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Short Story and Other Writing Competitions 2023
Writing competitions 2023.
Listed below are upcoming Short Story competitions and other Writing competitions that you might like to enter. They are listed by submission closing date , not when the competition is open.
Please read any instructions and entry requirements on the competition/awards website.
If you would like your Short Story or Writing Competition to be listed, please email: [email protected]
JANUARY 2023
Prize money: $7,500
Current ABR subscribers: $20 Standard/non subscribers: $30*
Closing Date: 15 January 2023
Website: https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/prizes-programs/calibre-prize/2023
The Romantic Book of the Year (RUBY) is our contest for published novels and novellas by Australian or New Zealand authors. It includes sections for Contemporary, Historical, Suspense, Speculative Fiction, Romantic Elements and Novella.
Romantic novels (40K+) and novellas (10K–40K) which were first published (in digital or print) between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022. Limit of 3 entries per entrant.
Entry fee: $69.00 inc GST
Closing Date: Monday 16 January 2023
Website: https://romanceaustralia.com/our-contests/
Geelong Regional Libraries & Deakin University Local Word Writing Prize
The winner of the prize will receive a cash prize of $2000 and a one-hour mentoring session with a Deakin University writing practitioner. Publication on GRLC’s website and announcement in GRLC’s e-newsletter
Commended writers will receive a cash prize of $250 and publication on GRLC’s website and announcement in GRLC’s e-newsletter
Closing Date: 28th January 2023
Website: https://www.grlc.vic.gov.au/local-word-writers-prize
black&write! Writing Fellowships 2023
Fellowships for unpublished manuscripts by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers.
Two winning Fellows will each receive:
$10,000 prize money Manuscript development with black&write! Publication opportunity with Hachette Australia
Closing Date: 31 January 2023
Website: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/get-involved/awards-and-fellowships/blackwrite/blackwrite-writing-fellowships
FEBRUARY 2023
Stringybark Open Short Story Awards 2023
1500 words or fewer in length, have a link to Australia in it, be written for an audience aged 16 and above.
First Prize $500 + publication, Second Prize $300 Third & Fourth Prizes
Closing Date: 12 February 2023
Website: https://www.stringybarkstories.net/competitions/open—open-short-story-awards.html
The prize is for short stories up to 3,000 words having an island, or island-resonant, theme.
The winning entry receives a cash prize of $500.
A selection of the best entries will be published in the Forty South Short Story Anthology 2023
Closing Date: 14 February 2023
Website: https://www.fortysouth.com.au/tasmanian-writers-prize
The Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition
The international Margery Allingham Short Mystery Prize is an open competition open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – for short stories of up to 3,500 words.
The entry fee is £12
The winner receives a generous cash prize of £500
Closing Date: 28 February 2023
Website: https://thecwa.co.uk/awards-and-competitions/margery-allingham-short-mystery-competition
Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition 2023
Word limits
up to 1000 words – flash fiction
1000 -5000 words – short story
up to 5000 words – short script
up to 260 lines – poetry
Prizes $1600 – The overall winner, plus publication in Confidence Minds Shine Bright Anthology 2023
$800 – for each of the four category winners plus publication in Confidence Minds Shine Bright Anthology 2023 (The overall winner is excluded from all other prizes) Categories include short stories, short scripts, flash fiction and poetry)
$175 – for each commended entry plus publication in Confidence Minds Shine Bright Anthology 2023
Website: https://mindsshinebright.com/
Goldfields Libraries and Eaglehawk Festivals Inc. are calling for entries from writers all over Australia for the annual Mulga Bill Writing Award. Writers are encouraged to take inspiration from the theme ‘gold’, and submit a poem (max. 25 lines) or short story (max. 2000 words).
Short story: $500 first prize, $150 second prize, Poetry: $200 first prize, $50 second prize
Entry fee is $5
Closing Date: 3 March, 2023
Website: https://www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/mulgabillwritingaward
The SCWC 2023 Poetry Award 2023
The Award is open to submissions of poems up to 50 lines responding to the theme “In Colour”, with four prizes to win totalling $1300.
The Award will have guest judge Peter Ramm, published South Coast poet and winner of multiple awards including the SCWC 2021 Poetry Award.
Submission fee per poem is $15/$10 for SCWC members.
Closing Date: 5 March 2023
Website: https://southcoastwriters.org/scwc-poetry-award-2023
Little Black Dress Spooky Story Competition
The theme for 2022 is ‘After Midnight’. Adults: $10 per entry Youth: Free
YOUTH: Max 500 words, one entry only (Australian residents) ADULT: Max 1,200, unlimited entries (WA residents only)
Deadline: 15 March 2023
Website: https://www.kspwriterscentre.com/spooky-story-competition
Peter Carey Short Story Awards 2023
The winning entry receives $2000, while the runner-up wins $1000. First and second prized stories will also be published in the Spring 2023 issue of Meanjin.
Entry fee is $15 per story
Deadline: 16 March 2023
Website: https://www.moorabool.vic.gov.au/Services-and-support/Libraries/Creative-Writing-Opportunities/Peter-Carey-Short-Story-Awards-2023#section-1
Northern Beaches Writers’ Group Competition
Stories up to 2,500 words that are inspired by the theme of ‘RAIN’, along with at least one copyright-free image that reflects and enhances that story.
Stories can be non-fiction, fiction, or fiction inspired by true events. All genres and styles welcome.
Entry fee: $15. Multiple entries also welcome.
Prizes: First place ($250 + online publication), Second place ($100 + online publication).
Deadline: 31 March 2023
Website: http://northernbeacheswritersgroup.com/northern-beaches-writers-competition/
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UPDATED 03/03/2023
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.
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ZineWest 2023
AWC Furious Fiction
Opens: 5pm (Sydney/Melbourne time) quarterly Closes: 55 hours later Open to: 17 years and older Theme: Story prompt provided Accepts: Flash Fiction Size: 500 words Entry Fee: Nil Prize : First: $500
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
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Short story competitions to enter in 2022
Australian Writers' Centre Team
- May 7, 2022
Is 2022 the year you share your short stories with the world? There are plenty of competitions and writing opportunities for you to challenge your creativity and get your work out there – with the chance to win some great prizes.
Don’t know where to find these great opportunities? Well, we’ve got you covered with a list of short story competitions that you can enter in 2022.
We’ll keep adding to this list throughout the year – be sure to bookmark this page so you can keep on writing and submitting.
Get ready to share your compelling short stories with the world…
Furious Fiction Presented by us, the Australian Writers’ Centre, this fun, fast – and best of all – FREE short story challenge blasts off on the first Friday of every season. Anyone in the world aged 17 years and older is able to take part. Not only do you get to try your hand at a new creative challenge, the winning story each round takes home $500 in cash! Theme: Open Opens: 5pm (Sydney/Melbourne time) on the first Friday of the season (March, June, September and December) Closes: 55 hours later (midnight, Sunday) Word limit: 500 words Entry fee: FREE Prize: The winner takes home AUD$500, and the shortlisted favourites are published on our blog
Short story competitions that close February 2022
2022 Slinkies Under 30s call out If you’re under 30 years of age and love writing, then Spineless Wonders invites you to submit your story for their Slinkies Anthology. They particularly welcome writers from diverse/disadvantaged backgrounds, and will accept entries in languages other than English, if they have a translation with it. If you’ve got illustrations or you’ve made a zine or graphics, send them through too. Theme: Open Closes: 1 February 2022 Word limit: 10,000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Winners will be published in Slinkies Anthology 2022
Silver Tree Poetry Competition The Silver Tree Cooperative Bookshop has opened the Silver Tree Poetry Competition for passionate poets of all ages, to encourage reading, writing and the love of literature. Theme: Open Closes: 1 February 2022 Word limit: 50 lines Entry fee: $10 Prize: $1000
Silver Tree Non-fiction Writing Competition The Silver Tree Cooperative Bookshop has opened the Non-fiction Writing Competition for avid writers who have a biography to share of a family member or friend who has spent a significant part of their life in the Western Region. Theme: Biography Closes: 1 February 2022 Word limit: 2500 words Entry fee: $10 Prize: $500
The Stringybark Short Story Award 2022 Stringybark Publishing are looking for compelling short stories to be submitted for their The Stringybark Short Story Award 2022. The competition has an open theme, but there is one condition – there must be a link to Australia within the story. This link can be a mention of a vegemite sandwich, or a story with an Australian setting, for example. Theme: Open but must contain a link to Australia Closes: 13 February 2022 Word limit: 1500 words Entry fee: $14 for 1 story, $26 for 2 stories, $36 for 3 stories (max) Prize: Over $1000 in cash and books
The Tasmanian Writers' Prize 2022 Open to residents of Australia and New Zealand, the Tasmanian Writers’ Prize is looking for great short stories having an island, or island-resonant, theme. This competition is run by Forty South Publishing, the largest book publisher in Tasmania and publisher of Forty South Tasmania magazine. Theme: Island, or island-resonant Closes: 14 February 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Entry fee: $20 Prize: $500 and publication in Forty South Tasmania (online)
Words Out West Short Story Competition Words Out West Literary Festival is excited for their Short Story Competition for writers over 16 years of age. This year, the judges are looking for short stories that follow the theme of ‘an inconvenient blessing’. Theme: An inconvenient blessing Closes: 20 February 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: First prize – $500 and a ticket to the Festival Day & Writers Retreat at Jubri’s Hideaway; Second prize – $300 and a ticket to the Festival Day; Third prize – $150 and a ticket to the Festival Day
Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition Minds Shine Bright are looking for writers to submit compelling fiction stories and poems to capture perspectives on the theme of confidence. This competition is open for entries and will be judged by Minds Shine Bright’s own founder, Amanda Scotney. Theme: Confidence Closes: 28 February 2022 Word limit: Poetry – 240 lines; flash fiction – 1000 words; short story – 5000 words; scripts – up to 90 pages Entry fee: $5 Prize: First prize (over all categories) – $1000; each category winner – $500 and publication in the Minds Shine Bright Anthology
2022 Heroines Anthology/ Joyce Parkes Women's Writing Prize The 2022 Heroines Anthology/ Joyce Parkes Women's Writing Prize is now open for submissions of short fiction and poetry. The Heroines Anthology is a collection of stories of women written by women with a particular focus on telling lost women's history, untold stories, and reimagined myths. Theme: Women Closes: 28th February 2022 Word limit: Short story – 3000 words; poetry – 5 pages Entry fee: $15 Prize: Short story – $1000; poetry – $1000
Positive Words Mini Competition Positive Words magazine has opened its annual Mini Competition for short story writers and poets to submit a positive piece of writing that includes the word ‘crush’. Theme: Positive story that includes the word “Crush” Closes: 28 February 2022 Word limit: 100 words or 10 lines Entry Fee: $2.20 Prize: Six-month subscription to Positive Words
Flash 500 Short Story Competition Flash 500 Short Story Competition welcomes writers of all genres, including stories written by or for children. Judges are looking for stories with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used) – make them laugh or cry, but most of all, make them feel! Theme: None Closes: 28 February 2022 Word limit: 1000 – 3000 words Entry Fee: £7, £12 for 2, £16 for 3, £20 for 4 Prize: First prize – £500; Second prize – £200; Third prize – £100
Short story competitions that close March 2022
Nature and Place Poetry Competition 2022 The Rialto, working in association with the RSPB, BirdLife International, Cambridge Conservation Initiative and The University of Leeds Poetry Centre, and proud to announce their Nature and Place Poetry Competition is open. Poems are invited that deal with any aspect of nature and place – these terms will be given a wide interpretation by the judge Gillian Clarke. Theme: Nature and place Closes: 1 March 2022 Word limit: Poems that are no more than 40 lines Entry fee: £7 Prize: First prize – £1000; Second prize – £500; Third prize – £250
New Australian Fiction KYD publishes a yearly short story anthology titled New Australian Fiction and they are now accepting unsolicited submissions for their fourth anthology of new short fiction, due to be published in September 2022. You must be a KYD member to be considered (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers are invited to pitch without the need for a KYD Membership.) Theme: Open Closes: 4 March 2022 Word limit: 2000-6000 words Entry fee: Memberships start from $49.95 Prize: Published in New Australian Fiction anthology
Tales from the Pandemic: Short Story Competition The Your Library: Eastern Regional Libraries are calling for short pieces of fiction or non-fiction writing of up to 3000 words for the 2022 Short Story Competition. They want to capture the tempo of the time we currently live in while it is still fresh and preserve it for the future. Theme: Tales from the Pandemic Closes: 11 March 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Prize:; First prize – $3,000; Second prize – $1,000; Third prize – $500; Local prize – $1,000; A selection of stories will be published in an anthology by IngramSpark
Peter Carey Short Story Awards 2022 Moorabool Shire Libraries has announced the Peter Carey Short Story Award for 2022 is open. Australian residents who have original short stories between 2000 – 3000 words are encouraged to enter to win a great prize and get published. Theme: Open Closes: 17 March 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Entry fee: $15 Prize: First prize – $2000; Second prize – $1000. Both stories will be published in the Spring 2022 issue of Meanjin and receive Meanjin ’s standard contributor fee
Little Black Dress Spooky Story Competition The KSP Writers' Centre presents the annual Little Black Dress Spooky Story Competition, sponsored by Little Black Dress Productions. The judges will be looking for good quality, original unpublished stories with engaging characters and a compelling narrative including an excellent beginning, middle and end. Entries must be rated PG and should address the set theme. Theme: Best friend Closes: 24 March 2022 Word limit: Youth – 500 words, one entry only; adult – 1200 words, unlimited entries Entry fee: Youth – free; adults – $10 per entry Prize: WA adult first prize – $100, certificate, complimentary copy of Spooky Story anthology; WA youth first prize – $100, certificate, complimentary copy of Spooky Story anthology; youth interstate award – $50, certificate, complimentary copy of Spooky Story anthology.
Art & Words Project 2022: Northern Beaches Writers' Competition Calling all writers to submit short stories with a ‘tree’ theme for this competition. Entries must include at least one image that reflects and enhances the story. Stories can be non-fiction, fiction, or fiction inspired by true events, and all genres and styles are welcome. Theme: Tree Closes: 31 March 2022 Word limit: 2500 words Entry fee: $15 Prize: First prize – $100 + publication; Second prize – $50 + optional publication; Northern Beaches Commendation Award (for Northern Beaches residents only) – $25 + optional publication
The Caterpillar Poetry Prize The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual prize for an unpublished poem written by an adult for children aged 7–11. Every year since 2015, The Caterpillar Poetry Prize has been awarded to a single poem by a single judge. Theme: Poetry written by an adult for children (aged 7-11) Closes: 31 March 2022 Word limit: 150 lines Entry Fee: €14 Prize: €1000
Ethel Webb Bundell Literary Awards 2022 for Short Stories The Society of Women Writers WA Inc. has opened their Ethel Webb Bundell Literary Awards for 2022 for brilliant short stories. Entries must be the original work of the author, must not have won a prize or been previously published, and must not be under consideration elsewhere. Theme: Open Closes: 31 March 2022 Word limit: 4000 words Entry fee: $10 Prize: First prize – $400; Second prize – $200; Third prize – $100
The UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing Submissions for the UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing 2022 are now open. Judges are looking for good writing about science that is moving, funny, exhilarating or poetic, yet still honest and rigorous about the research that underlies it. Theme: Science Closes: 31 March 2022 Word limit: 7000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: First prize – $7000; Runner up prize (2) – $1500 Runner up prizes; Winning entries will be included in NewSouth's anthology, The Best Australian Science Writing
Short story competitions that close April 2022
Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize If you are a writer over 18 years of age with a previously unpublished and original biographical story, then the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize is a great opportunity to share your story. Theme: Biographical story Closes: 8 April 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Entry fee: $15 Prize: $500
Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize Accepting (up to) two poems in any form, on any theme,the Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize is looking for short but compelling writing. Open to all writers aged 18+ living in Victoria. Theme: Open Closes: 8 April 2022 Word limit: 30 lines Entry fee: $15 Prize: $500
Young Adas Prize Young writers between the age of 14 and 18 years who live in the Western suburbs of Melbourne are invited to enter the Young Adas Prize. Eligible stories can be on any theme, but need to be 1000 words or less. Theme: Open Closes: 8 April 2022 Word limit: 1000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: $250
Rachel Funari Prize Lip Magazine is celebrating the tenth year of the annual Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction, and submissions are now open for 2022. Judges are looking for insightful and creative fiction stories that engage with the theme ‘aftermath’. Open to all women and non-binary writers who have an original, previously unpublished story to share. Theme: Aftermath Closes: 15 April 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Prize: $1000 cash prize and will be officially announced as part of the Emerging Writers' Festival in Melbourne
Newcastle Short Story Award 2022 The 2022 Newcastle Short Story Award is open. Judges are looking for short stories that capture their attention in 2000 words. Do note that this word count includes the title and any sub-headings in the story. Theme: Open Closes: 25 April 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Entry fee: $16.50 Prize: First prize – $2000; Second prize – $1000; Third prize – $700
South Perth Young Writers Award The South Perth Young Writers Award encourages excellence in creative writing and is open to all students from Year one through to Year 12 who live in or attend school within the City of South Perth. The categories include:
- Lower Primary Years 1-2
- Middle Primary Years 3-4
- Upper Primary Years 5-6
- Lower Secondary Years 7-9
- Upper Secondary Years 10-12
Theme: Open Closes: 26 April 2022 Word limit: 1500 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Winning entries will be published in the South Perth Young Writers Award Anthology
F(r)iction Spring Contest F(r)iction are looking for short fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry that is experimental, nontraditional, and boundary-pushing to be submitted for their Spring Contest. Theme: Open Closes: 28 April 2022 Word limit: Short stories – 7500 words; Flash fiction – 1000 words; Poetry – three pages; Creative non-fiction – 6500 words Entry fee: Up to $15 Prize: $2,100 in prizes
Jennifer Burbidge Award The Jennifer Burbidge Award is looking for compelling stories about disability. Entries can be either fiction or non-fiction stories by any writer of any age. writers. Theme: Disability Closes: 29 April 2022 Word limit: 300 words Entry fee: $15
Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is here to celebrate the best of new short fiction. Desperate Literature has teamed up with fifteen different literary and artistic institutions to offer a cash prize and writing retreats to the winner, and the opportunity for shortlisted writers to be published in multiple print and online journals. Theme: Open Closes: 30 April 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Entry fee: €20 Prize: First prize – €1500, a week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation; a consultation with a Literary Agent Charlotte Seymour from Johnson & Alcock; a manuscript assessment and follow-up meeting with a literary editor from The Literary Consultancy; Runner-up prizes – €750 (two prizes available); All shortlisted writers – published in a limited edition book published by Desperate
Silver Tree Short Story Competition The Silver Tree Cooperative Bookshop has opened the Silver Tree Short Story Competition for writers of all ages to share a compelling story based on Rebecca West’s quote: “The world is round and what might seem like the end may also be only the beginning.” Theme: Rebecca West’s quote Closes: 30 April 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Entry fee: $10 Prize: $1000
Furphy Literary Award This year, the Furphy Literary Award Short Story Competition returns to support emerging writers with an increased prize pool. If you can write a good Australian yarn – either fiction or non-fiction – and are over 18 years of age, then you should submit your Furphy for the chance to win. Theme: Australian Life (in all its diversity) Closes: 30 April 2022 Word Limit: 5000 words Prize: First prize – $15,000 and a residency at La Trobe University Shepparton; Second prize – $3,000; Third prize – $2,000. Select finalists will receive publication in the 2021 Furphy Anthology
John Gavin Flash Fiction Competition The John Gavin Flash Fiction Competition is one of the three categories offered in the Fremantle Round House John Gavin Writing Competitions of 2022. Writers are invited to submit their short story set in the time and place of John Gavin, 1844 Swan River Colony. Theme: Set in 1844 Swan River Colony. Closes: 30 April 2022 Word limit: 750 words Entry fee: $10 Prize: First – $200; Second – $100
John Gavin Ballad Competition The John Gavin Ballad Competition is one of the three categories offered in the Fremantle Round House John Gavin Writing Competitions of 2022. Writers are welcome to enter a poem/song in the ballad form based on the short and tragic life of John Gavin. Theme: Tragic life of John Gavin Closes: 30 April 2022 Word limit: 500 words Entry fee: $10 Prize: First – $200; Second – $100
John Gavin Short Story/Poetry Competition The John Gavin Short Story/Poetry Competition is open to young writers who attend a Western Australian school The theme for 2022 is ‘Walking in the Steps of Others’. So young writers, it’s time to travel back into the past and write an experience based on this idea. Theme: Rebecca West’s quote Closes: 30 April 2022 Word limit: 500 words Entry fee: $7.50 Prize: First – $100; Second – $50
Anthology Magazine Short Story Competition Writers of short fiction are invited to enter the Anthology Magazine Short Story Competition which has been established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication. This 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. Theme: Courage Closes: Early bird – 30 April 2022; Final deadline – 1 August 2022 Word limit: 1500 words Entry fee: Early bird – €10 per story; Final deadline – €15 per story Prize: €500
Short story competitions that close May 2022
2022 Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize The 2022 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize is open to short story writers who have great stories they want to share. Eligible stories must be in English and completely original. Theme: Open Closes: 2 May 2022 Word limit: 5000 words Entry fee: $25 Prize: $12,500
The Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award (Ages 11-18) Calling young writers living in Sydney! If you’re between the age of 11 and 18, this is a golden opportunity for you to submit either one poem or short story for The Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award. Your submission will be read and judged by five award-winning writers, including author and AWC presenter Sue Whiting. Theme: Open Closes: 6 May 2022 Word limit: 750 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Prize pool over $2000 and winners will receive an invitation to a writing masterclass
The 2022 What Matters? writing competition Inspired by Gough Whitlam's commitment to involving young people in the shaping of Australia's future, the What Matters? writing competition is currently open to school students in years 5 to 12 from Australia. What Matters? is a ‘catalyst for young thinkers and young writers to develop a perspective, a point of view, on where we're heading as a society'. Prizes are awarded in 4 categories: Years 5/6, 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12. Theme: Open Closes: 6 May 2022 Word limit: 300 words Prize: All category winners – $350 and book pack from Allen and Unwin; All category runners-up – $200 and book pack from Allen and Unwin; Overall competition winner – trophy and $1000 cash.
Grieve 2022 Celebrating their tenth year of the Grieve Project, the Hunter Writers Centre have announced the Grieve 2022 competition is open for submissions. Australian writers – both first-time and published – are invited to submit their short story or poem about grief and loss in honour of Grief Awareness Month (August). Of all the entries, 120 works are selected and published in the annual Grieve Anthology. Theme: Grief and loss Closes: 31 May 2022 Word limit: Short story – 500 words; Poem – 36 lines Entry fee: $16.50 Prize: Over $7000 in prizes and publication in Grieve Anthology: volume 10
The Best Australian Yarn 2022 Are you the author of Australia’s best short story? Then you will want to submit your short story for The Best Australian Yarn 2022 short story competition presented by The West Australian and the Minderoo Foundation. Everyone has a story to tell, and now we are calling on Australians everywhere to put pen to paper and take part in the world’s richest short story competition for published and unpublished writers. Theme: Open Closes: 31 May 2022 Word limit: 2500 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Overall winner – $30 000; WA winner – $4000; Regional Australia winner – $3000; Youth winner – $2000 and mentoring; Readers’ Choice – $2000; Nine shortlisted finalists – $1000 each
The Synopsis Skirmish Querying authors are encouraged to enter the The Darling Axe’s The Synopsis Skirmish competition. Lay out your story's chain of consequence, and demonstrate character, context, and conflict, and may the best plot summary win! Closes: 31 May 2022 Word limit: 500 words Entry fee: $20 CAD Prize: Winner – $700 CAD; Second place – $200 CAD; Third place – $100 CAD; all three finalists will be published on the Chopping Blog and receive
Short story competitions that close June 2022
The Big Issue Fiction Edition 2022 Submissions are now open for The Big Issue 18th annual Fiction Edition 2022 magazine. Judges are looking for stories of all kinds – literary, comedy, romance, sci-fi, crime and everything in between – to be published in this magazine. Theme : Open Closes : 13 June 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Published in The Big Issue Fiction Edition and $500 cash
RD Walshe Memorial Writing for the Environment Competition 2022 The Sutherland Shire Environment Centre holds an annual, national Writing for the Environment prize in honour of their founder, Bob Walshe, who passed away in March 2018. This year, you’re invited to submit an original piece of fictional prose that is no more than 800 words based on the theme of ‘peace and sustainability’. Theme: Peace and sustainability Closes: 17 June 2022 Word limit: 800 words Prize: In the three categories (Up to 18 years; 19-25 years; over 65): First prize – $500; runner-up – $100
Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards If you are an emerging writer residing in Victoria, search your imagination and put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and enter the Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards. Closes : 30 June 2022 Word limit: Creative Writing Award will win an additional $10,000 The Dorothy Porter Award for Poetry – 100 lines; Narrative Non-fiction – 5000 words; Short Story Set in Melbourne – 5000 words; Life Writing Award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Writers – 5000 words; Self-told Stories by Writers Living with a Disability – no more than 5000 words Prize: Winning entries will receive a $2000 category prize. The overall winner of the Lord Mayor’s
Northern Beaches Readers Festival Short Story Competition The Northern Beaches Readers Festival is delighted to announce they are holding a new short story competition in 2022 for short form fiction stories. The competition will be independently judged by editor and writing coach, Kelly Rigby. Stories should follow the theme ‘fire and water’ to pique judge and editor, Kelly Rigby’s interest. Theme: ‘Fire and Water' Closes: 30 June 2022 Entry fee: $10 Prize: $500
Short story competitions that close July 2022
The 2022 ACU Prize for Poetry The 2022 ACU Prize for Poetry is open for entries from Australian residents who have crafted their finest poems on the theme of ‘Hope', inspired by a line from Alfred Lord Tennyson's famous play Robin Hood play: “Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier'…” Theme: Hope Closes: 4 July 2022 Prize: Winner – $10 000; Second prize – $5 000; Third prize – $3000
Lost In Words Short Fiction Competition Undo Redo Entertainment is proud to announce their Lost in Words Short Fiction Competition 2022 is open for submissions. The judges are looking for original short fiction and ideas that have been lost in the cacophony of corporate banality. Closes: 8 July 2022 Word limit: 4000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Winner – $500
The Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition The Literary Taxidermy Writing Competition invites writers to create original stories and poems using the opening and closing lines of classic works of literature. For its fifth year, in addition to monetary prizes and publication, the competition offers personal feedback for all honourable mentions. Theme: Use opening and closing lines set by competition hosts Closes : 11 July 2022 Entry fee: USD $10 Prize: USD $500 cash prize and a complimentary copy of the forthcoming 2022 Literary Taxidermy Anthology
2022 E.M. Fletcher Short Story Writing Competition The annual E.M. Fletcher Writing Award is open to short stories that are based on family history or genealogy. The competition is judged to select the best short story, and writers are encouraged to explore their creativity within this theme. Theme: Family history Closes : 15 July 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Prize: $1000 cash and published in the December edition of Family History ACT’s journal The Ancestral Searcher
Clean vs Green Short Story Competition Organised by the University of Southampton, the Clean vs Green Short Story Competition is a targeted competition aimed at using an engaging fictional story that helps raise awareness about bacteria and shift attitudes, especially for those people who assume that the more detergent the better. Theme: Clean vs green Closes : 21 July 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Prize: £500
AlburyCity Short Story Award Writers from across Australia are invited to enter the AlburyCity Short Story Award. There is no set theme. Just submit your most inspired writing! Theme: Open Closes : 25 July 2022 Entry fee: $10 Word limit: 3000 words
Prize: First prize – $1,000; Second prize – $200 book voucher; Third prize – $100 book voucher
AAWP/ASSF Emerging Writers' Short Story Prize Celebrate the craft of writing at the Australian Short Story Festival, held in Perth in 2022. Be welcomed into the thriving community of writers within the AAWP. Enter your short story and take advantage of this generous publication pathway and networking opportunity for emerging writers. Closes : 31 July 2022 Word limit: 3000 words Prize: Ticket to the Australian Short Story Festival, economy airfares and accommodation, and fully subsidised conference fees to the AAWP’s annual conference; winning entry will also be considered for publication in Meniscus
AAWP/UWRF Emerging Writers' Prize Take advantage of this stunning opportunity to celebrate the craft of writing at South East Asia's largest and most exciting literary festival, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival. Enter your short story or poem on the 2022 festival theme ‘Through Darkness to Light' and take advantage of a publication pathway and networking opportunity for emerging writers. Theme: Through Darkness to Light Closes : 31 July 2022 Word limit: Poetry – 30 lines; prose – 3000 words Prize: Ticket to the UWRF, accommodation for the duration of the festival, and $500 towards economy airfares
2022 Open Writing Competition Port Writers Inc are proud to announce its popular 2022 Open Writing Competition is open to writers to submit their short stories on any theme. There are three categories in which you can win: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Theme: Open Closes: 31st July 2022 Word limit: Fiction – 2500 words; Non-Fiction – 2500 words; Poetry – 32 lines Entry: $10 Prize: In each category, first – $200; second – $50; highly commended – Certificate; Hastings Award – one prize over all categories (for local writers in the Port Macquarie-Hastings geographic area) $100
AAWP/ Express Media Sudden Writing Prize The AAWP/Express Media Sudden Writing Prize is for emerging writers under 25. Young writers are welcome to submit prose, poetry or prose poems with any theme. Theme: Open Closes : 31 July 2022 Word limit: 400 words prose, 40 lines for poetry, 200 words for prose poems Prize: $500, your work published on the Express Media website and a Voiceworks subscription, and a one-year membership to the AAWP
Anthology Poetry Award Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, the Poetry Award 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. Theme: Dreams Closes: Early Bird – 31 July 2022; Deadline – 31 October 2022 Word limit: 40 lines Entry fee: Early Bird – €10 per poem; Deadline – €15 per poem Prize: €500 cash prize, the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology , and a one year subscription to Anthology magazine
Short story competitions that close August 2022
Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Writing Competition 2022 Hawkeye Books are looking to read light-hearted, positive short stories so they can award the writer as the winner of the Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition 2022. Let your imagination run wild with a story that follows the theme of ‘water under the bridge'. The judges will favour stories with critical thinking, humour and/or a point of difference – so get creative. Theme: Water under the bridge Closes: 1 August 2021 Word limit: 1000 words Entry fee: $15 Prize: Winner – $250AU Hawkeye Gift Voucher + Anthology front cover design based on winner’s story; Shortlisted (2nd – 4th placed) names published; Top 40 stories published in an anthology
The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writer The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers is a developmental award open to Australian secondary school-aged students across the nation and recognises writing excellence in Fiction, Creative Non-fiction and Poetry. Entries can include writing for readers of any age. Theme: Open Closes: 7 August 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Prize: Winner in each category – $500, publication of their work on the Express Media website their names, and an acknowledgement printed in Voiceworks, Australia’s premier youth literary journal
The 2022 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize In partnership with Rabbit: a journal for nonfiction poetry, Holmgren Design have opened their 2022 Venie Homgren Environmental Poetry Prize for submissions. This competition is in honour of Venie Holmgren, environmental activist and bestselling poet. Theme: Environmental theme Closes: 10 August 2021 Word limit: 80 lines Entry fee: $10 Prize: $1000
2022 Tim Winton Award for Young Writers The City of Subiaco presents the 30th annual Tim Winton Award for Young Writers. This creative short story writing award is open to Western Australian school students to encourage their imagination, innovation and creativity. Theme: Open Closes: 12 August 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Prize: Put on display for one month at Subiaco Library from Tuesday 27 September and published online
BAD Western Sydney BAD Western Sydney is a new crime anthology set in the urban/suburban sprawl of Western Sydney. This richly diverse part of Australia is home to over 10% of Australia's population and is one of the world's most multi-cultural regions. Within its bounds each centre is distinctive with a unique blend of languages and characters. Judges are looking for short stories and microfiction to include in the anthology that evoke that strong sense of place. Theme: Sense of place Closes: 12 August 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Entry fee: Free Prize: Successful entries will be published in the BAD Western Sydney anthology in November/December 2022
Seeking Asylum Poetry Prize Ballina Region for Refugees (BR4R) invites you to submit up to three poems to this year’s Seeking Asylum Poetry Prize. This Prize celebrates the positive contributions that refugees make to our communities and acknowledges the circumstances that forced them to flee their homelands and request refuge in Australia. Theme: A Turning Point Closes: 14 August 2021 Word limit: 50 lines Entry fee: Free Prize: First prize – $300; Second prize – $150; Third prize – $50; winners will be published in Social Alternatives
2023 NWF/joanne burns Microlit Award Judges are looking for play-themed writing for the 12th joanne burns Microlit Awards. Co-hosted by Newcastle Writers Festival and specialist microliterature publisher, Spineless Wonders, this award offers cash prizes and publication. Theme: Play Closes: 28 August 2022 Word limit: 200 words Entry fee: $15 Prize: Winner and finalists will have their entries published in Spineless Wonders’ annual anthology
The Woollahra Digital Literary Award The Woollahra Digital Literary Award is a national literary award supporting innovation in Australian literature and publishing, encouraging writers producing work in a digital medium. The award opens 1 June and seeks submissions of a literary nature that are digitally born – published online or in electronic form. There are four categories in which to enter: fiction, non-fiction, poetry and digital innovation. Closes: 29 August 2022 Word limit: Fiction – 3000-30,000 words; Non-Fiction – 3000-30,000 words; Poetry – 3000 words; Digital Innovation – 30,000 words Entry fee: $12 Prize: Fiction – $2500; Non-Fiction – $2500; Poetry – $1000; Digital Innovation – $1500
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2022 Poets and short story writers are welcome to submit their work on any theme. Yet the judges are very interested in works that reflect upon our ever changing world… hint hint. Closes: 31 August 2022 Entry fee: Poetry £12; Short Fiction £18 Prize: £5,000 (£2,500 for the Poetry Winner, £2,500 for the Short Fiction Winner), publication
2022 Alice Sinclair Memorial Writing Competition Brought to you by the Lake Macquarie Branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers, the 2022 Alice Sinclair Memorial Writing Competition will open 31 May. Poets and short story writers are welcome to submit their piece that follows the theme of ‘out of the shadows’. Theme: Out of the Shadows Closes: 31 August 2022 Entry fee: $15 Prizes: For each category winner – $150 + certificate for first; second prize – $100 + certificate; 15 short stories and 15 poems will be published in an anthology
Sisters in Crime’s Women’s Crime and Mystery Short Story Competition Sisters in Crime Scarlet Stiletto Awards is looking for women writers to submit their best short crime and mystery stories to be entered in this killer competition. There are also many other writing competitions in the Sisters in Crime Scarlet Stiletto Awards on offer, so check out the site for full details. Theme: Crime and mystery Closes: 31 August 2022 Word limit: 5000 words Entry fee: $25 Prize: $12,365 in prizes on offer
Short story competitions that close September – October 2022
Reconciliation Writing Competition 2022 The Reconciliation Writing Competition organised by the Port Phillip Citizens for Reconciliation is open to all Victorians. The theme is the 2022 NAIDOC theme ‘Get Up Stand Up Show Up’, which reflects a proud history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People organising and fighting for their rights. All styles of writing are encouraged, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Theme: Get Up Stand Up Show Up Closes: 2 September 2022 Word limit: Adults – 1500 words or 50 lines of poetry; Year 9-12 Students – 600 words or 30 lines of poetry Prize : Adults winner – $1000 donated; Second – $600; Third – $300; Year 9-12 Students winner – $1000; Second – $600; Third– $300
Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition 2022 Braille House is excited to announce that the Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition for 2022 is open for entries from all Australian residents for their 101st year. Writers (children and adults) who are blind or have low vision are welcomed to pen a short story or poem and be in the running to win cash prizes in the 101st year of the Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition which is a National literary competition and is for children and adults who are blind or have low vision. Theme: Time Closes: 16 September 2022 Word limit: Adults (18 years +) and senior students (13 to 17 years) – 2000 words; junior student (12 years and under) – 1500 words Entry fee: Adults and senior students ($10 per item), junior students ($5 per item), peoples’ choice category ($10 per item) Prize: Winner (per category) – $350; Second prize (per category) – $150
Storm A literary storm is brewing as Minds Shine Bright seeks the very best fiction writing on the theme of storm. Whether it’s fast and furious, loud and bright, something that’s brewing or a spirit summoned tempest, judges are looking for your best writing to warm their hearts through this cold winter. Theme: Storm Closes: 30 September 2022 Word limit: 2500 words Entry fee: $5 Prize : Winner – $500; Second – $400; Third – $300; Fourth – $200; five commended entries – $100
The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories 2022 Judges of The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories 2022 are looking for writers to submit their compelling short stories for a great prize. Twenty entries will be selected for the longlist and ten will be selected for the shortlist. All long and short listed authors will have the opportunity to discuss publication of their entry on Letter Review. Theme: Open Closes: 31 October 2022 Word limit: 2000 words Entry fee: $20 USD Prize: Winner – $600 USD; Second prize – $250 USD and publication; Third prize– $150 USD
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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 13-18), 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:
- March 2023 — opinion writing: your turn (drafts for expert review due Monday 13 March; submissions due Tuesday 21 March)
- April 2023 — poetry and spoken word: particles of life (drafts for expert review due Monday 10 April; submissions due Tuesday 18 April)
- May 2023 — food writing creative non-fiction: sources of sustenance (drafts for expert review due Monday 8 May; submissions due Tuesday 16 May)
- June 2023 — letter writing: words of thanks (drafts for expert review due Monday 12 June; submissions due Tuesday 20 June)
- July 2023 — creative non-fiction: transitions (drafts for expert review due Monday 10 July submissions due Tuesday 18 July)
- August 2023 — flash fiction: a story in your pocket (drafts for expert review due Monday 14 August; submissions due Tuesday 22 August)
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. Night Parrot Press Flash Lab
The brief: submit a flash fiction story under 500 words.
Open to: Western Australian writers aged between 12 and 17 years.
Entry fee: free to submit.
Prizes: one story will be selected each week to be published on Night Parrot Press’s website. (You can read the current Story of the Week on the website now .)
Closing date: rolling.
More information: visit Night Parrot Press’s website .
3. Little Black Dress Spooky Story Competition 2023
The brief: Write a story on the theme of “after midnight”. The theme is open to interpretation, as long as the piece contains significant elements of eeriness/spookiness and a clear connection to the theme.
Word limits: up to 500 words in youth category and 1,200 in the adult category.
Open to: Australian residents for the youth category. The adult category is only open to Western Australian residents.
Categories: Adult and Youth (8–17 years) categories.
Entry fee: free for youth category.
Prizes: Youth (WA) first prize: $100, certificate, complimentary print copy of Spooky Story anthology; Youth (WA) second prize: $25, certificate, complimentary print copy of Spooky Story anthology; Shortlist/Highly Commended/Commended awards: Certificate.
Closing date: Wednesday 15 March 2023 .
More information: visit the KSP Writers’ Centre website .
4. Calanthe Collective Prize for Unpublished Poetry 2023
The brief: Submit up to three poems up to 50 lines.
Categories: Under 18, restricted to high school aged people; and an Open category, which is restricted to poets who are yet to have a book or chapbook published by March 31 2023.
Entry fee: $10 for each individual Open entry. U18 entries are free.
Prizes: the winning poem in the Under 18 category will receive $250, with a $100 prize for one Highly Commended entry, and in the Open category $1000 , with three Highly Commended prizes of $100 . The winners in each category, together with Highly Commended entrants, will have their poems published on the Calanthe Press website. All prize money is in AUD.
Closing date: Friday 31 March 2023 .
More information: visit the Calanthe Press website .
5. Little Stories. Big Ideas
The brief: submit a piece of flash fiction that is 100 words or less and incorporates the current theme, ‘love’. 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 7 April 2023.
More information: visit the Little Stories. Big Ideas website .
6. Gosnells Writers Circle Aspiring Author Awards
The brief: submit an unpublished, original short story.
Categories: under 12 years; under 18 years.
Word limits: 500 word for under 12s and 1,000 words for under 18s.
Prizes: first prize of $100.00, second prize of $60.00 and third prize of $40.00 will be awarded in each category.
Closing date: Sunday 30 April 2023.
More information: visit the Gosnells Writers Circle’s website .
7. The Nan Manefield Young Writers’ Award
The Brief: Submit either a poem or short story of up to 750 words.
Open to: Sydney NSW metropolitan, based young people, aged between 11 and 18 years of age.
Cost: free.
Categories: The competition is judged in five age categories by a panel of award winning authors.
Prizes: Prizes totalling over $3,500. All winners will also be offered the opportunity to attend a special writers masterclass.
More information: entry conditions and online entry form can be found on the North Sydney Council website .
8. John Gavin Writing Competition 2023
The brief: On the 6th of April 1844, Easter Saturday, John Gavin was hanged in front of the Fremantle Round House and buried without ceremony in the sand dunes nearby. Thought to be around fifteen years old, and having been sent out to the Colony to be apprenticed labour from the Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight, John was convicted of murdering his employer’s son, George Pollard, on a farm in Dandalup. John Gavin’s tale is one of hardship and tragedy and an uncomfortable reminder of our not so distant past .
Submit a piece of writing that takes place in the Swan River Colony during the 1840s, and includes John Gavin and/or reference to his trial. The piece of writing can be a poem, a short story, or other creative composition. Word limit for schools category is 500 words.
Categories: open; and school aged (years 5 to 10). The open category is open to writers nationwide; the schools category is open to Western Australian students only (including home-schooled students).
Entry fee: $7.50 for schools category (plus Eventbrite fees)
Prizes: schools category (first prize $150, second prize $75). Winning and highly commended entries will be invited to perform at a special awards day in May 2023.
Closing date: Sunday 30 April 2023 .
More information: head to the Fremantle Roundhouse’s website for further details, including entry forms (entry fee paid via Eventbrite), terms and conditions, links, creative story prompts and recommended reading about John Gavin and the trial.
9. Future Leaders Writing Prize
The brief: submit submit a piece of writing (800 to 1,000 words) on any topic. The writing can be fiction or non-fiction.
Open to: Year 11 and 12 students in Australian secondary schools.
Prizes: the award winner will receive $1,000. Where there is more than one winner the prize money will be shared.
Closing date: Monday 1 May 2023.
More information: visit the Future Leaders website .
10. What Matters? Writing Competition
The brief: submit fiction, non-fiction, poetry or prose of up to 600 words that responds to the simple question ‘what matters?’ You are free to express your views on any matter your care about.
Open to: open to school students in years 5 to 12 from Australia.
Entry fee: appears to be free.
Prizes: includes virtual author visits, writing workshops, the opportunity to shadow political speechwriters and journalists, books and opportunities for your school, and of course, the major cash prize of $1500.
Closing date: Friday 5 May 2023.
More information: visit the Whitlam Institute’s website .
11. Make Your Own Story Book Competition
The brief: create a picture book or story book up to 5,000 words that tells an original story using original text and illustrations.
Open to: WA students from Pre Primary to Year 8.
Closing date: Friday 9 June 2023.
More information: the entry form, with specific guidelines and categories, can be found on CBCA WA’s website , where you will also find ideas, suggestions and tips to help you.
12. 2023 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards
The brief: submit poems up to 80 lines . The optional theme is ” the winding road”. Entries can be via individual entry or through your school. There is a limit of three poems per student.
Open to: young writers from kindergarten to year 12.
Entry fees: $20 for an individual (who can enter up to three poems); $30 for up to 30 poems in a school; $60 for more than 30 poems; $80 for more than 100 poems.
Closing date: Friday 30 June 2023.
More information: visit the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards website .
13. 2023 Randolph Stow Young Writers’ Award
The brief: Submit original works of poetry or prose. Word limits: no word stipulation for poetry. For prose, 1200 words for primary age categories; 1500 words for lower and middle secondary categories; 2,000 words for upper secondary category.
Open to: any school aged children from Years 3 – 12 inclusive residing or attending school within the Midwest as determined by the Education Department of WA (North to Exmouth – East to Wiluna and South to Watheroo).
Categories: Lower Primary Years 3-4, Upper Primary Years 5-6, Lower Secondary Years 7-8, Middle Secondary Years 9 -10, Upper Secondary Years 11-12.
Closing date: Monday 3 July 2023.
More information: visit the City of Geraldton Regional Library/ Randolph Stow website.
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!
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Writing Competitions
Are you interested in writing competitions? Here you will find a summary of excerpts from recently announced competitions. Click the competition title to read more details.
Although the competitions may be conducted by the FAW NSW state body or by its Branches, they are still open to the general public, unless stated to the contrary. You may also find some outstanding writing opportunities from other groups but FAW NSW takes no responsibility for competitions administered by other organisations.
For Conditions of Entry relating to individual competitions, and to obtain an entry form (where required), contact the relevant competition organisers.
- Entry Form: 2023 Marjorie Barnard Short Story Award
ENTRIES CLOSE: 6.00pm (AEST) Thursday 31 August 2023
Failure to comply with the Terms and Conditions will mean disqualification.
*All fields are required
- Marjorie Barnard Short Story Award 2023
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Failure to comply with the terms and conditions will mean disqualification.
- The Award is for Short Stories up to 3000 words.
- Entrants must be permanent residents of Australia.
- Submitted entries must not have previously been published,
- Entry Form: 2023 Hilarie Lindsay Short Story Competition
For Australian School Students
ENTRIES CLOSE: 6pm (AEST) Thursday 31 August 2023
Failure to comply with the Conditions of Entry will mean disqualification. All fields are required.
- 2023 Hilarie Lindsay Short Story Competition for Australian School Students
Entries are sought in the following categories:
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
Entrant’s name must appear on the entry form ONLY.
The entry fee is $5.00 (please note that entries that do not include the fee will be disqualified).
- Seniors Card Short Story Competition 2023: Terms & Conditions
Writing Workshops | Entry Form (available 8 April)
Opens 9.00am 8th April – Closes 6.00pm 20th May 2023 Late entries will not be accepted
The NSW Dept of Communities and Justice and the Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW Inc (FAW) are again conducting a Short Story Competition.
- Positive Words Monthly Mini-Competitions 2023
Closing date: 31 January 2023 then monthly
Entries must be posted by the last day of the relevant month and the winning entry will appear in a future issue. The winner will be notified.
- Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2023
Call for Entries
Closing date: February 10, 2023
Over $10,000 in Monetary prizes, over 80 categories.
If you would like to receive greater recognition, monetary prizes, awards, possible representation by a leading agent,
- South Coast Writers Centre 2023 Poetry Award
Closing date: 5 March 2023
The SCWC Poetry Award 2023 seeks poems responding to the theme ‘in colour’, in association with Wollongong Art Gallery’s exhibition Thinking Through Pink .
- $1000 First Prize
- $100 Second Prize
- $100 SCWC Member Award
- $100 Voucher Wollongong Art Gallery Special Award
Submission fee per poem is $15 ($10 for SCWC members).
- About Kids Books Short Story Prize 2023
Closing date: 4pm 22 May 2023
The Inaugural About Kids Books Short Story Prize celebrates excellence in Short Story writing by adults writing for children and fills a gap in the children’s international literature award landscape.
The Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2023
Closing date: 12 February 2023
Stringybark Stories is proud to announce its 40th short story competition. The Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2023 is now accepting entries.
So clean the spilt coffee out of your keyboard (or sharpen your goose quill – whichever is more appropriate) and start writing a 1500-word (max) story that will excite the judges.
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2023 (US)
Deadline for entry is February 10, 2023
Over USD$10,000 in Monetary prizes, over 80 categories
The 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers (small,
South Coast Writers Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Mentoring Program
As part of its Emerging Writers Programs, the South Coast Writers Centre (SCWC) is excited to announce its 2022-2023 Emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Writers Mentoring Program.
In 2022 and 2023, SCWC is offering up to sixteen twenty-week mentorships to early stage or emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers living on the South Coast of NSW.
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Other writing competitions and opportunities
- 2021 Southern Cross Short Story Competition – Judge’s Notes
- 2021 SCSSC winner: Wheeler, by Benjamin Forbes
- Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize 2018
- Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize 2020
- Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize 2022
- Southern Cross Short Story Competition 2017
- Southern Cross Short Story Competition 2019
- the drowning sound by anne myers
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- Pamela Miller Prize (Members Only)
For the benefit of our members (and the broader writing community), we’ve collected this list of current competitions and opportunities for you. Please note that we do not administer these competitions, and we can’t answer any questions you might have about them. Listings are provided in good faith. Please check details and conditions of entry.
Looking for children’s contests? Those exclusively for school-aged and ‘young’ writers are marked YOUTH, but others may include junior sections.
The Peter Carey Short Story Award is open for submissions of short stories of 2,000 – 3,000 words, and open to all Australian residents. First and second prizes and publication in the Spring issue of Meanjin. Closing date: 6: 00 pm, 16 March
The Daisy Utemorrah Award is for an unpublished manuscript of junior or YA fiction by a First Nations author. The Award is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (over 18) currently living in Australia. The winner of the award receives $15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books. Closing date 30 March.
The Fish Poetry Prize 2023 i s open for poems in English from writers world-wide, to a maximum of 60 lines. Details and past winners are on their website; prizes for top three poems, and the best ten will be published. Closing date: 31 March
Sunspot Lit: Geminga is a neutron star so small it was difficult to detect. It was named, in part, for a transcription of gh’è minga, meaning “it’s not there.” Sunspot Lit honors the power of the small. Prizes for micro-fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or Art. No restrictions on theme or category. Word limit is 100 for fiction and nonfiction. Micro-poetry is limited to 140 characters. Graphic novels should be 4 pages or less. Titles are not included in the word count. Read t&cs carefully. Closing date 31 March.
Art & Words Project: Northern Beaches Writers’ Competition Submissions accepted of fiction and non-fiction stories, up to 2,500 words, inspired by the theme of rain . First and second place receive cash prizes and online publication. Closing date 31 March.
ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize for an original short story between 2,000 and 5,000 words. First, second and third prizes and winners will be published in ABR in 2023 and on the ABR website. Closing date 24 April.
Poetica Christi Press 2023 Poetry Competition (slightly weird webpage; click to download the competition details) Accepting poems up to 50 lines on the theme of Journeys . First prize $300, 2nd prize $100, with the top 25 poems to be published in an anthology by Poetica Christi Press. Closing date 30 April.
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. Prizes and publication. Early bird closing date 30 April; standard fee closing date 31 August.
The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award for Young Writers for an unpublished manuscript by a writer under the age of thirty-five. Winning manuscript receives $20,000, and will be published in 2024 by Allen & Unwin with an advance against royalties. Closing date 31 May.
The Anthology Poetry Competition , established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, 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. Early bird 30 June; standard entry fee 31 October.
Ongoing Opportunities
Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub : is an online anthology of songs, fiction and poetry that’s inspiring, meaningful and original, and that reflects the principles, concerns and values of the Extinction Rebellion from a global, regional or local perspective. Submissions accepted year-round.
Tim Saunders Publications invite submissions of poems up to 30 lines and short stories up to 1000 words on a range of topics across the year. Contributors retain copyright.
Voiceworks is a national literary journal that features exciting new writing and art by young Australians. Our 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. See site for deadlines and details.
Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature is a digital, Open Access, quarterly journal accepting rolling submissions for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter issues. The aim is to highlight disability literature and the creative arts, and work pertaining to disability experiences and cultures, and prioritises work by writers and other creative artists with disabilities. See the site for cut-off dates.
NB: writers with disability can find more info on opportunites and resources through Writers Victoria Writeability site.
Green Stories writing competitions is a ‘free’ writing competition project with a range of categories for novels, plays, and short stories. Entries should conform with positive visions of more sustainable futures and/or the inclusion of green solutions but needn’t have an explicitly green theme.
Women with Disabilities Australia is looking for blog posts from women, girls and non-binary persons with disability that live in Australia, on the theme of leadership.
The Australian Bush Poets Association run a calendar of bush poetry events for both written and performed bush poetry .
Ginninderra Press (accepts unsolicited manuscripts across a range of genres, please read their criteria carefully).
Wombat Books (accepts unsolicited manuscripts, submitting authors should be familiar with WB’s body of printed books).
LitMag is looking for fiction, poetry and non-fiction submissions (submission fees, paid).
Furious Fiction begins on the first Friday of every month, there is a cash prize for the best story in the month.
Big Sky Publishing is open for finished non-fiction manuscripts.
The Archipelago is a new online journal exploring themes of migration, identity and decolonisation (limited payment) through prose, poetry and art.
[untitled] is open to submissions of short stories 300-5,0000 words
Science Write Now is a website promoting writing about science through the forms of fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction and poetry.
Stereo Stories seeks short memoir (800 words. max) centred on songs for publication on its website.
Write from the Heart runs a monthly, themed micro-fiction contest with the $2 entry fee being split between a charity and the prize pool.
Overland journal is paying for fiction in its print and online editions.
Right Now magazine is looking for pitches on written and multimedia works about human rights issues in Australia.
Penny Mint seeks experimental poetry, spoken word, essays, serialised fiction and more.
Frankie seeks interviews, rants, research pieces, photography projects and editorial illustrations.
Quadrant online seeks essays, literature, poetry and historical and political debate.
Arena (Online and Quarterly) seek commentary on emerging social and political issues.
Going Down Swinging journal seeks fiction, creative non-fiction, spoken word, commentary, essays, comics, poetry and experimental work.
Archer Magazine is open to pitches for articles and images about sexuality, gender and identity.
The Sydney Review of Books is open to pitches for non-fiction on contemporary literature and culture.
Sweaty City seeks writing about climate change and urban ecologies with a Sydney focus.
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund has rolling grant opportunities for artists and organisations throughout the year.
US-based Sunspot Literary Journal offers a $35 Editor’s Prize for every digital edition, a $50 Editor’s Prize for the annual print edition, and pays for artwork selected for a cover. It accepts flash, stories, essays and memoir up to 49,000 words, poetry and art. Translations welcome.
Positive Words holds monthly mini-competitions (short story up to 100 words or poem up to 10 lines) with a different word/prompt.
The Human Writers is offering a platform for works on ‘creative ageing in Australia’ from older Australian writers.
Babyteeth journal is open to submissions of prose, spoken word, visual art and more.
Dark Lake Publishing publishes regular anthologies and single titles on the dark side.
Next Members’ Night
- SAVE THE DATE:
The next BWI Members Meet-up will be held on Wednesday 29th March at the Bunch of Grapes Hotel at 7:00pm. Everyone is welcome to arrive earlier and have a meal.
* Social nights are usually held at the Bunch of Grapes on the last Wednesday of each month (except December).
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… and how to put them right! Advice and opportunities for new, aspiring and upcoming journalists and writers of non-fiction
Writing competitions (Australia / New Zealand)
We aim to avoid listing competitions which make unreasonable demands on entrants, such as copyright claims on all entries. Please check terms and conditions before entering, in case some slip through.
For a list of UK, Ireland, and European competitions, click here , and for US / Canada, click here . Some competitions in both listings will be open to writers worldwide.
MARCH DEADLINES
10th March Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 1,000–3,000 words. Open to all writers aged 18+ residing in Victoria. Entry is $15. The winner will receive $50
31st March Charles Brasch Young Writers’ Essay Competition 1,500 words max. NZ$500 prize. New Zealand nationals and residents aged 16–21 only.
APRIL DEADLINES
16th April (approximate) The Fogarty Literary Award Opens 1st March. For “an unpublished manuscript by a Western Australian author aged between 18 and 35”, which includes narrative non-fiction. The winner receives a cash prize of $20,000 and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press.
30th April Furphy Story Prize Non-fiction (or fiction) prose. 5,000 words max. 1st Prize – $15,000, 2nd Prize – $3,000, 3rd Prize – $2,000. Theme: Australian Life in all its diversity.
MAY DEADLINES
1st May Questions Writing Prize Open to Aus writers 18–30. 1,500–2,000 words. AU$3,000 prize money.
15th May The John Mclaren Emmerson QC Essay Prize For an essay on intellectual property. AU$ 5,000 / 3,000 / 2,000 prizes. 5,000–10,000 words.
31st May The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award 2023 For an unpublished manuscript by a writer under the age of thirty-five. The winning manuscript will receive prize money of AU$20,000 and will be published in 2024 by Allen & Unwin with an advance against royalties.
FUTURE DEADLINES
Wakefield Press Essay Prize (April 2023) The Australian Orchid Foundation Essay Prize (June 2023) Landfall Essay Competition (July 2023) AAWP / Westerly Magazine Life Writing Prize (July 2023) AAWP / Express Media Sudden Writing Prize (July 2023) Mindshare Awards (August 2023) Growlife Medical Essay Competition (August 2023) Catalyse Nonfiction Prize (August 2023) Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction (September 2023) The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Non-fiction (September 2023) John Barsby New Zealand Essay Competition (November 2023) Douglas Kelly Australian Essay Competition (November 2023) Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Developmental Prize (December 2023) Calibre Essay Prize (January 2024) The Writers College Free Writing Competition (January 2024)
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Competitions
Competition Listings
The Writing District Prize 2023
Creative Writing Ink Poetry Prize 2023
The Tasmanian Writers Prize
Judith Wright Poetry Prize
Write Your Own Magic Spell
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Shirley Jackson Awards · Closing Date: 31 January 2022 · Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize · Deadline: 7 January 2022 · Australian Book Review – Calibre Essay Prize.
Short Story and Other Writing Competitions 2023 · Australian Book review
30/06/2023. Henry Savery National Short Story Award Open to: Australian residents. Theme: Open Accepts: Short Story Size: 2,500 words. Entry Fee: $5. Prize:
The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers is a developmental award open to Australian secondary school-aged students across the nation and recognises
The Brief: Submit either a poem or short story of up to 750 words. Open to: Sydney NSW metropolitan, based young people, aged between 11 and 18 years of age.
$1000 First Prize · $100 Second Prize · $100 SCWC Member Award · $100 Voucher Wollongong Art Gallery Special Award.
Ongoing Opportunities · Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub · Tim Saunders · Voiceworks · Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature · Green Stories
Writing competitions (Australia / New Zealand) ; 10th March Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize ; 31st March Charles Brasch Young Writers' Essay Competition
The Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund, Round 9 · Live Write · Urban Tree Festival 2023 Writing Competition · Peter Carey Short Story Awards 2023 · Photo of Peter
The Judith Wright Poetry Prize is open to writers from Australia and New Zealand until November 14, 2022. The Overland Judith Wright Poetry