A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.
DECEMBER
13 December: Hawkeye Manuscript Development Prize
Authors of commercial Adult, YA, Middle-Grade, Picture Book and Non-Fiction written in English can apply. The Hawkeye Prize Winner’s Package is valued at $3,500. Additionally, all manuscripts longlisted and shortlisted are announced on our website and in our e-news, and all entrants in the Hawkeye Prize receive judges’ comments. The Hawkeye Prize Winner receives Author Coaching, a Structural Edit and a Line Edit.
15 December: The Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers
The Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers is a developmental prize open to Australian emerging writers studying at TAFE or university who are keen to share short work that speaks to otherness, complexity and expansiveness of ‘speculation’ through literature in either content, genre or form. The winners will receive $1,500 inclusive of a $250 stipend towards a week-long writing residency and a free full pass to the 2025 National Writers’ Conference. The winner will also receive digital publication with Emerging Writers’ Festival.
16 December: Penguin Literary Prize
Established to find, nurture and develop new Australian authors of literary fiction – in keeping with Penguin Random House’s proud tradition of publishing this country’s greatest writers. Accepts complete, unpublished manuscripts for a work of adult literary fiction.
17 December: Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize
Island are delighted to once again present the Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize, proudly supported by The Hobart Bookshop. This year’s Prize will be judged by Island’s poetry editor Kate Middleton, along with Esther Ottaway and Eileen Chong. The prize accepts new poems up to 100 lines, in any form.
19 December: Narratively 2024 Memoir Prize
Narratively is on the hunt for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The winner will be awarded US$3,000 and two finalists will receive US$1,000, as well as publication on Narratively.com and inclusion in a special Narratively 2024 Memoir Prize Digital. Further, Narratively editors will work with the finalists to potentially adapt their stories into larger projects in different mediums (TV, film, podcasts, etc.).
22 December: Newcastle Short Story Award
The Newcastle Short Story Award offers emerging and established writers the chance to showcase their work. Compelling entries are shortlisted in an anthology that celebrates the diversity of Australian storytelling. The winner will receive a prize of $3,000, with a second prize of $1,500 and third prize of $500. All shortlisted stories will be published in the annual Newcastle Short Story Award anthology.
31 December: The Moth Poetry Prize 2024
Open to anyone over the age of 16. First prize of €6,000. Accepting submissions of unpublished poems in English.
JANUARY
1 January: The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction, Poetry, Essays & Non-Fiction and Unpublished Books
Letter Review is offering $1000 USD prize pool per competition category. They accept short fiction up to 5000 words, poetry less than 70 lines, non-fiction up to 5000 words and unpublished books including novels, novellas and short story collections. There are no subject or style restrictions. Open to writers who live anywhere in the world. The winners are published and share in the prize money, and up to 20 writers are shortlisted. All entries are considered for publication.
20 January: The Local Word Poetry Prize
The Geelong Regional Library Corporation and Deakin University are pleased to present the 2024-25 Local Word Poetry Prize, accepting entires of up to 75 lines from emerging and established writers in poetry. The winner will receive a prize of $2000, a one-hour mentoring session with a Deakin University practitioner and publication on The Geelong Regional Library Corporations website and e-newsletter. Commended writers will receive $250 and publication on The Geelong Regional Library Corporations website and e-newsletter.
15 January: Australian Poetry Collaboration
Submissions are invited for poems roughly focused on the theme, ‘Gone Bush’. Send a maximum of three poems as word document attachments to meusepress@hotmail.com. Winning submissions will receive publication in the 38th issue.
20 January: Local Word Poetry Prize
Entries of up to 75 lines are welcome from emerging and established writers in poetry. The winner of the prize will receive a prize of $2000, one-hour mentoring session with a DU writing practitioner and publication on GRLC’s website and announcement in GRLC’s e-newsletter. Commended writers will receive a prize of $250 and publication on GRLC’s website and announcement in GRLC’s e-newsletter.
21 January: Adaptable: Turning Page to Screen
The Queensland Writers Centre’s Adaptable: Turning the Page to Screen seeks material for film or television adaptation, and accepts submissions of manuscripts of any genre, fiction or non-fiction, published and unpublished. Successful applicants to the program are given the opportunity to pitch works with potential for screen adaptation to producers, showrunners, screenwriters and industry professionals.
28 January: Calibre Essay Prize
The Calibre Essay Prize, worth $10,000, is open to all essayists writing in English. Essays between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject are eligible, including personal or political, literary or speculative, traditional or experimental essays.
31 January: Gippsland Writers Network Summer Short Story Competition
What does ‘storm’ mean to you? Submit your speculative fiction, horror, fantasy, literary, historical or uncategorised words to win $200 cash.
31 January: Bristol Short Story Prize
The 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to all published and unpublished writers for submissions of up to 4,000 words. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style. Each of the shortlisted authors will receive one free copy of the paperback version of Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology. Prizes for 2025 are: 1st prize £1000, 2nd prize £500, 3rd prize £250. Each of the 12 remaining shortlisted writers will receive £50.
31 January: GenreCon Short Story Competition
Conjure up 1,000 words of your best short genre fiction – on the theme of ‘Alchemy’ – for your chance to win the grand prize of $1,000, plus online publication.
31 January: Story Unlikely’s Annual Short Story Contest
Story Unlikely is accepting stories of any genre, up to 4,000 words. The winner will receive $1,500, second place will receive $1,000 and third place will receive $500. The winner will be strongly considered for their annual (print) sample magazine, and may be sent out as the bonus story to members for signing up. All three placing stories will be published in the monthly issue, and all three will be illustrated.
31 January: 25th Davitt Awards
Sister in Crime Australia is searching for the best crime or mystery novels and non-fiction crime books by Australian women published in 2024 in the 25th Davitt Awards.
FEBRUARY
2 February: The Kat Muscat Fellowship
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 project must respond to values of defiance, feminism and empathy.
3 February: Michael Waters Poetry Prize
A prize of $6,000 and publication by SIR Press is awarded annually for a collection of poetry written in English. All entries are considered for publication.
4 February: Red Room Poetry Fellowship 2025
Australian poets are invited to apply for a week-long residency at Varuna to foster poetic and professional development, supported by mentorship from Red Room Poetry, and with the opportunity for performance and publication.
4 February: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2025
The annual Prime Minister’s Literary Award accepts books published in the previous calendar year in six categories of fiction, non-fiction, young adult literature, children’s literature, poetry and Australian history. Entries are sought for books of high literary merit. Up to $100,000 will be awarded in each category – $80,000 for the winning entry and $5,000 each for the shortlisted entries.
4 February: Dal Stivens Literary Award
The Dal Stivens Award is presented biennially to an author, aged 30 or under, for a short story or essay of the highest literary merit. The short story of essay must have been published or accepted for publication within the 12 months prior to the Award closing date.
4 February: Kathleen Mitchell Literary Award
The Kathleen Mitchell Award is presented biennially to the author, aged 30 or under, of an outstanding novel or novella to encourage advancement in their literary career. The recipient will receive $15,000.
27 February: 2025 Next Generation Short Story Awards
The 2025 Next Generation Short Story Awards offers 30+ categories and is open to all authors, even first-time authors, internationally. Have your short story considered for cash prize, gold medal, complimentary invitation to the annual NGIBA awards gala, literary exposure, inclusion in an annual anthology and recognition as one of the top stories written this year!
28 February: Snowbound Chapbook Award
The Snowbound Chapbook Award includes a cash award of $1,000 in addition to publication by Tupelo Press, 25 copies of the winning title, a book launch, and national distribution with energetic publicity and promotion. Manuscripts are judged anonymously and all finalists will be considered for publication. Please read the complete guidelines before submitting your manuscript.
MARCH
2 March: The SCWC 2025 Poetry Award
Poets are invited to submit poems responding to the theme ‘Shapeshifter’. First prize will win $1,000 and second prize will win $100. All winning entries will be published in the South Coast Writers Centre’s 2025 Anthology.
3 March: The Copyright Agency’s Create Grants
Create Grants provide a living allowance for writers and visual artists at key stages of their career. Creative writers can apply to write their second book in fiction, poetry, children’s literature, young adult literature, picture book illustration, graphic novels, playwriting, literary non-fiction and writing for performance (plays only). Up to five grants will be awarded and recipients and will receive $20,000 for a project starting after 1 August 2025.
13 March: Peter Carey Short Story Award
The Peter Carey Short Story Award is for short stories between 2000 – 3000 words, and is open to all Australian residents. Entry is $15 per story. The winning entry receives $2000 and the runner-up $1000. First and second-placed stories will also be published in the spring 2025 issue of Meanjin.
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
Meanjin publishes quarterly in print and daily online. Submissions are open periodically and when open, they welcome pieces written in any language by Australian writers and artists. Pitches or pieces from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and racially marginalised people, and people with disability are strongly encouraged.
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.
Writing NSW publishes these free listings in good faith but does not endorse or warrant the accuracy of any information.
Find out more about getting published and submitting your writing to journals with our information sheets.