Current competitions
These are writing competitions that are open to Australian residents at the moment. They are not run by the NT Writers’ Centre, so please contact the individual organisation listed if you have any specific question about any competition.
Call for Submissions: Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Anthology
Closing Date: 29 February 2020
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: No
More Information: NA
Seeking works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry that relate to the experience of perinatal anxiety, depression or other perinatal mental health condition. The selected pieces will be published in an awareness-raising anthology, with proceeds to benefit PANDA. While your own experience is encouraged as a starting point, preference is for writing that moves beyond the immediate personal account to create a piece of work with broader resonance. Submissions close 29 February 2020. Multiple submissions welcome. There is no entry fee. For further information or to submit, please email PNDA.Anthology@gmail.com read more
Penguin Literary Prize
Closing Date: 13 December 2019
Entry Fee: No
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.penguin.com.au/win/entryform.aspx?id=41
The Penguin Literary Prize endeavours to find, nurture and develop new Australian authors writing in the areas of literary fiction, and is a nod to Penguin Random House’s literary heritage as the great Australian house of literature. Submissions will be accepted until 11.59 pm AEST Friday 13 December 2019. read more
Stringybark Short Story Award
Closing Date: 19 January 2020
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.stringybarkstories.net/competitions/open-the-stringybark-short-story-award-2019.html
Stringybark Publishing is proud to sponsor our annual flagship award, The Stringybark Stories Short Story Award 2019. 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. It can be set wherever your fancy takes you. It can involve characters from the past, the future or today. The only two stipulations are that it must have a link, no matter how tenuous, to Australia (the vegemite sambo on the counter is fine) and suitable for readers over the age… read more
2020 Calibre Essay Prize
Closing Date: 15 January 2020
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=5086:2020-calibre-essay-prize&Itemid=300
Entries are currently open for the 2020 Calibre Essay Prize, worth a total of AU$7,500. The Calibre Essay Prize is open to all essayists writing in English. We seek essays of between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject. We welcome essays of all kinds: personal or political, literary or speculative, traditional or experimental. Founded in 2007, the Calibre Prize is one of the world’s leading prizes for a new non-fiction essay. First place will receive $5,000, and second place will receive $2,500. read more
2020 Colin Roderick Literary Award
Closing Date: 16 December 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.jcu.edu.au/foundation-for-australian-literary-studies/colin-roderick-award/colin-roderick-award-entry-form/awards-terms-and-conditions
The Colin Roderick Literary Award is awarded to the best original book of the year dealing with any aspect of Australian life, first published by an Australian publisher. The winner of the 2020 Colin Roderick Award will receive $20,000 in prize money and presented the H.T. Priestley Medal. read more
Tasmanian Writers’ Prize 2020
Closing Date: 16 February 2020
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://fortysouth.com.au/tasmanian-writers-prize/
Open to residents of Australia and New Zealand and permanent residents, the competition is for short stories up to 3,000 words on an island, or island-resonant, theme. The winner receives a cash prize of $500 and publication in Tasmania 40°South. read more
Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing
Closing Date: 12 December 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Living-in/Arts-and-Cultural-Development/Nillumbik-Prize-for-Contemporary-Writing
The Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing (NPCW) builds on the Shire’s strong tradition of supporting contemporary Australian writing. The new biannual prize maintains the beloved Alan Marshall Short Story Award and introduces an exciting new changing genre award. 2019 entries are NOW OPEN. Entries will close at midnight on Thursday 12 December 2019. read more
Furphy short story competition
Closing Date: 30 April 2020
Entry Fee: No
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.furphystory.com.au/furphy-literary-award/open-short-story-competition/
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 time of submission. read more
