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.
Poetica Christi Press 2019 Poetry Competition
Closing Date: 30 April 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: www.poeticachristi.org.au
Entries from poets aged 16 and over on the theme of ‘Love’s footprint’ . Poems up to 50 lines (inc.spaces). 1st prize $300, 2nd prize $100. A total of 25 poems will be chosen by a judge and published in the 2019 anthology. read more
The Best of Times short story competition
Closing Date: 30 April 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: www.bestoftimes.com.au
Funny short stories up to 2,500 words. read more
2019 Bristol Short Story Prize
Closing Date: 1 May 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: www.bristolprize.co.uk
Stories may be on any theme or subject and must be previously unpublished. Maximum word count is 4,000, there is no minimum. Entry fee is £9 (about AUD 16). 20 stories will be shortlisted and published in Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 12. The winner and 2 runners up will be selected from the shortlist and announced at an awards ceremony in October 2019. 1st prize is £1,000 (about AUD 1,800), 2nd prize is £500 (about AUD 900), 3rd prize is £250 (about AUD 450). 17 further prizes of £100 (about AUD 180) will be presented to the remaining… read more
Positive Words Short Story & Poetry Competition 2019
Closing Date: 23 April 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: http://positivewordsmagazine.wordpress.com/
Dear Fellow Writers, I hope you can share the following information with your members and readers. Positive Words magazine was started in 2002 and since then has published hundreds of writers in the monthly issues. It is a self-funded project with memberships to the magazine and competition fees (after prizes) helping to keep the magazine in production. It runs on a shoe-string budget, a labour-of-love and I draw no wages or remuneration but contributors receive a complimentary issue when their story or poem is featured. Positive Words Magazine Short Story & Poetry Competition 2019. Open theme. Short stories up to… read more
2019 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards
Closing Date: 26 April 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: www.cwl.nsw.gov.au
Entries in the 2019 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards are now open. There are three categories: Short Story, Contemporary Poetry and ABC Central West Radio Children’s Writing Awards. There are generous cash prizes to be won – $2,000 for the Contemporary Poetry winner and $2,000 for the Short Story winner. Entry forms are available to download from the Central West Libraries website www.cwl.nsw.gov.au. read more
Grieve Writing Competition
Closing Date: 15 May 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://hunterwriterscentre.org/grieve-project/
Hunter Writers Centre is calling for – poems up to 36 lines or stories/personal essays up to 500 words on loss and grief – approximately 110 works are published in the annual anthology. – the 6th anthology was published in 2018. – team of judges from grief and loss industries as well as from the literary world – over $7000- in prizes Grief may be associated with the loss through death or separation, of any person or thing, e.g., family, friend, pet, relationship, occupation, money, housing, habitat/environment, independence, youth, health, mobility, freedom, etc. read more
The Best of Times Short Story Competition
Closing Date: 30 April 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: No
More Information: https://www.ntwriters.com.au/competitions/submit-writing-competition
Short Story: – “The other side of the rainbow” by Artemios Skandaliaris read more
Creative Time Residential Fellowships 2020
Closing Date: 30 April 2019
Entry Fee: No
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: maygibbs.org.au
Published authors or illustrators of at least one book for children or young people are invited to apply for “the gift of time”. The May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust provides accommodation for 28 nights, local support, and travel to and from one of our three host cities – Adelaide, Canberra or Brisbane. Visit maygibbs.org.au to find more information, provided under ‘creative time fellowships’. For application details, contact Polly Hamer, Fellowships Coordinator: contact@maygibbs.org.au Completed applications must be received by 11.59pm on Tuesday 30th April 2019. read more
NT Literary Awards
Closing Date: 29 April 2019
Entry Fee: No
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://ntl.nt.gov.au/northern-territory-literary-awards
The annual Northern Territory Literary Awards have celebrated the unpublished work of Northern Territory writers for more than 35 years. It is part of a special program of annual events at the Northern Territory Library that celebrate the achievements of established and emerging writers, storytellers and prominent Territorians. Whether established or emerging, all writers from across the Northern Territory are encouraged to enter unpublished work for a chance to win cash prizes, free memberships and masterclasses. read more
Stringybark Times Past Short Story Award 2019
Closing Date: 16 June 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.stringybarkstories.net
Stringybark Publishing invites Australian and international writers to try their hand at writing a historical fiction story. For this competition we would like you to take a particular historical incident and weave a story around it. The story could relate to some real event that was of international significance (the outbreak of the Korean War, for example) or of local historical interest (the election of the first woman councillor to Warabigga Shire Council in 1927). We don’t mind. All we require is for there to be a kernel of truth in what you write about and that the story has… read more
2019 Queensland Literary Awards
Closing Date: 31 May 2019
Entry Fee: No
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/qla
Nominations are now open for the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards, Save $10 with the Early Bird discount when you enter in April. Win a share of the $253,500 total prize pool. There are ten national prizes available for outstanding books by Australian writers, illustrators and creators. To see the full list of awards and to apply: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/qla read more
Rose Frankcombe Short Story Competition Rose Award
Closing Date: 31 July 2019
Entry Fee: Yes
Prizes Offered: Yes
More Information: www.swwtas.org
The Society of Women Writers Tasmania ROSE FRANKCOMBE SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2019 ROSE AWARD Word count between 1200 – 1500 words The theme is ‘Earth.’ FIRST PRIZE: $200.00 SECOND PRIZE: $50.00 Plus Highly Commended and Commended Certificates. CLOSING DATE: 31st July 2019 More information on www.swwtas.org or email the Coordinator, wendylaing02@gmail.com The competition is open to all writers. read more
