually to unpublished pieces of prose or poetry which best combine exceptional literary merit with an exploration of the writers’ relationship with the natural world. Top prize is €1,000 and a week at Circle of Misse in France.

30 September: Woorilla Poetry Prize Enter the open section of this prize with poems up to 50 lines on any theme for the chance to win $3000.

30 September: The Letter Review Prize The Letter Review Prize is awarded every three months in the categories of Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Unpublished Books. They offer a yearly Prize pool of $20,000

1 October: Noosa Arts Theatre National One-Act Playwriting Competition This playwriting competition offers a unique opportunity for the three finalist playwrights to see their new work performed on stage at the Noosa Arts Theatre during the One-Act Play Festival.

7 October: 2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize Australian Book Review’s Peter Porter Poetry Prize is worth a total of $10,000 and is open to unpublished poems of no more than 60 lines written in English. Five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2025 issue.

8 October: The Westwords Prize The WestWords Prize is a new publishing Prize that welcomes submissions from writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction who have a completed, previously unpublished manuscript, and who have a connection to Western Sydney. The winner of the Prize will receive a publication deal with WestWords’ Books, WestWords’ adult trade imprint.

10 October: NSW Literary Awards The NSW Literary Awards are the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia and cover all genres of writing, and traditionally-published as well as self-published works.

11 October: The Pearl Prize The Pearl Prize is presented with Osborne and Fawkner Publishing and supported by Midsumma Festival. A writing award where Queer writers have a platform for self-expression through the writing landscape and into publication.

13 October: Griffith Review 87 No Place Like Home This edition of Griffith Review heads out in search of home – what it means to us, why it matters and how it shapes our sense of self.  Accepting submissions of non-fiction and fiction that responds to the theme, up to 4000 words.

14 October: Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize Submit poems up to 50 lines for the chance to win $3000, with two highly commended entrants to be awarded $500 each.

15 October: Caledonia Novel Award 2025 An Edinburgh-based international writing competition for unpublished and self-published novelists, with a top prize of £1500.

18 October: Dorothy Shaw Young Writers Competition The writing competition is in memory of Dorothy Evelyn Shaw, whose advocacy for deaf children to have equitable access to learning literacy is legendary. 

25 October: The Writing Prize The Writing Prize is for Australians forty years and under. The winner will receive $10,000 and their writing featured on www.writing.org.au. Entries can be from an individual or groups of two, three or four people.

31 October: 2024 Ernestine Hill Memorial Award Submit a short story of up to $4000 words with an Australian Country theme for the chance to win $1000 and digital publication.

31 October: 2024 Rae Alison Cerhan Australiana Ballad Submit a ballad (poem) of up to 100 lines for the chance to win $600 and digital publication.

2 November: Commonwealth Short Story Prize Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and over can enter a short story of 2000-5000 words for a chance to win £5,000.

5 November: Odyssey Victoria Short Story Competition 2024 This year’s theme is “Regret” and must include a reference to alcohol or other drugs. First place wins $1000 and a one year membership to Writers Victoria.

8 November: Women Writers’ Queensland Marj Wilke Award Open to Australian Women Writers over the age of 18 years, this short story award honours one of WWQ’s founding members, Marjorie Wilke. Up to 1500 words accepted with first prize $350.

15 November: Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024 Entries can be on any subject, theme or genre, up to a maximum of 3000 words. First prize is £1,000.

25 November: Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship Presented by Writing NSW and Text Publishing with First Nations Australia Writers’ Network, Boundless pairs an emerging Indigenous writer from anywhere in Australia with an established Indigenous writer for a structured year-long mentorship.

30 November: Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast poems in the English language of 40 lines or fewer. The poem can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. First prize is €2,000 plus publication in Southword.

30 November: The Bath Children’s Novel Award A £5,000 international writing prize for un-agented emerging writers who may be unpublished, self-published or independently published.

30 November: Anthology Travel Writing Competition Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in English by writers anywhere in the world. First prize of €500 and the winning entry published in Anthology magazine. 

GENERAL JOURNAL & MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS

Babyteeth Journal Accepting submissions across many artforms, including poetry, prose and scripts.

Cordite Poetry Review A quarterly Australian and international journal of poetry, criticism and research. Regularly open for submission of unpublished poems from Australian and overseas-based writers.

Frankie Magazine A bi-monthly magazine welcoming submissions from writers that have their own individual voices, speaking their minds.

Griffith Review Open four times each year, accepting submissions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and occasional special projects.

HEAT Literary Magazine Welcoming submissions of fiction, essays, hybrid forms and translated works, HEAT is published six times a year in a slim, intimate format, that throws sharp focus on the work of the featured authors.

Island Magazine A not-for-profit premium Australian literary magazine of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and arts features. Looking to provide opportunities for new, emerging and established writers from Australia, New Zealand and Australians living abroad. 

Mascara Literary Review Currently accepting fiction and non-fiction up to 3000 words and reviews 1200-1500 words.

Meanjin Currently closed, the next submissions window for Meanjin (Autumn 2025 issue) will be in late September 2024.

Meniscus An online, free access literary journal publishing high quality, innovative poetry, short fiction, and creative essays in English, or in other languages with a good parallel translation. Meniscus publishes two issues a year: in April, and in October.

Overland Magazine Accepting submissions of completed fiction and non-fiction articles and poems, 3000 words or less.

Quadrant Accepts unsolicited, previously unpublished articles that fit within its general profile of a journal of ideas, essays, literature, poetry and historical and political debate.

Southerly One of Australia’s oldest literary journals, Southerly accepts short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and academic essays from Australian and New Zealand citizens, or residents of Australia.

Westerly Publishes short stories, micro-fiction, poetry, memoir and creative non-fiction, artwork, comics, essays and literary criticism. Currently closed for submissions for 2024.

Writing NSW publishes these free listings in good faith but does not endorse or warrant the accuracy of any information.

Join your Community

Competitions

The Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024

The Letter Review Prizes

The Stringybark Times Past Short Story Award 2024

FFF Competition Twenty-Three

The SD Harvey Award

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

The Centre for Children’s Literature

Writing competitions

Writing and illustrating competitions.

Book Links The Centre for Children’s Literature presents the annual StoryLinks Short Story Competition For children in Grades 4, 5 & 6

Write a short story of no more than 1000 words – any subject. It must be fiction and all your own work. Entries open term 3 and close September. The winner is announced October.The winner will receive $100 and have their story published on the StoryLinks website. Enter using the online entry form. StoryLinks Competition Page Enquiries: email [email protected]

Author of Tomorrow The Author of Tomorrow is designed to find the adventure writers of the future. Part of the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, it is an annual competition open to young people across the world who have completed a short piece of adventure writing in English. The Author of Tomorrow opened for submissions on 1st March, 2024.

Prizes are awarded in three categories:

• 11 and Under | 500 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school
• 12-15 years | 1,500 – 5,000 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school
• 16-21 years | 1,500 – 5,000 words |  Prize: £1,000

Calanthe Collective Prize for Unpubished Poetry There is a section for under 18 which is free. Entries close in March. More information

CYA Conference Writing and illustrating competitions Closes each year in April. For ages 8-18. More information. 

Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards Dorothea Mackellar Poetry competitions. Entries accepted: March 1 to June 30, results announced during early September.  More information.

Future Leaders Writing Prize The Future Leaders Writing Prize is designed to recognise and reward talented young writers. It aims to encourage expressive and creative writing. Australian Year 11 and 12 students are invited to submit a piece of writing (800 to 1,000 words). The essays can be fiction or non-fiction and on any topic More information

The Golden Pen Writing Award This award is part of the Scribblers Festival in WA. It is open to students in years 4-12 in junior, middle and senior catgeories in WA only . Entries close on Monday 26 August 2024 More information

The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers Entries are now open and will close 31 July 2024 The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers is a developmental award open to Australian secondary school-aged students across the nation. The prize recognises writing excellence in three categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction and Poetry. Entries can include writing for readers of any age. Shortlisted writers get the opportunity to receive mentorship from an established author. In 2024, the Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers Mentor is Jane Godwin. The competition is for secondary school aged students (between the ages of 12 and 18 inclusive). More information

Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project Essay writing competition for students in Years 5-8 and 9-12. Prize details: There will be three winners in each section: 1st prize (gift card valued at $500), 2nd prize ($200), 3rd prize ($100). Honorable mentions ($50) may also be awarded at the panel’s discretion. Closing date: November TBA Entry fee: Free entry. More information

Kids News Short Story Writing Competition. Has writing tips from Jackie French. Free entry for Kindergarten to Year 9. Entries close mid year. First prize winners in each age category will take home 10 copies of their winning short story published into a printed book with a personally designed cover plus an iPad and Harper Collins book pack. There are also prizes for one runner-up and three highly commended entries in each age category. This year’s competition (2020) has been expanded into four categories: Kindergarten to Year 2, Years 3-4, Years 5-6 and Years 7-9. More information.

KSP Writers Centre Spooky Stories Competition YOUTH  category (8-18 years): Max 500 words. $5 enter Youth first prize: $100, certificate, complimentary print copy of Spooky Story anthology Youth second prize: $25, certificate, complimentary print copy of Spooky Story anthology Closes end of March More information

Little Stories, Big Ideas Little Stories, Big Ideas is a literary competition for secondary school students across Australia, where entrants aged 12 – 18 years respond to a specific themed prompt in 100 words or less, in any literary style they like. Entry is free, and there are terrific prizes on offer across two age categories. The competition runs four times per year , to coincide with school Terms. We believe kids have a lot to say about the world in which they live. Little Stories, Big Ideas embraces themes that impact and shape their world, and are topical, relevant, and important. Think: climate change, environmental issues, diversity, respect, acceptance, inclusion, political landscape, asylum seekers and refugees, and more. Writing to a prompt allows entrants to explore and push boundaries with their creativity Visit the webiste for full information about Little Stories, Big Ideas, including prizes and online entry portal.

Somerset Storyfest competitions Somerset Storyfest have a novella writing competition and a National Poetry Prizw. More information.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Compeitition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. Each year, young people write on a theme that stems from the Commonwealth’s values and principles, developing key literacy skills whilst also fostering an empathetic and open-minded world view. Recent themes have focused on the environment, inclusion, the role of youth leadership, and gender equality. All entrants and all participating schools receive a Certificate of Participation and one Winner and Runner-up from the Senior and Junior categories win a trip to London for a week of educational and cultural events. There are two categories, under 14 and 14 – 18. The maximum word counts are 1,500 words for Senior entries and 750 words for Junior. Entries close mid May.

Voiceworks Voiceworks is a national literary journal that features exciting new writing and art by young Australians. Their purpose is to create a space for people under twenty-five to develop their creative and editorial skills and to publish, and be paid for, their fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. Each selected piece goes through a collaborative editing process, and they provide individualised feedback for all unsuccessful submissions. Find out how to submit .

Error: Contact form not found.

• Success Stories
• Creative Writing Course Reviews
• About Writing
• Manuscript Assessment

About Writing - Tags

Writing competitions australia 2021.

• Unlocking Creativity Online
• Unlocking Creativity Live
• First Draft Online
• First Draft Live
• Writers’ Gym
• Character Development
• Short Story – Genre
• Beyond First Draft Online
• Beyond First Draft Live
• Writer’s Hub
• Terms & Conditions

Subscribe to our newsletter

To stay up to date with our latest news and offers, register now for our email newsletter.

Please send me the next & other upcoming courses dates. (If you have other questions – please use the form on the Contact Us page.)

• First Name *
• Last Name *
• Page Title *
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FIND A WRITING COMPETITION FOR YOUR WORK

Young writers award provides the most comprehensive resource for all writing competitions and awards in australia, showcase your writing skills.

Writing competitions and awards give writers the opportunity to show their talent, hone their skills and engage in the broader writing community. These awards can assist in growing your resume and improve employment opportunities and many will have significant cash or other valuable prizes.

Writing awards and competitions will generally target a specific subgroup, whether this is based on topic, gender, age or other community group – the opportunities are endless.

Young writer awards and competitions in particular help students engage in improving their reading and writing skills, which has lead to schools and teaching staff actively promoting entering into these programs.

Young Writers Awards

Find the latest writing awards specifically for the youth to help them engage in reading and writing

Unrestricted Competitions

Writing isn’t just for kids – find the right competition for your creative style

Educator Tools

Writing awards and competitions are a great way to help engage with children if you have the right tools

AWARDS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

Some of the current awards and competitions available to enter.

Prime Minister’s Literary Awards

Prime Minister's Literary Awards are a series of writing awards

Tim Winton Award for Young Writers

The City of Subiaco hold an annual writing contest for

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards

The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were setup in 1985 to

Redgum Young Writers’ Award

Redgum Book Club has launched the Young Writers Award to

TYPES OF WRITING AWARDS AND COMPETITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Kids competitions.

Do you have a kid interested in writing? Check out the writing competitions just for kids to encourage their writing skill development and potentially win kid friendly prizes

Poetry Competitions

In Australia poetry competitions are the second largest type of writing competition, with hundreds of poetry competitions held each year

Creative Writing Competitions

Do you have a story to tell? Share your creative writing skills with the many creative writing competitions run in Australia

Book Competitions

If you’re an author of a book and want increase its exposure you can enter one of the popular book competitions

Childrens Writing Competitions

Help your children embrace their writing skills by getting them to enter into a childrens writing competition

Short Story Competitions

If you enjoy writing short stories and want to share your work you can enter one of the short story competitions in Australia

Writing Competitions

In Australia there are hundreds of writing competitions held each year for children, teens, adults, amateurs and professional writers

Writing Competitions for High School Students

If you’re a budding teen author you can show your writing skills in one of the many writing competitions for high school students

Manuscript awards to enter in 2021

Australian Writers' Centre Team

• October 6, 2021

Was 2020 going to be the year you showcased your manuscript with the world but just didn’t get around to it? Given the year that was, we’ll let you off. But now it is 2021. There are some exciting opportunities for you this year, so we’ve created a list of manuscript awards for you to enter. We’ll keep updating the list throughout the year, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to choose from. Time to get your story out there…

Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction The Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction is for writers who have an outstanding published work of fiction that increases awareness and understanding of history in children – they specify for children of up to 14 years of age. Books written as part of a series or published in a series will be judged as separate entities, so your story will need to be able to ‘standalone’ as a complete work if submitted and not dependent on the other books of that series. Closes: 28 February 2021 Entry fee: $25 Prize: $1000

Page Turner Awards The Page Turner Awards for 2021 are now open for manuscript submissions and they have three new categories to enter. All Awards accept fiction and non-fiction in all genres. They have a wide range of literary agents and publishers judging this years’ entries to award writers with various prizes including audiobook productions, book trailers, podcast interviews and much more. Here are the categories for 2021: Writing Award : for unpublished, completed manuscripts Young Writer Award : for writers aged between 18 and 25 Writing Mentorship Award : for uncompleted manuscripts Screenplay Award : for scriptwriters with a completed screenplay Book Award : for authors with a published book, mainstream or independently published Closes: Early bird deadline – 28 February 2021; Final deadline – 30 May 2021 Entry fee: Early bird – £20; March – May price – £30 Prize: Check out all of the possible prizes you could win here

2021 Unpublished Contest The literary division of Pipeline Media Group presents the 2021 Book Pipeline: Unpublished competition.The Book Pipeline division, fashioned to connect writers with publishers, agents and film industry professionals, is inviting writers to submit the first 5000 words and full synopsis of their unpublished manuscripts. Competition winners will be drawn from each of the 6 categories: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Literary, Outsider/Experimental, and Non-fiction. Closes: 5 March 2021 Entry fee: $35 Word limit: Submit only first 5,000 words only and full story synopsis Prize: Winners from each category – $2500 plus immediate circulation to publishers, agents and editors, consideration from producers seeking projects for film adaptations, invitations to annual writer and industry events held by Pipeline Media Group

The Fogarty Literary Award From 15 March 2021, the Fogarty Foundation and Fremantle Press invites Western Australian authors between 18 and 35 years old to submit their unpublished manuscripts for The Fogarty Literary Award. Manuscripts of adult fiction, non-fiction or young adult fiction are accepted for the chance to win a publishing contract with Fremantle Press and a decent cash prize. Closes: 18 April 2021 Entry Fee: Free Word limit: 50,000 -120,000 words Prize: $20,000 and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press

The Valerie Parv Award From 5 April 2021, romance writers can submit the first 10,000 words and synopsis of their unpublished manuscript for The Valerie Parv Award. Your work needs to be either a romance or romantic elements novel. The winner will be chosen by the popular Australian romance writer Valerie Parv. Closes: 25 April 2020 Word limit: First 10,000 words (maximum) of your unpublished, novel-length (40K+) romance/romantic elements manuscript, plus a 1,000 word (maximum) synopsis Entry fee: Romance Writers of Australia members $44; non-members $110 Prize: One year mentorship with Valerie Parv

The Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing The Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing is now open for submissions. Text Publishing will award this annual prize to the most outstanding unpublished manuscript for children and young adult readers. Published and unpublished writers of all ages are invited to enter works of either fiction or non-fiction.  Closes: 6 April 2021 Word limit: 20,000 and 100,000 words Entry fee: $25 Prize: $10,000 and a contract to publish the winning book with Text Publishing

The Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers Held in the memory of writer Steph Bowe, the Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers is an initiative designed to nurture and encourage an exciting new writer in Australian children’s literature under 25 years of age. Awarded to the Text Prize entrant the judging panel believes would receive the most benefit from the mentorship. Closes: 6 April 2021 Entry fee: $25 Prize: The winner is paired with a middle grade or young adult author for a 20-hour mentorship over a period of 6–12 months. They also receive a 12-month membership with Express Media and complimentary issues of Voiceworks Magazine, as well as a 12-month membership to their state writers centre.

Island Nonfiction Prize Island magazine and the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund have launched the Island Nonfiction Prize. Open for submissions, Island are looking for non-fiction stories that fascinate, excite or enrage. They encourage writers to investigate and experiment with their original written work to introduce them to new ideas, new worlds and new forms of expression. So just let your creativity run free. Closes: 11 April 2021 Word limit: 4000 words Entry fee: $16.50 Prize: $3000, published in Island issue 162, and receive a four-issue subscription to Island

Daisy Utemorrah Award Open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers of junior or young adult fiction living in Australia, to submit their unpublished manuscript. These entrants can be authors or any age – those writers under 18 years old need a letter of consent from a parent or guardian. Closes: 30 April 2021 Entry fee: Free Prize: $15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books

2021 Queensland Literary Awards: Development awards and prizes The Queensland Literary Awards aim to raise the profile of Queensland writers and outstanding stories written by Australians. As part of the Queensland Development Awards there are three awards and one fellowship to win: David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Writer, Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer, Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Awards, and the Queensland Writers Fellowships. Closes: 30 April 2021 Word Limit: Entries should be between 40,000 and 100,000 words, with exceptions for fiction for children Entry Fee: Free Prize: David Unaipon Award  and Glendower Award –  $15,000, plus manuscript development and publication with UQP each; Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Awards – two awards of $10,000, plus career development support to the value of $2,500 each; Queensland Writers Fellowships – three Fellowships of $15,000, plus career development support to the value of $4,500 each

2021 Queensland Literary Awards: Published book awards and prizes The Queensland Published Book Awards are calling all Queensland writers who have published their book between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021 inclusive, and be first published and offered for general sale in Australia between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021 inclusive Closes: 30 April 2021 Word Limit: Entries should be between 40,000 and 100,000 words, with exceptions for fiction for children Entry Fee: $50 Prize: Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance – $25,000; Queensland Literary Awards Fiction Book Award – $15,000;  Queensland Literary Awards Non-Fiction Book Award – $15,000; Griffith University Young Adult Book Award – $15,000; Griffith University Children’s Book Award – $15,000; University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award for a Short Story Collection – $15,000; Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection – $15,000; The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award – $10,000

2021 Banjo Prize HarperCollins Publishers Australia has announced that entries are now open for the 2021 Banjo Prize. Launched in 2018, each year HarperCollins opens this prize for submission in their search for Australia's next great storyteller. Closes: 28  May 2021 Word limit: Submit full manuscript of adult commercial fiction, a 500-word synopsis and a 200-word biographical statement Prize: A publishing contract including an advance against royalties of $15,000

The Australian /Vogel’s Literary Award 2022 One of Australia’s most prestigious awards for unpublished manuscripts by a writer under 35 years, The Australian /Vogel's Literary Award 2022 is open for submissions. Australian writers are encouraged to submit their polished, unpublished manuscript for the chance to win $20,000 plus publication with Allen & Unwin – amazing! Closes: 31 May 2021 Word limit: 50,000 – 80,000 words Entry fee: $25 per manuscript Prize: $20,000 cash and publication with Allen & Unwin with an advance against royalties

Kate Challis RAKA Award The RAKA, or Ruth Adeney Koori Award, is awarded to the best book of fiction published between 2016 – 2021 and written in English, by an Indigenous author. This award was established by art and cultural historian Professor Emeritus Bernard Smith because he believed in the restorative justice powers of the arts in all forms and wanted to celebrate Indigenous creative excellence.  Closes: 14 June 2021 Word limit: Submit 5x copies of your book Prize: $20,000

Victorian Community History Awards 2021 Australian writers and historians get your published non-fiction or creative non-fiction manuscripts in for the Victorian Community History Awards 2021. Subject matter is limited to history primarily related to the State of Victoria or projects that encourage greater access to Victorian collections, and completed between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. Closes: 7 July 2021 Word limit: Submit 50 word project summary and a separate explanation of the significance, value and accessibility of the work up to a maximum of 300 words. Prize: Victorian Premier's History Award $5000; Collaborative Community History Award $2000; Local History Project Award $2000; History Publication Award $2000; Local History – Small Publication Award $1500; Community Diversity Award $1500; Digital Storytelling Award $1500; Historical Interpretation Award $1500; Oral History Award presented in collaboration with Oral History Victoria $1500; History Article Award $500

2021 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers In partnership with the Emerging Writers’ Festival, Hachette Australia and the Richell family have launched the 2021 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. This prize is an important industry opportunity for emerging writers, offering one winner an invaluable 12-month mentorship to assist them on their path to publication. The submissions will be judged on the writing and originality of the story, the synopsis, and the pitch (how winning the Prize will help you further your writing career). Closes: 9 July 2021  Word limit: The first three chapters max. 20,000 words; one-page synopsis; a chapter breakdown of the rest of the work, no more than two A4 pages long. Prize: 12-month mentorship with Hachette Australia

The Watson, Little Prize In celebration of the agency’s 50th anniversary, Watson, Little Ltd is delighted to announce the launch of the Watson, Little Prize. It is dedicated to writers over fifty years of age. It aims to encourage those from older generations, from all backgrounds and from all nations and cultures, to apply.  The 2021 prize will focus on upmarket fiction, with future editions of the prize likely to focus on different genres. Closes: 30 July 2021 Word limit: 500 word plot outline and 5,000 words from the unpublished novel Prize: Personalised mentorship

Children’s Peace Literature Award 2021 The Australian Psychological Society Ltd. have opened their biennial Children’s Peace Literature Award 2021. The judges are looking for books for children (up to 18 years of age) that encourage the peaceful resolution of conflict or promote peace by Australian authors. Manuscripts must have been published between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2021 to be eligible for this award. Closes: 31 July 2021 Entry fee: $15 per manuscript Prize: $3000

Peter Blazey Fellowship The Peter Blazey Fellowship, supported by the University of Melbourne Faculty of Arts, is now open for applications. This annual Fellowship is awarded to writers in the non-fiction fields of biography, autobiography and life writing and is intended to advance a work in progress. Closes: 2 August 2021 Word limit: 5000 words Prize: $15,000

Helen Anne Bell Poetry Bequest Award 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. Closes: 20 August 2021 Word limit: 50-80 pages Entry fee:  Free Prize: $40,000 and published by Vagabond Press

The 2021 Speculate Prize RMIT has launched an inaugural Speculate Fiction prize aimed at writers who explore the expansive possibilities of literature: those who imagine other worlds-other realities-that may even exist within our own.  Closes: 1 September 2021 Word limit: 100,000 words Prize: $5000 prize money, a mentorship from Giramondo Publishing and a week-long residency at RMIT's McCraith House on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

The ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize The Australian Society of Authors and HQ, a division of HarperCollins, have opened the biennial ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for manuscript entries. The Prize judges are seeking the best of commercial fiction: vibrant writing that entertains, enlightens, and provokes lively water-cooler conversations. Closes: 1 November 2021 Word limit: 140,000 words  Entry fee: ASA Member – First submission FREE; ASA Member – Subsequent submissions $25; Non-Member submission fee – $65 Prize : Winner – publishing contract with HQ, with a $10,000 advance against royalties; Runner-up –  $500 and a year’s membership with the ASA

The Dorothy Hewett Award for an Unpublished Manuscript UWA Publishing, with the support of the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, presents The Dorothy Hewett Award. Open to all writers who have completed a manuscript and are seeking publication. This award is inclusive of fiction, narrative nonfiction poetry and hybrid genres such as verse novels or memoir.  Closes: 30 November 2021 Entry fee: $20 Prize: $10,000 and will be offered a publishing contract by UWA Publishing

Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize 2022 Hawkeye Publishing has announced their Manuscript Writing Competition is open for submissions. The winner will receive a prize that aims to guide the author to publishing success including coaching and editing by Hawkeye Publishing. Closes: 17 December 2021 Word limit: 80,000 words Entry fee: $45 Prize: Author Coaching, Structural Edit and Line Edit

If you think that dusty manuscript may need a little more TLC before you enter any manuscript awards, then you may need our Write Your Novel program . Through our 6 or 12-month program, you will have the opportunity to workshop your entire manuscript to whip it into shape plus receive professional feedback from an industry guru on your story.

Browse posts by category

• Categories: Competitions and Opportunities

Courses starting soon

• Learn online now
• Fiction and novels
• Freelance writing
• Business writing
• Gift vouchers
• Train your team
• Manuscript assessments
• Fiction mentorships
• All courses

Phone: (02) 9929 0088 Email:  [email protected]

Connect with us

Nice one! You've added this to your cart

You might also like:

• LitLinks Homepage
• Year 7 & 8, 2023
• Year 9 & 10, 2023
• Year 11 & 12, 2023
• Viviane Gerardu Award
• Teachers As Writers 2023
• 2023 Ceremony
• Read the 2022 Winning Entries
• Read the 2021 Winning Entries
• Read the 2020 Winning Entries
• Read the 2019 Winning Entries
• Read the 2018 Winning Entries
• ACTATE Website
• Paperchain Books
• ACT Doorland
• ACT Writers
• Canberra Writers Festival
• Rotary Club of Woden

A creative writing competition open to ACT school students in years 7-12 and their teachers

Congratulations to all our 2023 Writers

Congratulations to the 2023 Winners

ACTATE received an impressive collection of entries from students across the ACT in 2023. The winners were announced at a special ceremony on 6 November 2023.

Click on the links below to read the winning entries.

• 2023 Winning Entries
• Years 7 & 8 Winners
• Years 9 & 10 Winners
• Years 11 & 12 Winners
• Viviane Gerardu Writing Encouragement Award 2023

Teachers as Writers 2023

Enter the 2024  competition.

The focus of the competition is short stories in any genre. All entries must be original works and unpublished. The word count should be in the range of 400 -1,500 words.

Entry is free and schools may submit up to five entries for each category :

• Years 11-12
• Teachers as Writers (ACTATE teacher members only).

To be considered for judging, entries must comply with the required word count range and be proofread to a publication standard. Original artwork may be included.

Prizes include book vouchers, passes to the Canberra Writers’ Festival in 2025, MARION memberships and certificates for all entrants, with a prize pool of $6,000, sponsored by Paperchain Bookstore Manuka  and ACT Doorland .

Entry Guidelines

• The school contact person may submit up to 5 entries for each category, accompanied by the completed entry form for each student. Only one entry is permitted per student / teacher.
• Entries must be submitted as electronic files in .docx or .doc format (no PDFs please). Do not include rationales. All files will be de-identified before judging.
• For administration purposes, electronic files should be named by the title of the work.
• Entrants must not use AI tools such as ChatGP to generate any part of their short story or artwork.
• Only entries accompanied by a completed entry form that confirms acknowledgment of the entrant’s agreement to the terms and conditions will be accepted.

Submitting Entries

Winner,  highly commended, judges’ choice and speculative fiction awards are determined in each category.

ACTATE has formed a panel of highly qualified educators and writers to serve as competition judges:

• Emma Batchelor (author, Chair – MARION, ACT Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge ambassador, Member of Minister’s Creative Council)
• Christina Cochrane (English teacher, ACTATE member, educational consultant)
• Dennis Flannery (English teacher, ACTATE life member, former president, school principal)
• Sandra Lambert (English teacher, ACTATE member, school principal)
• Katy Mutton (MARION CEO, writing and publishing industry advocate)
• Teresa Nugent (Early childhood, speech and drama teacher, ACTATE member, reading and writing advocate)
• Janet Rickwood (English teacher, ACTATE life member, former president, school principal)
• Madeleine Rutzou (English teacher, ACTATE member)
• Jenine Westerburg (English teacher, ACTATE member, tertiary supervisor, writing advocate)

Terms and Conditions of Entry

• The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• All submitted work (including artwork/photography) must be their own original work and all entrants must agree that their entries do not contain any material that infringes the rights of anyone else. Artworks may be created by another student/person, as long as the work is original and acknowledged.
• All entrants agree to their stories being published on the Litlinks Website, and to ACTATE using them in teaching and learning resources.

Keep Up to Date

Subscribe to litlinks.

Email Address

Click on the images below to read the winning stories:

Viviane Gerardu Writing Award

DATES & DEADLINES

Entries close at midnight on Friday, 13 September, 2024, Week 8, Term 3.

Winners announced in Term 4

LitLinks is presented by …

Ebooks, Publishing, and Everything in Between

• Downloads & Pricing
• Advertising

300+ Writing Contests You Need to Enter in 2021

• on Dec 17, 2020
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: January 3rd, 2024

Note: Don’t forget to check out the 2024 list of writing contests !

If there’s one thing we need these days, it’s consistency. Something that proves not everything has changed. Something that gives you a bout of comfort given the current circumstances. So what better way to do that than to know 2021 comes with a host of writing contests for people of all ages from all around the world?

Whatever your writing niche or preferred writing genre, there’s bound to be a contest for you. From short stories to poems and even essays, this year we’ve expanded our list more than ever. All you need is one chance, right? You never know, this might be the contest that helps you further your writing career!

The 2020 Exeter Novel Prize

Eligibility & Restrictions

To apply, submit a 10,000 word novel in English. The novel can’t have been published by a traditional publishing house. Anyone above 18 can enter. All genres excluding children’s, but including Young Adult and New Adult, are acceptable.

St. Martin’s Minotaur/ Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

Anyone above 18 can enter. All Manuscripts submitted must be original works between 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words written in English. They also must be written solely by an unpublished entrant. The story should be about murder or another serious crime or to at least have a crime at the heart of the story.

Mississippi Review Contest

The contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and non-fiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems totaling ten pages or less.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award

Anyone can enter. Minimum 3 pages; maximum 10 pages. You can only submit one entry. Submission must be previously unpublished material. Students currently enrolled at San Francisco State University are ineligible.

James Knudsen Prize for Fiction

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished work of fiction, no longer than 7500 words. UNO students and alumni are ineligible. All current and former Bayou staff, previous contest winners, and current or former students of the judge are ineligible to submit.

Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished poetry. You may enter up to three poems per entry. UNO students and alumni are ineligible to submit. Previous contest winners, along with current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.

Seaborne Magazine: Call for submissions about the sea

Anyone can enter. They are looking for rich, atmospheric fiction, non-fiction, poetry and visual artwork about the sea. Submissions must be formatted to UK spelling. They do not accept previously published submissions, in other magazines, websites or personal blogs. Fiction should be between 2,000-5,000 words for short stories, and 300 words for vignettes. Creative non-fiction should be between 800-1,500 words.

The Crank Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Must submit four previously unpublished poems.

The Hunger Winter Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. You may submit up to 3 poems; please include them all in the same file. Multiple submissions are allowed with a separate entry fee for each submission.

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter.

The Tony Hillerman Prize For Best First Mystery Set In the Southwest

Anyone above 18 and is a resident of one of the US, the District of Columbia or Canada can enter. Entries must be unpublished, publication on an entrant’s website of a single one-chapter excerpt from a work is eligible. The Manuscript must be written in English and must be approximately 60,000 words or 220 pages. The theme is murder or another serious crime and should focus on the solving of the crime(s) rather than the details of such crime(s).

Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize

Entry must be short prose by African-American writers in North Carolina. Entries may be fiction or creative non-fiction, but must be unpublished, no more than 3,000 words, and concerned with the lives and experiences of North Carolina African-Americans. Entries may be excerpts from longer works, but must be self-contained.

San José State University Steinbeck Fellowships in Creative Writing

Anyone can enter. Residency in the San Francisco Bay Area is required during the academic year. Submit a writing sample up to 25, a project proposal for work to be written, a résumé, and three letters of recommendation.

This Sentence Starts The Story

Anyone can enter. Write a story that starts with this sentence: It’s happening tonight. You have the option to put it in quotes (for dialogue) and to change the punctuation at the end for proper grammar.

Books By The Banks Writing Contest

This year’s contest theme is Home. You are encouraged to interpret this theme as literally or figuratively as you desire. Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are welcome. Submitted work must be original and unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a 5-7-5 poem that follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.

The Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing

Anyone above 18 can enter. The English short story should have a maximum of 2,500 words. Entries must never have been published, self-published, broadcast or published on any website, blog or online forum. Entries must be the sole work of the entrant.

The Henshaw Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries must be fictional short stories of up to 2000 words on any theme. All entries must be the original work of the author, must not have been published before the date of submission.

BBC Writersroom Script Room 2021

Anyone can enter. Submit one drama or comedy-drama script of at least 30 full pages in length for TV, film, radio, stage or online. No early/first/rough drafts of scripts.

Poetry Kit International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. There are no style or length restrictions, but it should be stressed that a short poem is just as likely to be selected as a longer one. This year’s theme: “home” which can be broadly interpreted and presented in any form or style.

Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Awards

Authors must be Canadian citizens or a resident of Canada. Entries can be written in French or English. The entry must have been published in Canada during the 2020 calendar year. Entries may deal with aspects of basic or applied science or technology (historical or current) in any area including health, social or environmental issues, regulatory trends, etc. Books must be understandable to the layperson or children, with appropriate clarification of medical and scientific terminology, and an orderly marshalling of facts.

The White Review Poet’s Prize

The Prize is open to residents of the UK and Ireland who have yet to publish a single-authored poetry collection or pamphlet in any language. Entries of poetry portfolios should be 5 – 10 pages per portfolio, as opposed to single-poem entries, and must be written in English. Poems submitted must not have been previously published, either online or in print.

Minute Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the “8,4,4,4” syllable count structure. It must have 12 lines total and 60 syllables.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme is adaptation. In addition to essays and stories of up to 7000 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 800 to 2000 words. Please submit previously unpublished work along with a brief biography and cover letter.

New Guard Fiction Contest

Anyone above 18 can enter. Up to three poems per entry. Submit up to 5,000 words: anything from flash fiction to the long stories. Please submit previously unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided they’re notified upon publication elsewhere.

New Guard Poetry Contest

Anyone above 18 can enter. Up to three poems per entry. Up to 150 lines per poem. Please submit all three poems in a single document. Please submit previously unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided they’re notified upon publication elsewhere.

Joe Gouveia Outermost Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Send up to 5 of your best unpublished poems, any style or subject matter, no more than 7 pages in total.

Colorado Prize for Poetry

The competition is open to anyone, except students, alumni, and employees of Colorado State University. Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages but no more than 100 pages. Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished. Translations are not eligible.

Virginia B. Ball Writing Contest

The contest is open to students in grades 8-11 during the 2020-2021 school year except students enrolled in Interlochen Arts Academy. The pieces must represent at least two of the following genres: fiction, poetry, spoken word, personal essay/memoir, screenwriting, playwriting, comics, and experimental or unclassifiable writing. Applicants who submit so-called “genre” fiction (science fiction, fantasy, etc.) are encouraged to also submit a sample of more realistic fiction. Length: max 4,000 words.

Erewash Festive Fright Writing Poetry and Story Competitions

Anyone can enter. From creepy spec fic to bleak psychological thrillers, whether you make your writing ghostly and/or ghastly, ​put the frighteners on us to win this competition.​ Set it during the festive season in December. Poetry length: up to 40 lines. Story length: max 500 words.

Erewash Festive Fright Writing Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. From creepy spec fic to bleak psychological thrillers, whether you make your writing ghostly and/or ghastly, ​put the frighteners on us to win this competition.​ Set it during the festive season in December. Short Story length: max 2,500 words.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Any United States high school students in grades 9-12 may apply. Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917. Length: 1,000 words max with a minimum of 700. Past winners and finalists, employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

Rattle Chapbook Prize

Anyone can enter. Each poet may submit 15–30 pages of poems in English only (no translations).Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished as a collection.

Calibre Essay Prize

Anyone can enter except ABR staff and board members. Essay length: 2,000 to 5,000 words, written in English. Exclusivity is essential for longlisted essays.

Driftwood Press Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be between 1,000-5,000 words. The work must not have been previously published. Submit works written in English only, no translations.

Driftwood Press Poem Contest

Submitters may send up to five poems in a single document for consideration. Each poem must not exceed sixty lines. Prose poetry, experimental poetry, and poetry with a visual element are all welcome. Any submissions should be written primarily in English.

Reading Works Short Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a short short story no longer than 100 words. The contest is open to prose, any genre. Topics: ants, bowling, 1940s, water.

DISQUIET Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book. One short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book.One piece of non-fiction, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book. No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total.

Dynamo Verlag Book Contest

This contest is open to all authors who have not published more than one (1) full length book in their primary genre (this does not include self-published works). Current and under-contract Dynamo Verlag authors are ineligible, as are any persons employed or associated with the press.This contest is open to primarily textual poetry or prose, minimum 8,000 words for poetry and maximum 75,000 words for prose.

City Limits Love Is in the Air Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be about love in some form and written in English. A poem in its entirety must be an original work by the person entering the contest.

Rose Post Creative non-fiction Contest

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Theme: Lasting non-fiction that is outside the realm of conventional journalism and has relevance to North Carolinians. Subjects may include traditional categories such as reviews, travel articles, profiles or interviews, place/history pieces, or culture criticism. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 2,000 words.

William Matthews Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Submit 3 poems in a single file, any style, any subject, any length. Previously published work and translations are not eligible. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify us immediately if a poem is accepted for publication elsewhere.

North American Book Award

Anyone can enter. The book of poetry submitted must be the work of a single author, at least 64 pages long, and published in 2020 by an established press. Manuscripts, videos, CDs, chapbooks, and self-published books are not eligible, nor are books that have won awards, including a pre-publication award by the publishing press. It is expected that the book will contain both new and previously published poems.

Rising Writer Prizes

Anyone 36 or younger can enter. Must be the author’s first full-length poetry collection (previous publications of chapbooks are fine). Submissions should be approximately 50-80 pages.

Desert Writers Award

Anyone can enter. Length: no more than 10 pages, double spaced with 1-inch margins. You may submit published, unpublished, or work in progress but it must be an original work.

Magma Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, broadcast, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time. Length: 11–50 lines.

Writing Magazine Open Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries should be no longer than 40 lines. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award. There is no limit to number of entries. Entrants retain copyright in their manuscripts.

Writing Magazine Open Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries should be 1,500-1,700 words. The choice is yours for this competition – any story, any style, any genre. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award. There is no limit to number of entries. Entrants retain copyright in their manuscripts.

Early Career Awards

Anyone above 18, lives in England at time of application and until at least June 2022, and has not published a debut novel or full short story collection can enter. Submit a sample of work of up to 2,000 words.

Heron Tree Volume 8

Anyone can enter. Poems that have previously appeared online (temporarily or permanently, on your own or a third-party site) should not be submitted, nor should work that has already been published electronically or in print. Simultaneous submissions are welcome with timely notification of acceptance elsewhere.

Four Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The subject can be anything.

Vassar Review: Protest, Prophecy, Play

Anyone can enter. Art: 15 works/ Fiction or Literary non-fiction: 30 pages/ Poetry: 6 poems, or 10 pages/ Reviews: 2 works/ Digital Media: up to 5 digital works.

Novella-in-Flash Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original, unpublished previously, not have won a prize, and written in English between 6,000 and 18,000 words long.

Waxing & Waning Tennessee Tempest Edition

Anyone can enter. Poetry: 1-5 poems, up to 3,000 words. Fiction / creative non-fiction: 100-5,000 words (if any longer, it should be good enough to merit the space it will take up).

Women’s Prize Trust Novel Discoveries

All women in the UK or Ireland above 18 can enter. It is open to any genre of adult fiction, and you only need to submit the first 10,000 words of your novel plus a synopsis (and you’re allowed a very generous 1000 words ).

The Phare Write Words Poetry Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast, or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length: 40 lines max.

The Phare Write Words Short Story Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length: 3000 words max.

The Phare Write Words Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. An entry can only be made by the work’s individual author. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length – 1000 words max.

The Nine Dots Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Entries should respond in English to this question: “What does it mean to be young in an ageing world?” Length: 3,000 words max. Joint entries and UK sanctioned country entrants will be considered.

Bethesda Essay Contest

Residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper NW Washington, D.C. (20015 and 20016 ZIP codes) are eligible. The contest will take entries in two categories: High School (grades 9-12) and Adult (ages 18+). Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Stories must be limited to 4,000 words or less.

Poetry Society of Virginia 2021 Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English, typed, unpublished, origi­nal, and not scheduled for publication before May, 2020. All entries not in compliance with category specifications will be disqualified.

Stage It! 10-Minute Plays Competition

Anyone can enter. Plays should be in generally-accepted script format and in English. Length: 10 pages or a 10 minutes read.

Past Search Prize for Non-Fiction

Anyone can enter. Maximum 2,000 words.

Free Verse Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. No restrictions.

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, philosophical ruminations, stageplays, fragments, chapters, and excerpts are all acceptable.

Black Inc. Anthology Contest

Anyone who has spent a substantial part of your life can enter. This year’s theme: Growing Up in Country Australia. Submissions can be in any manner, tone or style, but should not be academic or scholarly. Length: between 1000 and 4000 words.

The Royal Society of Literature Encore Award

The Award is open for any published second novel, which must be a full-length work of fiction. The writer must have been resident in the United Kingdom (UK) or the Republic of Ireland (RoI) for the past three years. Novellas or children’s books are ineligible. Books published with vanity publishers are not eligible.

The 15th Annual Short Story Challenge

Horror writing contest.

Anyone can enter. Put your readers on edge or terrorize them.

Sixfold Short Story Competition

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Must be unpublished and original, simultaneous submissions accepted. Length 20 pages (5,000 words) max.

Sixfold Short Poetry Competition

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Must be unpublished and original, simultaneous submissions accepted. Length 10 pages max.

8th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed during this week. A modicum of poetic license is acceptable. Poems should be newly written, during the relevant 7-day period.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. We are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. All entries should be in English and be accompanied by a short (75 word) biography of the author and postal address. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition.

20 Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has exactly 20 lines. Any format.

SWAMP Writing

Anyone enrolled in a postgraduate program in any university across the globe can enter. Entries must be unpublished poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction and memoir. This year’s theme: Reflection.

Two Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write an essence poem. The poem should be of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

Fan Story Hate to love Contest

Anyone can enter. The topic for this contest is: A hate to love story. The story does not have to be specifically about the topic. But should clearly incorporate the topic into the story. Minimum length 700 words. Recommended length 2,000 – 3,500 words.

Parracombe Prize 2020

To enter, simply submit a short story of no more than 2,020 words. Entries must be in English, your own original work, must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Writing Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Stories must be original and unpublished in print or websites. Must in English and a maximum of 1,000 words. All genres will be accepted except children’s and young adult fiction.

Cambridge Autumn Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “Lockdown”.

The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems must be in English, unpublished, not accepted for publication, and must be your original work. They must be no longer than 40 lines.

Caine Prize for African Writing

Submissions can only be made by publishers and the prize winner has to be an African national and the entry has to be in English. Unpublished and self-published work is not eligible for the Caine Prize. Works not eligible for entry include stories for children, factual writing, plays, biography.

Young Authors Writing Competition

The contest is open to students attending grades 9-12. Each individual entry has a limit of ten pages. The number of words is not fixed, but each work cannot exceed 10 pages. No previously published entries. Simultaneous submissions are allowed for our contest, but you must notify them immediately if the piece is accepted elsewhere.

Driftwood Poetry Collections

Anyone can enter. It should be between 40-100 pages of poetry. Experimental poetry, hybrid work, poetry with a visual element, prose poetry, and any avant-garde poetry are welcomed! Submissions should be primarily in English, but collections with a moderate bilingual component will of course be considered.

The Winter Anthology

Anyone can enter. Please send as much poetry or prose of which you are the sole author and that were not written earlier than 1999.

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

Anyone can enter. The entries can’t have been previously published. Maximum number of words is 4,000 in English.

Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. This competition is for original, previously unpublished poems in English, on any subject, in any style up to 50 lines long. Poems posted on members-only non-public groups for review/critique as part of the creative process are not deemed to have been previously published.

GCWA Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Youth category: 11-17; adult category: above 18. Your entry must be original, in English, unpublished, and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer before April 1, 2021. Fiction/non-fiction/children’s —1500 words maximum. Poetry – 40 lines maximum.

Blackwater Press short story contest

Anyone can enter. Word limit should be between 1000 words to 10,000 words.

Michael McLaverty Short Story Competition

Entrants must have been born in, or are citizens of, or resident in Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland. Entries must not exceed the maximum of 3,000 words. Entries must not have been, by the date of submission, published or broadcast in any medium.

Mighty Pens Winter Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Theme: short story about winter. Entries must be between 500 and 1,000 words. Each entry must be the exclusive work of the author, in English, and must not have been published or appeared anywhere else, including any placement in another competition.

Cheshire Prize for Literature

The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished piece of creative work in one of four categories themed around all aspects of the pandemic including “lockdown”: poetry, short fiction, children’s literature and scriptwriting.

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. All entries must be the work of the person entering and must not have been published anywhere online (including blogs and websites) or accepted for publication elsewhere. It must be in English. The copyright remains with the author. Length: 1000 words, no minimum word limit.

The Chaucer Tales Writing Competition

The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities (ages 5-18), but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. The maximum word count is 500 words in English. The special theme of the competition this year is Be Careful What You Wish For!

First Chapter Competition

Anyone can enter. International entries are welcome but first chapters must be written in English and can be up to 3,500 words (no minimum word count) and on any theme and subject (except children’s fiction). The novel should be unpublished and not have been accepted by a publisher.

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The competition is open to any theme or genre, but your story must be a maximum of 1,500 words and must be written in English. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant. This includes publication online, including (but not limited to) personal blogs or websites. Each entry must not be currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award.

Annual Fifteen Stories High Short Story Competition

The contest is now open to all Ontario resident writers. Stories must be unpublished fiction and creative non-fiction and be between 1, 000 and 3,000 words in length. Each piece must be original, unpublished, not submitted elsewhere for publication or broadcast, nor accepted elsewhere for publication or broadcast, nor entered simultaneously in any other contest or competition for which it is also eligible to win a prize.

Lancashire Authors’ Association Open Competition

Anyone 16 or above can enter. The story must be exactly 100 words. Entries must be original, unpublished work which is not currently submitted for publication or entered into any other competition or award.

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Open Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 36 lines of text, no minimum.

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Devon residents Poetry Competition

Residents of Devon can enter. Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 36 lines of text, no minimum.

The Big Moose Prize

Anyone can enter. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional unpublished novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Manuscripts should be 90-1,000 pages in length.

The over 90s Short Story Prize

Anyone who lives in the UK around 90 years of age or over on the 1st September 2020 can enter. Write a short story with a maximum of 500 words on the theme of childhood memories.

The British Haiku Society Poetry competition

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be in English, unpublished and not concurrently entered for any other competition, and remain unpublished until the results are declared. Submissions should not appear in any print or online publication, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) or forums as the competition is anonymous. There is no limit on the number of submissions per competitor.

Stringybark Open Short Story Award

Anyone can enter. It should be about Australia. Length: Up to 1500 words. Written for an audience aged 16 and above.

Dark Tales Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Each entry must be no longer than 5000 words, must be the original, unpublished work of the stated author.

The Masters Review Short Story Award For New Writers

Anyone can enter. Previously unpublished stories only. Simultaneous and multiple submissions allowed. Emerging writers only (Writers with novels published with a circulation of fewer than 5000 copies can also submit.) Length: under 6000 words.

Arachne Press Opportunity for Deaf writers

Submissions are open for UK writers who are deaf only. Deaf writers may submit by video in BSL. No erotica, or horror of any kind, gore or torture. No sexist stereotypes and derivative plotlines, sloppy writing and clichés, romance and chick-lit. Stories and poems must be your own work, written in English, up to 2000 words long and unpublished except for The Story Sessions.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award

All entries must be Canadian-authored titles published in English between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and available through bookstores and libraries. Submission must be a first collection/first edition of short fiction, no co-authored entries, no posthumously published works, electronically published works not eligible, submission must be made by a publisher. Translations from other languages into English are eligible if all other criteria are met.

The Brucedale Press Annual Acrostic Story Contest

Anyone under 18 can enter. Stories entered must be original, unpublished work created by the entrant, not previously entered in this contest. Stories may not be longer than 26 sentences. The first sentence must begin with “Because I can…”. Any subject or theme is acceptable, provided there is no profanity, obscenity, ageism, racism or sexism.

The Word Guild 2021 Fresh Ink Student Writing Awards

This contest is designed to encourage student writers in 2 age categories: high school and college/university. Enter original works in 5 categories. Short stories, no-fiction and poetry must be 1500 words or less, first three chapters of an unpublished novel 15 pages or less and short script (screen or stage) 45 pages or less.

Amazon First Novel Award

Anyone between 13-17 and is a citizen or permanent resident of Canada can enter. The Youth Short Story Category invites authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to submit a short story under 3,000 words.

Little Tokyo Historical Society Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Fiction: 5,000 words. Poetry: single poems or multi-poem cycles. Stories must be set in a current, past or future Little Tokyo in the City of Los Angeles, California.

Bad Betty Press: Pamphlet & Collection Manuscripts

Anyone can enter. Submit 10 pages of poetry from a full collection/pamphlet manuscript.

Bluefire 1000-Word Short Story Contest

Anyone in school grades 6-12 can enter. Entries must be original and not previously published. Length: exactly 1000 words. Previous grand prize winners are not eligible to submit in the same grade category (6-8, or 9-12) in which they have won.

EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Anyone in school (grades 3-12) can enter. Submit a piece of writing that salutes engineering’s role in meeting and defeating the challenges presented by COVID-19. Check guidlines for your category. Grades 3-5: 600 words limit. Grades 6-8: 650 words limit. High school: 700 words limit.

Accenti Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Submissions for original and unpublished English prose texts only. Maximum length: 2000 words. No poetry, plays, reviews, and scholarly essays. No footnotes and endnotes. No pseudonyms. Submissions can be an English translation of the author’s unpublished original work in another language.

River of Words: Youth Art and Poetry Inspired by the Natural World

The contest is open through to 12th grade students, ages 5-20. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older. Poems can be in English and Spanish. All poems must be original work and should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed).

Spread The Word Life Writing Prize

Entrants must be based in the UK, above 18, unpublished (unless self-published), and currently unagented. The entry should be up to 5000 words.

The BookLife Prize

Anyone can enter. Both unpublished or self-published books in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize. Entries must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words.

Accenti Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Submissions are open for entries unpublished and not under consideration by any other publication. Maximum length: 40 lines. Submissions can be an English translation of the author’s unpublished original work in another language.

SCWC Poetry Award

Anyone above in Australia 18 can enter. Entries must be single poems of no more than 50 lines. For entries not primarily written in English, an English translation should be provided for the judges. Entries must be original and unpublished works written by an individual author. Entries should not be on offer to other publications or prizes for the duration of the competition. This year’s theme is ‘every body’.

St. Gallen Symposium Esay Competition

Anyone enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) and born in 1991 or later can enter. Essay should be in English and length should be max. 2,100 words. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest.

The Crucible First Novel Award

Anyone can enter. Submit the first 5,000 words of their manuscripts, along with a 150 word ‘elevator pitch’. Manuscripts which have been published in any form, either traditionally or self-published, are ineligible to enter. Entries which fall within the genres of crime, mystery, thriller, or their sub-genres are eligible.

William Van Dyke Short Story Prize

Anyone can enter. The short story must be 5,500 words or less. Entries must be previously unpublished. Regular Ruminate blog contributors, past first-place winners of any Ruminate Prize, past judges of any Ruminate prize, and friends or family of the Ruminate staff can’t enter.

Dialogue Only Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a story using only dialogue. No narration or descriptions. Sentence tags are optional. No length requirements.

2021 Newcastle Short Story Award

All Australian citizens or permanent residents above 18 can enter. Length: 2,000 words max. Entries must be the original work of the applicant and must not be published in any form or currently offered for publication.

Room 204 Writer Development Scheme

Entrant should have a 2-year writing history with up to 3 writing examples, a max of 3,000 words total.

Arizona Mystery Writers Mary Ann Hutchison Memorial Story Contest for Youths

Writers from 9-16 years of age. Submission must be up to 2500 words (about 10 double-spaced pages).

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Anyone can enter. Submit a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.

The Marten Bequest Scholarships

Australian citizens aged 21-35 can enter. The scholarships provide financial support under the writing categories: poetry and prose. You can’t apply if: 1) you received a grant, or administered a grant, from the Australia Council in the past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted; 2) you owe money to the Australia Council; 3) you were previously awarded a grant through The Marten Bequest.

Kathleen Mitchell Award

Anyone under 30 years, have been born in Australia or the United Kingdom, or are currently Australian citizens or have been living in Australia for the 12 months preceding the closing date can enter. Entries must be novel or novella and they must have been published or accepted for publication within the 2 years prior to the Award closing date. This can be demonstrated by the providing an ISBN or letter of confirmation from the publisher as part of your entry.

Dal Stivens Award

Anyone under 30 years, Australian citizens, or have been permanent residents in the two years preceding the closing date. Entries must be a short story or essay between 3,000 and 10,000 words and they must have been published or accepted for publication within the 12 months prior to the Award closing date.

The National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest for Professionals

All members of the National Federation of Press Women can enter. High school students may enter the professional contest if they are acting in a professional capacity. Entrants from Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota must be NFPW members to enter. All work must have been published or broadcast between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, to be eligible for entry.

Ottawa Travel Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Eligible entries include items in English or in French that have appeared in magazines, newspapers, or online media in 2020 that highlight Ottawa as a travel destination.

The Elmbridge Literary Competition

All entries must be in English and previously unpublished. Short stories length: 1000 words (8-13 years) or 1500 words (14+). Poems length: 30 lines. Little Rhymes and Stories for the 5-7 years group should be no longer than 20 lines (Rhymes) or 500 words (Stories) and can be hand written (but must be legible).

3 Line Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem has to have a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It shouldn’t rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years are not eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

The National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest for High School Students

All high school students in the US can enter. All 2021 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcast, or issued between February 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2020.

Fan Story Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme for this poetry contest is “faith”.

Globe Soup Winter Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone 18 and above can enter. The entries should be no more than 800 words. All entries must be written for adult or young adult readers. Flash Fiction stories aimed at children are not allowed. Entries must be the participants’ own, original work. They must not have been published, self-published, published online or made public on social media or featured among the winners in any other competition. Entries must not include photographs or illustrations.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2019, 2020 or 2021 or with a 2019, 2020 or 2021 copyright date.

Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words.

The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The competition is for novel manuscripts in any genre by unpublished women writer residents in the UK and Ireland. Literary and genre fiction are equally welcomed, and novels for children and young adults may be entered as long as they are primarily word-based. Picture books are not accepted. To enter, send the first 30 to 50 pages and a synopsis between three and five pages.

Short Prose Competition

Any Canadian citizen or resident can enter. Writer must have had no more than one book published (traditionally or self-published) and currently be under no contract for a second book. Piece must be unpublished, original, won no prize before, in English. Length: max 2,500 words.

Fan Story Future Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a flash fiction story that takes place in the future. Maximum length 500 words.

Hippocrates international Open Prize and Health Professional Prize

Anyone can enter. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be written in English on a medical subject and should not be translations of another writer’s work.

Adventures in Fiction Spotlight First Novel Award

Anyone can enter. To enter, submit the first page of your novel and a one-page synopsis. The winner should be prepared to submit the manuscript of their novel in hard copy (12pt, double-spaced, single side of the paper only) to Adventures in Fiction by the beginning of April. Prize: A Stage One Mentoring package for a novel of up to 550 pages/170,000 words including a full manuscript appraisal, a development strategy and two consultations and a dedicated page on the Adventures in Fiction website including a profile of you and your novel.

IndieReader Discovery Awards

Only books that have been either self-published or published by an independent publisher and have an ISBN or ASN can enter.

Achievement Awards in Writing

All 11th grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible. Nominating schools must be US accredited. Participating students submit two types of writing: themed writing (AWA prompt) and best writing. 2021 prompt: My Community. Writing options include poetry, short story, personal narrative, essay, or graphic storytelling. Themed Writing: max 4 pages. Best Witing: max 6 pages.

Promising Young Writers Program

All 8th grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate juniors. Nominating schools must be US accredited. Participating students submit two types of writing: themed writing (AWA prompt) and best writing. 2021 prompt: Change; Amidst isolation in 2020. You may produce any genre, or kind, of writing. Themed Writing: max 4 pages. Best Witing: max 6 pages.

Anchorage Annual Statewide Creative Writing Contest

The contest is open to Alaska residents. College students who maintain Alaska residency may enter. Work published previously in any copyrighted newspaper, magazine, book or other medium is ineligible. Writing for school publications may be entered. Entries must be original. Contestants may enter one work of fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), one work of non-fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), and up to three poems. A contestant may enter all categories in his or her age group.

Ambroggio Prize

Any US citizen or resident for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline can enter. Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied with the judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years The manuscript must be originally written in Spanish and accompanied by a translation in English. Poets may translate their own work or collaborate with a translator who may or may not be a poet. The poet and translator must share the $1,000 prize. Poems may have been previously published in periodicals or chapbooks, but the collection must not have been previously published, including self-publications and e-books. The original manuscript in Spanish must contain original poetry by one poet and must be between 48 and 100 pages, typed single-spaced, unless the poems are meant to be presented using nonstandard spacing.

Writing Magazine Dialogue Only Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries should be 1,500-1,700 words. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award. There is no limit to the number of entries. Entrants retain copyright in their manuscripts.

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

Open to any short fiction writer in English. Employees and board members of Sarabande Books, Inc. are not eligible. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included.

Hachette Children’s Novel Award

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. The Hachette Children’s Novel Award is open to debut writers of middle-grade children’s fiction and early teen fiction. Must be English language fiction for children aged 7-11 (the word count can be 15-40K), or teen fiction for readers aged 11-13 (50-65K words), this should still exclude high-end or explicit content including swearing, sex and drugs. The initial work entered for this award will be a submission of 3000-4000 words. Applicants are not eligible if the work that they are submitting is currently part of a book deal that they have received a publishing contract and advance for.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Poetry

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. This award is for English language works of poetry that can be considered as being in progress. Your application can include poems that have been previously published in magazines and anthologies. To enter poets should submit up to 30 poems or an equivalent amount of longer sequences.

Northern Debut Awards: Poetry

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. This award is for English language works of poetry that can be considered as being in progress. Poets who have published pamphlets or in magazines and anthologies may apply if they have not published, or are not contracted to publish, a full collection. For prose writers we expect to see an extract of work supported by a synopsis that fully describes the book that you are working to complete. Poets should submit up to 30 poems or an equivalent amount of longer sequences.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Work that fits in this category includes biography, memoir, nature writing and non-fiction with a strong literary intent. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Northern Debut Awards: Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Narrative non-fiction has stylistic and structural similarities to fiction but deals instead with factual or mostly factual subject matter. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. Writers previously published in other genres such as poetry, academic writing and writing for children may apply for this award. Writers who have self-published full-length works are not considered debut authors for this award. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Sid Chaplin Award

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. We accept fiction and narrative non-fiction for this award. Submissions may be on any theme or topic and can include young adult writing, memoir, novels and short story collections, and works of literary essays. They accept fiction from any genre, including literary fiction, crime, science fiction, romance and fantasy. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. To enter writers should submit a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis.

The Literary Consultancy Free Reads

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. We accept poetry, fiction, including children’s and young adult, and narrative non-fiction for these awards. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Narrative non-fiction has stylistic and structural similarities to fiction but deals instead with factual or mostly factual subject matter. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Arvon Award

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. We accept works of fiction of all genres, children’s fiction and creative non-fiction for this award. Narrative non-fiction has stylistic and structural similarities to fiction but deals instead with factual or mostly factual subject matter. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award

Anyone above 18, is a permanent resident in the North of England, and is a final-year student or graduate from any discipline at Northumbria University can enter. They accept English language works of poetry, fiction of all genres, children’s fiction, creative non-fiction and graphic novels for this award. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing, translation or self-publishing projects are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. To enter writers should submit a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Word Factory Apprentice Award

Anyone above 18, is a permanent resident in the North of England, and is a final-year student or graduate from any discipline at Northumbria University can enter. They accept English language works of poetry, fiction of all genres, children’s fiction, creative non-fiction and graphic novels for this award. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing, translation or self-publishing projects are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Young Northern Writers’ Awards

Anyone currently living full-time in the North of England and is a young person in Year 7 upwards (up to a maximum of 18 years of age) can enter. There are two age categories, Year 7-9 and Year 10+. Entrants must be 18 years or under on Thursday 26 November 2020 when the awards open. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap.

Matthew Hale Award

Anyone currently living full-time in the North of England and is a young person in Year 7 upwards (up to a maximum of 18 years of age) can enter. The Matthew Hale Award is open to young writers who show promise but have had limited opportunities to pursue their talent. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap.

True Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a true story from your life. Write a story that shares a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100 words. No poetry.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

All 9-12 high school students in the US can apply. The essay should be 300-500 words of original work. Entrants must write about: “Why must journalists strive to improve diversity and representation in both their coverage and in their newsrooms, and how might this happen?”

Willow Run Poetry Book Award

Anyone can enter. Must be an unpublished English book length collection of poetry of 75 to 100 pages.

Tanka Poetry Contest

Fan story non-fiction writing contest.

Anyone can enter. Submit literary works of non-fiction on any topic. It doesn’t matter if it’s spiritual, political, intellectual, emotional, funny, serious, or an essay about your DVD player. New entries only. Minimum length 500 words. Maximum Length 7,000 words. Recommended length 2,000 – 3,500 words.

Allen & Unwin Crime Fiction Prize

All residents of Australia and New Zealand can enter. Manuscripts must be crime or thriller genres between 60,000 and 120,000 words. The manuscript must be an original work, entirely by the entrant and it must be written in English. It cannot be under consideration by any other publisher or entered into any other award. No more than 10% of the manuscript can have been previously published in print form, or in electronic form, on a commercial basis.

Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

Anyone can enter. The international competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. The story cannot have been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.

Acumen International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems must be original, have a title, be unpublished or not accepted for publication. They should be written in English and not exceed 50 lines.

The Writing Wizardry Competition

Anyone 11 years or under can enter. All you have to do is send us a poem or story of fewer than 500 words.

Inkshares All-Genre Manuscript Contest

Anyone can enter. All genres are accepted.

The Exeter Writers Short Story Competition

The competition is open to anyone (except members of Exeter Writers) writing in any genre except children’s. Stories must not have been previously published nor won a prize in any other competition. If the story has previously been self-published, it must be out of circulation or public reach for the whole of the duration of the competition, up until the winners are announced. You may re-enter a non-winning story that was submitted to the competition in a previous years, but it must have been significantly and substantially revised. Previous prize-winning stories are not eligible for re-entry. Length: 3,000 words max.

Flash 500 Short Stories competition

Anyone can enter. Stories should range between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used).

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. Maximum number of words is 300 and it must be in English. The winning stories must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

Dream One Quest Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Previously published poems in other contests, books, magazines, etc. are accepted and welcomed as long as they are original works created by the contest entrant(s). All entries must be composed or translated into the English language. Poems must be 30 lines or fewer.

Dream One Quest Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Previously published short stories in other contests, books, magazines, etc. are accepted and welcomed as long as they are original works created by the contest entrant(s). All entries must be composed or translated into the English language. Any fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, diary, journal entries, and short stage-plays and screenplays are accepted within a maximum of (5) pages or less.

Blinkpot Flash Fiction Awards

Anyone above 18 can enter. The entry must be in English and must have been written by the person making the submission. Entries must not have been previously published, broadcast or won a prize. Entries can be on any theme or subject. Maximum entry length is 100 words and minimum length 80.

Reflex Fiction Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries must be in Enflish and must be the work of the entrant and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere in print or online including blogs or personal websites. Entries must be fiction but can be on any subject, and written in any style or form. No fan fiction or use of copyrighted material, characters, song lyrics etc.

Writing Magazine and QuoScript Novel writing competition

Adult crime fiction and YA fiction authors can enter. Submit your book synopsis, a covering letter and the first chapter of your novel only. Submissions must be wholly your own work, not contain obscene or libellous material, or derive from the work of other authors.

Southword Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. All poems must be previously unpublished. Works of translation where the original author is still in copyright will require the bios of both the original author and the translator. There is a suggested limit of 40 lines per poem.

The annual Lancaster Writing Award

All students in year 12-13 can enter. Categories: criticism, fiction, poetry, script and screen writing. Students may enter in more than one category and write in any style they wish. The word limit for criticism and fiction is 1500 words.The limit for poems is 25 lines. The limit for screenplays is 8 pages.

Scottish Arts Trust Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Length: 2,000 words or fewer. The entry should not have been previously published, online or in print. Short stories entered for the competition may be on any topic. Stories do not have to be set in Scotland or on Scottish themes but they must be in English.

The Isobel Lodge Award

Anyone above 16, is unpublished, and a resident of Scotland or studying in Scotland can enter. Entry can be published online or in print without compensation can qualify for the Isobel Lodge Award. Writers also qualify if they have self-published a work of fiction. Length: 2,000 words or fewer. The story should not have been previously published, online or in print. Stories do not have to be set in Scotland or on Scottish themes but they must be in English.

Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest

Any Canadian (citizen or resident) can enter. Topic: poems written in response to an existing occasion, personal or public, or poems that make an occasion of something ordinary or by virtue of the poet’s attention. No word limit, must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

15 Syllable Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with exactly 15 syllables.

International Essay Contest for Young People

Guidelines for the 2021 International Essay Contest for Young People will be announced on this website and through the Goi Peace Foundation’s mailing list and facebook page in mid-March 2021.

Nature and Place Poetry Competition

Anyone above 18 can enter. Poems must be no more than 40 lines in English. Poems must be the original work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published or published on online or broadcast.

Hippocrates Young Poets Prize for Poetry and Medicine

Young Poet entrants should be aged 14-18. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be written in English on a medical subject and should not be translations of another writer’s work.

Waxing & Waning Screenplay Contest

Anyone can enter. Screenplays or plays can be up to 25 pages (may be a part of a whole).

City Limits Suspense/Thriller Novel Contest

Anyone can enter. Original work of fiction or non-fiction in English that must be previously unpublished. Word count per chapter should not exceed 3,000 words. Overall, 30,000 word minimum.

City Limits Romance Novel Contest

Elyne mitchell photo story award competition.

Anyone can enter. The theme of the contest is ‘the gathering’. With a maximum of 200 words. Entries must be the entrants original work, unpublished and not acknowledged in any other competitions, and not submited elsewhere until the judging stage.

Bridgend Writers’ Circle Short Story Competition

Anyone above 18 can enter. Story length: 1,500 and 1,800 words. Entries will be accepted provided that they have not previously been broadcast or published in any form and that the story is entirely original, entirely the entrant’s own work and does not infringe the copyright or any other right of any third party. Entries should not be sent for consideration, for publication or broadcast elsewhere during the period of the competition.

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition

Open to submissions from students between 16-18 years of age who are educated in the UK. Entries must be on written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Each poem must be the entrant’s own work, joint authorship is ineligible.

Deep Wild 2021 Undergraduate Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a single poem of up to 70 lines.

100 Word Flash Fiction

Anyone can enter. The entry should be exactly 100 words.

Geographies of Justice: Call for Submissions

Anyone can enter. Poetry/Lyric: no more than 50 lines. Fiction, essays, creative non-fiction and other prose: up to 4000 words. Must hold the rights to the work and must be unpublished.

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Anyone can enter. Entrees should be 750 words or less. They do not accept work that has been previously published in print, online, or any other medium and works in translation.

Fowey Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. The title for the competition is “Breaking Point”. Length: max 1500 words. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, commended, long-listed or short-listed in another writing competition.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has a rhyme scheme. How it rhymes is up to you.

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Any genre or subject, must be unpublished and original, aimed at adults only. Length: max 2,500 words.

Fan Story Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.

Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction

Anyone can enter. The stories must be at least 10 pages (or 2500 words) but no more than 50 pages (12,500 words). Stories must be previously unpublished.

Zizzle Literary Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English and unpublished previously. Must be aimed at young readers from age 11 and above. Length: 500 to 1,000 words. Simultaneous submissions allowed, only if you notify Zizzle.

Apprentice Writer

Only high school students can enter. You can submit poetry, chorepoetry, spoken word submissions, graphic fiction and non-fiction, and prose.

Eludia Award

All women age 40 and above, who do not yet have a book-length publication of fiction, can enter. The author must be unpublished and the entry should be in English.

Fan Story Write A Script Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script as shown in the example) for any medium on any topic.

New Welsh Writing Awards

Writers from the UK and Ireland as well as those who have been educated in Wales for over six months can enter. Entries should be prose with a Welsh theme or setting and should be an unpublished book (between 5,000 and 30,000 words) in English. Entries this year may vary across the categories, from short form Welsh-themed- or Welsh-set non-fiction to a novella or short story collection set in Wales or with a Welsh theme.

Fan Story Haiku Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Only haiku poems.

Never Such Innocence 2020/21 Competition

Anyone aged 9-18 can enter. The theme is ‘The Unheard Voices of Conflict: Stories from Around the World’. There are four category awards: Poetry, Art, Speech and Song. All poems must have a title and must not exceed 40 lines in length. Speeches must be no longer than 5 minutes (roughly between 625-750 words). All works may be written in any language and should consist of the contestant’s own work and should not infringe any copyrights or any other rights of any third parties.

Fan Story ABC Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.

Fan Story 80 Word Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.

Fan Story 6 Word Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 6 words.

The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest

All Canadians (citizen or resident) can enter. No word limit (2,000 – 2,500 expected), must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

Rubery Book Award

Anyone can enter. Your entry must be a book that is either self-published or published by an independent press.

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2021

Anyone above 16 can enter. The poem has to appeal to children aged 7-11 and it must be original and previously unpublished.

National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA)

Open to all English language printed books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. All titles must have an ISBN and be published books available on Amazon.com or wherever good books are sold. No ebooks.

Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest

The ernest hemingway short fiction prize.

Anyone can enter. Entries should be approximately 1500 words or less. Submissions should be unpublished.

The Blue Mountain Novel Award

Anyone can enter. Entries must be original, and in English. It must be of a published novel of any length.

The Writers Of The Future

All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. No excessive violence or sex. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media. Entries must be works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.

An Axe To Grind Flash Short Story Fiction

Anyone can enter. Stories must not exceed 1000 words. Only original, unpublished work may be submitted.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

The contest is open to first-generation immigrants of their country. Entries should be unpublished and in English (translations welcome). Fiction manuscripts must be complete, a minimum of 45,000 words. non-fiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript, or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal.

Fish Publishing Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Maximum number of words is 300 and it must be in English. The winning poem must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

WOW! Women on Writing Creative non-fiction Essay Contest

All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 1000. Minimum words: 200.

Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize

Anyone above 18 who lives in the state of Victoria can enter. Poems may be in any form about any topic, up to 30 lines. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize

Anyone 18 and above who lives in the state of Victoria can enter. Stories must be biographical. Stories must be between 1000 to 3000 words. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Young Adas short story prize

Anyone aged 14-18 and living, working or studying in the western suburbs of Melbourne can enter. Enter an original short story up to 1000 words in length. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Cinnamon Press Poetry Pamphlet Prize

Anyone can enter. Submit 15–25 poems of up to 50 lines each. Individual poems may have been published online or in magazines provided the writer retains the copyright.

Southword Fiction Story Prize

Anyone can enter. There is an upper limit of 5000 words for short stories. Only unpublished work.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). The poem you submit should be in English.

Zone 3 Creative Non-Fiction Book Award

Anyone can enter. The competition is open to all authors writing original works in English. Manuscript should be 120-250 pages.

Zone 3 First Book Award in Poetry

Anyone can enter. Only unpublished work of a full-length collection of poems (48 pages or more) is eligible; those with chapbooks may participate. Manuscript should be 48-80 pages.

Fan Story Cinquain Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications.

The Orison Prizes in Poetry & Fiction

Anyone can enter. Must be book-length manuscripts. Submissions should be of full-length poetry and fiction (minimum 30,000 words) manuscripts. Original English work only; no translations.

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades 9 – 12 in the US, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas including home-schooled students. Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA and Semester at Sea are not eligible to participate. Length: 1,250 words max.

H.E. Bates Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Must be unpublished (except social media) and original and won no prize before. Length: max 2,000 words.

Fan Story Love Poem Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. But it must clearly be a love poem.

Fan Story Dribble Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. The submitted work must be between 48 – 52 words.

Etel Adnan Poetry Prize

Anyone of an Arab heritage can apply. Only first or second full-length books of poetry written in English may be submitted. Chapbooks are not considered as a previous publication in this regard. Manuscripts must be between forty-eight and ninety pages. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Fan Story New Arrival Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. This is a “New Arrival” contest which is designed to welcome new members to the site.

The Colin Sutton Cup for Humour

Anyone can enter. Any genre is acceptable. Each piece should be funny. The first piece should be exactly 1,000 words long. The second piece should be exactly 100 words long. The third piece will be exactly 10 words long. The 4th piece should be exactly one word long. Work to be unpublished and not entered into previous Circle competitions.

Fan Story 20 Word Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 20 words.

Fan Story New Arrival Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a story that uses exactly 100 words.

Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Manuscripts must be between 48 – 84 pages in length. Individual poems from the manuscript may have been previously published in magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks of less than 25 pages, but the collection, as a whole, must be unpublished.

The Claudia Ann Seaman Awards For Young Writers

High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Submit a maximum of three pieces across the three genres. Poetry, up to 80 lines. Fiction and creative non-fiction must be 1,800 words or less.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Anyone can enter. All countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). You may submit stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each. Entries must be in English.

Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should be in English, must not have been published either in print or on a website, nor be currently submitted or accepted for future publication. They must not previously have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any subject. Length: no longer than 50 lines

Ver Poets Open Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should not have been published, or accepted for publication, in print or online. They should not have won prizes in other competitions, be simultaneously entered for other competitions or be translations of other poets’ work. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any theme. Length: no longer than 30 lines.

FAPA President’s Book Awards

Any English writing author can enter. All entries must be books with a copyright date from 2019 to 2021. Ebooks should be submitted in PDF format

Fan Story Rhyming Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem of any type. But there must be a rhyme scheme.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Only students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs can apply. Past winners may not compete in the same category again. The entry should be approximately 1,000 words.

The Peseroff Prize Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. There are no restrictions on content or form. Poems should be previously unpublished. Please do not submit your work if you are associated with the MFA program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston or the Finalist Judge.

The Hunger Spring Prose Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme, topic, and style of stories or essays you may submit are completely open. You can submit one story, essay, or hybrid prose piece of up to 5,000 words.

Bristol Short Story Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. The maximum length of submissions is 4,000 words in English. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-base .Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, in print or online, or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition.

Fan Story Loop Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Loop Poetry requires that the last word of each line becomes the first word of the next line. The rhyme scheme is abcb.

Fan Story My Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Any type of poem accepted.

James Laughlin Award

Any US citizen or resident for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline can enter. Book must be under contract with a U.S. publisher and scheduled to be published between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.Must be published by December 31, 2021. The author must have published one book of poetry in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Entries must be an English. Submissions are welcome from small presses, university presses, and trade publishers that have previously published at least four books of poetry. Translations and new editions of previously published books are not eligible.

Fan Story Take A Photo Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem about a photo you’ve taken.

Fan Story 20 Syllable Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables. Any format.

The Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award

All Canadians who haven’t published either a first novel or short story collection can enter. No word limit (2,000 – 5,000 expected), must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

The Bridport Novel Prize

Writers above 16 living in Britain and Ireland and British writers living overseas can enter. Entries must be an exclusive effort and writers must not have previously published a novel, (although self-published and ebooks are accepted). Novel entrants who have had other types of books traditionally published e.g. poetry, memoir, non-fiction, are eligible to submit. Length: between 5,000 to 8,000 words.

The Bridport Short Story Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Short story length: 5000 words max.

The Bridport Poetry Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Poetry length: 42 lines max.

The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Flash fiction length: 250 words max.

Fan Story 3-6-9 Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. This poem has three stanzas. The subject can be anything.

Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

All students in school, university, or graduate school can apply.

Farnham Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone can enter. Story length: 500 words.

Anyone over 16 years old can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. Only non-fiction and fiction work targeting adults and young adults is eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

Season Themes Contest

Story should be unpublished, from 300 to 1,000 words long.

Writers’ Digest Annual Poetry Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. Due to U.S. Government restrictions they don’t accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Length: 32 lines maximum.

Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications, Self-published work, unproduced scripts. Entries in the Print or Online Article category may be previously published.

Fan Story Nonet Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. It has to be a nonet, but it can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.

Ocean Awareness Contest

All students aged 11 – 18 can apply. All entries must be original work in English and not previously submitted. Students ages 11-14 may enter the Junior Division (Creative Writing: up to 750 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 1 page). Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division (Creative Writing: up to 1,250 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 2 pages).

Fan Story Share A Story In A Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes.

Fan Story 2-4-2 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. The subject can be anything.

7 Day Story Writing Challenge

All participants must follow the same theme with a short story of no more than 2,000 words, written in the genre assigned to them. Participants have exactly 7 days to write and submit their story.

Wild Words Competition

Anybody can enter. The entry should not have been previously published anywhere.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize

Open to writers who have published a novel or a book-length collection of fiction in English. Current University of Pittsburgh employees and students, and former employees and students affiliated with the University within the last three years, are not eligible. Translations are not eligible if the translation was not done by the author. Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Length: 150 – 300 pages.

North Street Book Prize

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 200,000 words maximum in English. You may submit a collection of short stories or essays as a single entry.

The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Must be original and unpublished. Each entry must consist of a single sentence. The entry shouldn’t go beyond 50 or 60 words.

Flash 500 Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone can enter. Submit manuscripts up to 500 words.

All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works written in English. No excessive violence or sex. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media outlets. They must be works of prose of up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.

#GWstorieseverywhere

Anyone can enter. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to June’s theme: Split second.

Geek Partnership Writing Contest

All entries must be original unpublished works by nonprofessional (amateur) authors. Entries must be science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, and alternate history in short fiction, poetry, or comics. You may only enter one short fiction division.

The Orison Chapbook Prize

Anyone can enter. Must be manuscripts of 20-45 pages, in any genre (poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or hybrid). Original English work only; no translations. Individual poems, stories, or essays—or excerpts—may have been previously published in periodicals and/or chapbooks, but the manuscript as a whole must not have been published in book form, whether digital or in print. Self-published manuscripts are not eligible.

Story should be unpublished and from 300 to 1,000 words long.

She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing

Open to any woman over the age of 18 from Canada and the US.

Student Book Scholars Contest

The contest is open to students upto 8th grade. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. One book entry per team. Both the text and art must be solely created by the students. Each entry must incorporate the theme of Anti-Bullying. Student teams can have a minimum of one and a maximum of ten students per project.

Narrative’s Annual Poetry Contest

The contest is open to all poets. Each entry may contain up to five poems. The poems should all be contained in a single file. You may enter as many times as you wish.

Anthology Magazine Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Stories submitted must be on the theme of ‘Memories’ in English. To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Memories’ with a maximum of 1,500 words.

Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest

Any Canadian resident or citizen can enter. There are two seperate prize categories: 1) ages 16 and above, and 2) ages 15 and under. All work must be original. Entries should not have been previously published and no simultaneous submissions. Poems must be 48 lines or less. Short stories must be 750 words or less. Fanfiction and essays are not permitted. Entries should be in English or accompanied by an English translation.

Highlands & Islands Short Story Association

Any amateur author can enter. Any theme (unusual story lines preferred), must be unpublished and original and won no prize before. Short Story length: max 2,000 words. Flash Fiction length: max 500 words.

Fiction Factory First Chapter Competition

Anyone over 16 years old can enter. Stories must be original and unpublished in print or websites. Must be written in English with a maximum of 5,000 words. All genres will be accepted except children’s and young adult fiction.

Anyone can enter. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to July’s theme: Staycation.

Spring 2020 Story Contest

Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

The Grindstone Short Story Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Writers are asked to submit an English language piece of short fiction between 1000 and 3000 words, of any genre, aimed at adult readers.

Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. Theme: courage. Length: maximum 1,000 words. Stories can be a fictional tale or a fictional tale inspired by a true story.

The Orison Anthology Awards

Anyone can enter. Submissions are for single works in 3 genres (poetry, fiction, an non-fiction). Submit up to 3 poems (10 pp. max), 1 story (up to 8,000 words), or 1 work of non-fiction (up to 8,000 words). You may submit in multiple genres, and/or submit multiple entries in each genre.

The Annual Diode Editions Poetry Contest

Open to all poets over the age of 18. Length: 25-50 pages.

The Annual Diode Editions Full-Length Book Contest

Open to all poets over the age of 18. Length: 55-85 pages.

Twist & Twain Short Story Contest

Anyone 18 and above can enter. The story must be written originally in the English language and should not exceed the 4000-word limit.

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Maximum 1,000 words.

Aesthetica Poetry Creative Writing Award

Anyone can enter. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. They accept works on any theme.

Aesthetica Short Story Creative Writing Award

Anyone can enter. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. They accept works on any theme.

Anyone can enter. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to August’s theme: Forgiven.

Blue Mesa Review Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Must be in English, unpublished original work, simultaenous submissions acceptable. Please submit a packet of up to 3 poems or up to 6,000 words of prose.

University of New Orleans Press Lab Prize

Full length works of fiction (novels and short story collections only) are eligible.

Coniston Prize for Women Poets

All women can enter. Submit 3-6 previously unpublished poems in English. This award recognizes an exceptional group of poems.

Tiny Fork Chapbook Series Contest

Anyone can enter. We welcome poetry, prose, and hybrid manuscripts of 15-40 pages. Fiction (1 to 5,000 words), poetry (3-5 poems, in one document), non-fiction (1 to 5,000 words), hybrid/rxperimental (no specified word count).

Impress Prize

Open to all writers. Writers submit a 6,000 word sample of their manuscript, a synopsis, publishing rationale, and author biography to Impress.

Adventures in Fiction New Voices Competition

Anyone can enter. This competition is aimed at writers who have completed at least 50 pages/16,000 words of their manuscript. To enter, submit the first page of your novel and a one-page synopsis.

Robert Watson Literary Prize

Anyone who is an active Greensboro Review subscriber can enter. Entries must be previously unpublished. No simultaneous submissions. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 pages for fiction; up to 500 words for flash fiction; up to 10 pages for poetry.

The Annual SiWC Writing Contest

Short stories in any genre are welcome. Story length must be from 2,500 to 4000 words.

The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Writers may enter more than once. Length should not exceed 10,000 words. All topics are welcome; pieces should be written in a nonacademic style.

Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Length: Manuscripts must be between sixty and ninety pages. The manuscript must be previously unpublished. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 250 lines maximum per poem. The entry should be your own original work and in English. You may submit the same poem simultaneously to this contest and to others, and you may submit poems that have been published or won prizes elsewhere. (However, please do not submit work that has previously received recognition at Winning Writers.)

The Grindstone Novel Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Writers are asked to submit an English language novel aimed at Young Adult or Adult audiences. To be eligible, the finished (or projected finished) length must exceed 70,000 words. Works in progress are accepted in this competition, and entries may be of any genre. Entrants are asked to submit the opening 3,000 words, accompanied by a short synopsis in the same file.

Embracing Our Differences Quotation Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries can be no longer than 20 words on embracing our differences. Please consider submitting an original quotation.

Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award

Only previously unpublished original collection of poetry are eligible. The entry should be a minimum of 48 pages and not exceed 96 pages.

Flash 500 Novels competition

Anyone can enter. Entries may have appeared online in private (password protected) peer review sites, but should not have been published in any commercial online form including blogs or personal websites or accepted for publication elsewhere. Chapters must not exceed 3,000 words and must be accompanied by a one page synopsis of the balance of the story. Entries must be in English.

Edwin Markham Prize For Poetry

Anyone can enter. Writers may submit up to five (5) poems per submission.

The Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction

Anyone can enter. Writers may submit pieces of up to 5,000 words.

John Steinbeck Award for Fiction

Daisy pettles women’s writing contest.

All women writers, age 40 or older.

The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction

Stories may be previously published or unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are also accepted.

The Devon and Cornwall International Novel Prize

Anyone above 18 years old can enter. Entries should be in English and in any genre. Submissions must be unpublished, self-published and independently published by writers worldwide. They should be 5,000 words in addition to a one-page synopsis of the novel’s manuscript. Children genres won’t be accepted.

Anyone can enter. Manuscripts should be up to 500 words long.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) can apply. Critical essay: 500-3,000 words. Dramatic Script: 500-3,000 word. Flash Fiction: 1,000 words. Humor: 500-3,000 words. Journalism: 500-3,000 words. Novel Writing: Up to 3,000 words. Personal Essay & Memoir: 500-3,000 words. Poetry: 20–200 lines. Science Fiction & Fantasy: 500-3,000 words. Short Story: 500-3,000 words.

Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize

Entrants should be in Year 12 (or equivalent) at their school or college.

Young Lions Fiction Award

The writer must be age 35 or younger and must be a US citizen. The book must be written for adults (no children’s or YA). The work must be either a novel or a collection of short stories published between January 2020 and December 2020. The publisher must submit all books. Authors may not submit their work on their own.

Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest

All entrants must be students in the eleventh grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the eleventh grade).

We the Students Essay Contest

All students who are legal US residents or citizens, older than 14 and younger than 19, may apply. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 contest prompt.

The Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Awarded for the best piece of academic essay writing on the theme of the 2021 Alpine Fellowship. A maximum of 4000 words per entry. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time.

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of the 2021 Alpine Fellowship Annual Symposium. All genres permitted. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time (including the Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize).

This year we’ve done you one better and increased the writing contests we found. So if you find yourself struggling to write, or lacking in recognition, here are 300 reasons to be more motivated to write. Yes, they might not all be for you, but one of these might just give you the inspirational kick you’ve been searching for.

The 2024 International Book Fairs Calendar

Amazing Writing Retreats to Attend in 2024

The Comprehensive List of 2024 Writing Contests

Stuart Aken

This a brilliant resource. Thank you. I’ve shared it on Twitter and on my FB author page.

We are glad you found it helpful and appreciate you sharing it. Thank you!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Kotobee is the complete end-to-end ebook solution for you and your business. Export multiple formats. Deliver securely.

Create, publish, and sell ebooks with ease

Kotobee es la solución completa de ebooks de extremo a extremo para usted y su empresa.

Cree, publique y venda libros electrónicos con facilidad

Recent Posts

• Top 10 Interactive Ebook Apps for Children’s Ebooks
• How to Use Generative AI to Write Compelling Short Stories
• What Makes a Good Villain? + Checklist to Help You Write Your Own
• LMS Content Creation: Authoring Tools and Strategies
• Everything Authors Need to Know about Editorial Reviews
• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.org

13 Writing Competitions for Children and Teenagers in 2021

• Creative Australia
• Partnerships and co-investing with us
• Creative Workplaces
• Music Australia
• Download our logo
• Protocols For Using First Nations Cultural And Intellectual Property In The Arts
• Australia at the Venice Biennale
• Asia Pacific Arts Awards
• Creative Australia Awards
• First Nations Arts and Culture Awards
• Marketing Summit
• National Arts And Disability Awards
• Prime Minister's Literary Awards
• Creative Australia Partnership Awards
• Speeches and opinion
• Latest research
• Research Partnerships
• Electorate profiles
• Artists and creative careers
• Cultural and creative industries
• Diversity and equity
• First Nations
• International
• Value and impact
• Find a grant or opportunity
• Become an assessor
• Current Assessors
• Assessment panels
• Four Year Investment for Organisations
• Delivery Partners
• Major Festivals Initiative
• Successful applications
• Investment FAQ's
• Awarded grants

Development

• Digital Culture Programs
• Leadership program
• Sector Recovery Initiatives
• First Nations roundtables
• Think Inside the Square
• Creative Connections

Partnerships + Philanthropy

• Creative Partnerships Australia
• Australia Cultural Fund
• Venice supporters
• Donate to Creative Australia

First Nations First

• First Nations-led Board
• Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture 2024
• Purrumpa National Gathering
• Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property
• First Nations Arts and Culture Strategy
• Media releases
• First Nations Arts Awards
• National Arts and Disability Awards
• Upcoming Events
• Our COVID-19 response
• Strategy and corporate plan
• Procurement
• Payments process
• Our compliance documents
• Our statement of expectations
• Our submissions
• Our policies
• Our annual reports
• Accessibility

Winners of the 2024 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards announced

Creative Australia has announced the winners of the  2024 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards  at a special event at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.

Offering the most substantial literary prize in the nation, with a tax-free prize pool of $600,000, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards recognise the outstanding literary talents of established and emerging Australian writers, illustrators, poets, and historians.

This year’s winning titles span genre and form, illuminating the complexities of our nation’s past, present and paving the way for future Australian stories.

Across six categories, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards celebrate debut authors and seasoned professionals. From cultural journeys through Gurindji Country, to post-World War II history, and from a reappraisal of the goddess of love, to discussions with some of Australia’s most accomplished media personalities – themes of culture, country, belonging and resilience cut through. The Awards are a testament to the strength and breadth of our nation’s rich literary life.

In congratulating the winners, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Congratulations to this year’s winners for showcasing the diversity of Australian voices and sharing our unique stories with the world.

“My Government is proud to support our arts and culture sector that does incredible work all around the nation.”

Minister for the Arts Tony Burke , said:

“The authors who have been shortlisted for and awarded the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards show there is a place for every story, and a story for every place. Through every form of the written word, they bring the Australian experience and the Australian imagination to life.”

Creative Australia CEO Adrian Collette AM said:

“These awards recognise the outstanding talent and profound impact of our nation’s best writers and storytellers. They celebrate the power of stories to connect us, across time, cultures and experiences, inviting us to imagine the world through a multitude of diverse perspectives, and deepening our understanding of who we are as a nation.”

The winners were chosen by an expert independent panel of judges. This year, Creative Australia received 533 entries across six literary categories: fiction, non-fiction, young adult literature, children’s literature, poetry, and Australian history.

The winners are:

Anam by André Dao (Penguin Random House)

André Dao’s  Anam  is an original and compelling exploration of histories full of trauma and exile. The author’s own family, including a version of himself, populate a poignant narrative spanning generations and continents that questions the consequences of political chaos, war, displacement and refuge. Lovingly domestic in parts, boldly theoretical in others, for a country full of migrants, living amid unresolved questions of place and belonging,  Anam  is a profoundly relevant novel.

André Dao is a Melbourne-based writer, editor and artist. His debut novel,  Anam , won the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. His writing has appeared in  Meanjin ,  Sydney Review of Books ,  Griffith Review, The Monthly, The Lifted Brow, Cordite ,  The Saturday Paper, New Philosopher ,  Arena Magazine ,  Asia Literary Review  and elsewhere.

NON-FICTION

Close to the Subject: Selected Works by Daniel Browning  (Magabala Books)

With thoughtfully chosen essays and interviews braided together with poetry and memoir, Browning demonstrates clear talent as an observer of cultural and political life, as well as within the hybrid literary form. The effect of the book is cumulative, threading the personal with the political through the lens of art.

Daniel Browning is a Bundjalung and Kullilli journalist, radio broadcaster, documentary maker, sound artist and writer. Currently, he is Editor: Indigenous Radio with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and produces and presents The Art Show for ABC RN, the ABC’s specialist arts and journalism network.

YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE 

We Could Be Something  by Will Kostakis  (Allen & Unwin)

Harvey’s dads are splitting up. Now he’s restarting his life in a new city, living above a cafe with the extended Greek family he barely knows. Sotiris is a rising star. At seventeen, he’s already achieved his dream of publishing a novel. When his career falters, a cute, wise-cracking bookseller named Jem upends his world.

Harvey and Sotiris’s stories converge on the same street in Darlinghurst, in this beautifully heartfelt novel about how our dreams shape us, and what they cost us.

Will Kostakis is an award-winning author for young adults. His first novel,  Loathing Lola , was published when he was just nineteen. His second novel  The First Third  won the 2014 Gold Inky Award and was shortlisted for the CBCA and the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, among others.  The Sidekicks  was his third novel for young adults, and his US debut. It won the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award.

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country by Violet Wadrill; Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal; Leah Leaman; Cecelia Edwards; Cassandra Algy; Felicity Meakins; Briony Barr; Gregory Crocetti  (Hardie Grant Explore)

Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country  is a fascinating, illustrated science book that takes kids inside the life of termites through storytelling from the Gurindji People. Written in traditional Gurindji, Gurindji Kriol and English (with a QR code to an audio version spoken in language),  Tamarra  is a truly original story with beautiful artwork that takes readers on an educational and cultural journey through Gurindji Country.

Violet Wadrill was born in 1942 and is a traditional owner of Jutamaliny. Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal; a senior ceremony woman was born in 1934 and paints her Dreaming. Both Violet and Topsy worked extensively with linguists on the documentation of Gurindji language and culture, including a dictionary, ethnobiology, song books and volumes of collected texts.

Leah Leaman is a Gurindji/Malngin woman and artist. Cecelia Edwards was born in Katherine to Warlpiri and Gurindji parents and has been painting since she was a child. Cassandra Algy is a Gurindji/Mudburra woman from Daguragu currently employed as a Karungkarni artworker. Briony Barr is a non-Indigenous visual-conceptual artist. Felicity Meakins (FASSA, FAHA) is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Queensland. Gregory Crocetti is a non-Indigenous microbial ecologist, science educator, writer and advocate.

The Cyprian by Amy Crutchfield  (Giramondo Press)

Amy Crutchfield’s  The Cyprian  reappraises the figure of Aphrodite—Greek goddess of beauty, lust, love, procreation and passion—from a contemporary vantage point, finding in Aphrodite a capacious and complex avatar for love and its violent destruction across time. Crutchfield’s lines are almost aphoristic in their concision yet see through to worlds magnitudes larger, and her voice arrives fully-fledged, and entirely in command.

Amy Crutchfield studied Classics and Law at the University of Melbourne. Her poetry has been published in Australia, the UK and Ireland. She has worked as a teacher and a lawyer.  The Cyprian  is her first book.

AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

Donald Horne: A Life in the Lucky Country   by Ryan Cropp  (La Trobe University Press)

In Ryan Cropp’s hands, Donald Horne’s life speaks to the complexities at play in Australia’s post-World War II history. Both a social history and an intellectual journey, this book delivers a sense of possibility in the idea that ‘Australia’ could develop as a concept, a community and a culture.

Ryan Cropp is a writer and historian based in Sydney. His writing has appeared in  Australian Book Review ,  Overland  and  Inside Story . He has studied and taught in the Department of History at the University of Sydney.

The winner of each category receives $80,000.

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards acknowledge the importance of Australian literature and history. As set out in the National Cultural Policy —  Revive a place for every story, a story for every place , this is the second year that the Awards have been managed by Creative Australia, in keeping with the core principle of arm’s length funding for artists and arts organisations and reflecting the Australian Government’s commitment to supporting Australian literature and the role it plays in connecting Australians to our culture, history, and values.

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards were established in 2008 to recognise individual excellence, and the contribution Australian authors make to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life. Initially with two categories of non-fiction and fiction, in 2010 the young adult and children’s literature categories were introduced, with the addition of the Poetry category in 2012 and the incorporation of the pre-existing Prime Minister’s Prize for Australian History.

The award short listees,  previously announced ,  will each receive a prize of $5,000.

For more information on the Awards, including this year’s shortlists, winners, and judging panel comments, please visit:  Prime Minister’s Literary Awards .

Images and video will be available to download  here  following the awards.

Join the conversation by using our hashtag #PMLitAwards.

Media contacts :

For interviews with the winners: Debbie McInnes, Director, DMCP Mobile: 0412 818 071 Email:  [email protected]

For Creative Australia enquiries Brianna Roberts, Media Manager, Creative Australia Mobile: 0498 123 541 Email:  [email protected]

More information: 

About the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards were established in 2008 to recognise individual excellence and the contribution that Australian authors make to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life in the categories of non-fiction and fiction. In 2010 the young adult and children’s literature categories were introduced, followed by poetry in 2012 and the inclusion of the pre-existing Prime Minister’s Prize for Australian History.

Previous winners of the award include Michelle de Kretser, Tara June Winch, Gerald Murnane, Nam Le, Judith Brett and Jessica Au.

About Creative Australia 

Creative Australia is the Australian Government’s principal arts investment and advisory body.

With artists at the heart of what we do, we invest in creative talent and stimulate the market for Australian stories to be told on a national and international scale, sharing our rich culture with the world. We do this because art and creativity define us, recording what we have been and what we might yet become. As a nation, creativity connects us and benefits us all.

We are proud of the Australia Council’s 50-year history of investing in First Nations arts and culture and supporting First Nations self-determination. Creative Australia will build on that legacy in 2024 when the inaugural First Nations-led Board will be appointed.

Creative Australia is for the artist.

Creative Australia is for us all.

About the National Library of Australia 

The National Library of Australia holds the world’s largest collection of material relating to Australia and Australians. Its rich collection contains books, artworks, newspapers, maps, rare books, manuscripts, pictures, digital publications and more. The National Library’s vision is to inspire, connect, and empower everyone in the community by making the collection accessible to all.

The National Library offers engaging tours, a changing program of exhibitions, a dynamic array of events and public programs, and access to its Reading Rooms for those seeking knowledge, culture, or simply a place to connect. In addition to this, the National Library has a publishing arm that creates books that tell stories by and about Australians.

The National Library of the Australia is the exclusive presenting partner of Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the many Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and honour their Elders past and present.

We respect their deep enduring connection to their lands, waterways and surrounding clan groups since time immemorial. We cherish the richness of First Nations Peoples’ artistic and cultural expressions.

We are privileged to gather on this Country and through this website to share knowledge, culture and art now, and with future generations.

First Nations Peoples should be aware that this website may contain images or names of people who have died.

• Media release
• Writing Australia
• Become an Assessor
• National Performing Arts Partnership Framework (Partnership Framework)
• Visual Arts and Craft Strategy (VACS)
• Creative Futures Fund
• International Engagement Strategy 2021-25
• International Engagement Fund
• Australia at the Venice BIennale
• Think Digital
• Governance Hub
• Protocols and resources
• Online resources
• Australian Cultural Fund
• Venice Supporters
• First Nations arts
• Arts and disability
• Cultural Engagement Framework
• Research partnerships
• Venice Biennale 2024
• Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) 2024
• First Nations Board
• Opportunities
• Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the arts
• Media Releases
• Strategy and Corporate Plan
• Meet our CEO
• Statement of intent
• Payments process for suppliers and grant recipients
• Modern Slavery Statements
• Partner with us