What if I miss the deadline because of a technical problem?

Contact fellowships@writingnsw.org.au before 2:00pm on 27 July 2026 with evidence (for example, a screenshot). At our discretion we may accept your application up to an hour late. We strongly recommend submitting a few days early.

What if I notice an error after submitting?

Contact us as soon as possible at fellowships@writingnsw.org.au. We may, at our discretion, allow corrections up until the application closing time. No changes are possible after this.

How do I work out which tier to apply under?

Please read the Artform-Specific Career Stage Guidance carefully and nominate the career stage that most closely fits where you are in your practice right now. For each artform and stage, the Guidance lists the indicators applicants at that stage typically demonstrate; you do not need to demonstrate every descriptor.

What if I don’t fully meet the indicators for my career stage? 

The Career Stage Guidance is descriptive rather than strict eligibility. Applicants at different stages of practice will meet different combinations of indicators, and you don’t need to demonstrate every descriptor. Please nominate the stage that most closely fits where you are. The assessment panel does consider tier fit as part of scoring under Artistic merit and Capacity to deliver, so the strongest application is one where the proposed work and your past evidence sit comfortably with your nominated stage. 

What if my practice spans more than one artform?

Nominate one primary artform (writer, illustrator, or playwright) for the fellowship. You’ll be assessed against that artform’s career stage criteria. You can describe your full practice across artforms in your application as additional context.

I work in musical theatre as a composer or lyricist. Am I eligible? 

Lyric-writing for musical theatre falls within scope of the fellowship, since lyrics are text written for theatrical performance and the Guidelines’ reference to “musical theatre books and libretti” already includes lyric-writing for extended musical works. Music composition, however, is a distinct discipline and sits outside the “writers, illustrators and playwrights” frame. Applicants whose practice spans both roles can apply for a proposed work in which they will be writing lyrics and/or the musical theatre book; a proposed work of pure composition would not be within scope. 

What if I’m emerging in the artform I’m applying under but established in another artform? 

Your career stage nomination is about your practice in the artform you are applying under, not your practice across all the writing or making you do. So if you’re an emerging writer but an established illustrator, you would nominate emerging for a proposal about writing a novel. Your other publications can be included in your creative CV as broader context, and the assessment panel will see the full picture. 

 Do children’s picture books count as full-length works or short-form works when considering my career stage? 

Picture books count as full-length works. “Short-form” in the Career Stage Guidance refers to individual pieces published in collective venues such as journals or anthologies, not to standalone published books. This is consistent with the illustrator pathway, which lists picture books as examples of “full-length illustrated books.” 

Can I apply once as an illustrator and again as a writer?

No. Only one application per person will be accepted, regardless of artform. If you work across more than one artform, choose the one that best fits the proposed work and nominate that as your primary artform. If we receive more than one application from the same person, the first received will be accepted and any others will be withdrawn from consideration.

I submitted twice and the second one wasn’t accepted. What’s happened?

Only one application per person is accepted. If we receive more than one application from the same person, the first one received is accepted and any later submissions are withdrawn from consideration. The first application is what the assessment panel will see. If you intended to update or correct your first application before the deadline, contact us at fellowships@writingnsw.org.au as soon as possible; we may, at our discretion, allow corrections before the deadline.

What’s a “trade or small press”?

A publisher with editorial selection, professional editorial oversight, and commercial distribution that operates independently of the author. Examples include major Australian publishers (Penguin Random House, Allen & Unwin, HarperCollins) and small presses (Magabala Books, Giramondo, UWAP, and many others). Self-publishing through your own imprint, label or company does not count as publication by a small press.

Can I apply if I’ve only self-published?

Yes, self-published works are accepted under the emerging-tier criteria. At mid-career and established, you need at least some works published by a trade or small press publisher.

 Does a work that is under contract but not yet published count in my career stage record? 

Yes. Work that is under a signed publication or production contract but not yet released can be included when you consider your career stage. A signed contract is evidence that the work has been accepted for publication or production, which is the substantive threshold the career stage indicators are measuring. 

Can I apply if I’m a full-time student?

Yes, provided your proposed work is independent of your study (not required for, or assessed as part of, your enrolled academic course).

I’m a Writing NSW member — can I apply?

Yes. Writing NSW membership does not affect your eligibility to apply. The exclusion only covers current Writing NSW staff and board members (and anyone on the staff in the previous 12 months).

I tutor for Writing NSW occasionally — can I apply?

Yes. Tutors and other contractors who invoice Writing NSW for their work are eligible to apply.

Can I hold another grant or fellowship at the same time?

Yes, with disclosure, provided each funding source covers different activities, time, costs or outputs. You’ll need to disclose all current and pending funding in your application. The full conditions are in the Guidelines.

Are previous fellowship recipients eligible?

Yes. There is no cooldown period. Previous recipients of Writing NSW, Create NSW, Creative Australia or other major literary fellowships are eligible to apply.

 Do I need an Australian Business Number (ABN)? 

Yes. You need either your own ABN as a sole trader (the name attached to the ABN must match your name as the applicant), or an ABN for an incorporated body in which you are the sole director. ABNs held as a partnership, or by an incorporated body with more than one director, are not eligible, because the fellowship is awarded to individuals only. 

If you do not have an eligible ABN, you can nominate a Funds Administrator (auspicing organisation) to receive the funds on your behalf. See the next question for detail. 

This is general information only. We are not able to advise on which business structure is right for you. Please seek your own financial, legal, or tax advice. 

What’s a Funds Administrator (auspicing organisation)?

An organisation that receives the fellowship funds on your behalf and pays them out to you under an agreed arrangement. The Funds Administrator must be an arts or cultural organisation. Many Aboriginal community arts organisations and not-for-profit arts organisations administer grants for artists. Writing NSW cannot act as your Funds Administrator for this fellowship.

Can I apply jointly or as part of a group?

No. Fellowships are awarded to individuals only.

Can I use AI or generative AI tools in my proposed work?

Your application must represent your own creative authorship. If you’ve used generative AI in producing your work sample or the proposed work, you need to clearly identify this in your application and describe how you’ve engaged with the tool. Incidental use (research, brainstorming, transcription or proofreading) does not need to be disclosed. The full clause is in the Guidelines.

What does “remaining ordinarily a resident” in NSW mean?  

 This means NSW is your usual home base and the address you primarily live at. You may travel interstate or overseas during the fellowship period, including for research, residencies, or other project-related activity, but your main place of residence must remain in NSW. If you split your time between NSW and another state or country, you must be able to confirm that NSW is your main place of residence. Temporary work, travel, or project-related activity outside NSW does not automatically make you ineligible, provided NSW remains your usual home base and primary residential address.  

  However, you may not meet the residency requirement if you:  

• split your actual living arrangements equally between NSW and another state or country;  

• do not have a clear NSW primary residence; 

• or have your main home outside NSW.  

What does “lived in NSW for at least 12 months” mean?  

 You must have had your main place of residence in NSW for the 12 months immediately before the application closing date. Temporary travel or time spent outside NSW during that period does not necessarily make you ineligible, provided NSW remained your usual home base and primary residential address. 

 What if I am currently outside Australia? 

 You may still be eligible if you are temporarily overseas and NSW remains your main place of residence. This means NSW is your usual home base and primary residential address. 

However, if you are currently living overseas and would only return to NSW if your application is successful, you do not meet the NSW residency requirement. Applicants must have lived in NSW for at least 12 months before the application closing date and continue to have NSW as their main place of residence during the fellowship period.

 Does my proposed work need to be set in Australia or NSW? 

No. There is no geographic requirement for where your proposed work is set. Applicants are welcome to develop work set anywhere in the world; what matters is your eligibility as a NSW-based writer, illustrator or playwright, and the artistic strength of the proposed work. The assessment panel considers substantive engagement with the NSW Government’s strategic priority areas under the Impact and contribution criterion, but this is about how your work and your practice engage with those areas, not about where the story is set. 

Can I apply with a literary translation project? 

No. The fellowship supports the development of a significant new creative work of the applicant’s own creative authorship, and literary translation is not within scope of this round. Applicants whose broader practice includes translation are welcome to apply with an original work in fiction, poetry, narrative non-fiction, illustration or playwriting. 

Does my work sample have to be from the proposed work?

Yes. Samples that aren’t drawn from the proposed work won’t be assessed. Draft chapters, an early excerpt, a treatment with sample scenes, or other in-progress material from the proposed work all count.

Do I need to provide references or letters of support?

No. References and letters of support are not required.

What are milestones and how do I describe them? 

Milestones are the key points across the fellowship year that show your work is progressing. They might include finishing a particular draft, completing a piece of research, attending an event, taking part in a workshop, or producing a key piece of work. They help us understand the shape of your year and how you plan to use the time.

Milestone	Start Date	End Date	How will the Fellowship funds contribute to this activity?	What are the expected Outcomes
Research trip to the place my work is set	01/12/2026	05/12/2026	Travel and accommodation	Landscape and setting deepened in the work
Second draft	16/05/2027	16/08/2027	3-month period off work as protected writing time	Second draft completed

Can I use the fellowship to replace income from time off paid work? 

Yes. If you’re taking time off from paid work to focus on your proposed work, you can use the fellowship to replace that income. 

How long can my CV be?

The Guidelines don’t set a maximum length. However, a concise and focused creative CV is generally more effective than a comprehensive list of every professional activity. Include the publications, productions, exhibitions, awards, residencies, mentorships and other engagements most relevant to your practice and application.

Can I submit audio or video files that are hosted on social media or other platforms requiring an account?

No. All audio and video submissions must be accessible to assessors without logging in, creating an account, or requesting access. This includes social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

If you are linking to a hosting platform (for example, Vimeo or YouTube), please ensure the privacy settings allow direct access, and include any required password in the designated field on the application form (if applicable).

Files that cannot be accessed without an account will not be assessed.

What file format should my work sample be in, and can I include my name on it? 

The Guidelines and FAQs don’t specify a required file format. The SmartyGrants portal accepts common formats including PDF and Word; PDF is generally the safer choice for preserving formatting. You can put your name on your work sample. This program is not blind assessment, and applicants are identified to the assessment panel throughout. 

Is the URL/link field an alternative to the file upload, or in addition to it? 

The URL/link field is for the audio or video work sample itself, hosted externally (for example, on Vimeo, because file-size limits don’t accommodate recordings of the permitted length). If you’re submitting an audio or video work sample, you may also use the file upload field to attach your brief contextual note (or running order or set list, depending on your practice) as a document. You cannot submit two full work samples, for example both a written work sample and an audio/video work sample. Please choose one form of work sample.

How many finished illustrations do I need in my work sample? 

The specification is up to 8 pieces, and they don’t all need to be finished illustrations. You might include one finished or near-finished piece that shows your voice and technical command, alongside storyboard roughs, thumbnails, or rough spreads showing your current thinking for the proposed work. The work sample is intended to show the panel where you hope to take the work, not already be a completed book. The brief contextual note per piece (which is optional) is a good place to explain where each piece is up to in the development process.

How is this fellowship different from a project grant? 

The Stories Matter: NSW Literary Fellowships are fellowships, not project grants. They support NSW writers, illustrators and playwrights to develop new work, not the production, publication or promotion of a finished work. That distinction shapes what the fellowship can be used for: eligible costs are those that directly support the writing, illustration or development process itself. 

 What sort of things can I include in my budget? 

 Your budget should include the things you will need in order to produce your proposed work. This could include: 

•  Writing time or protected creative development time 
• Cultural consultation, including First Nations consultation, permissions or ICIP (Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property) advice 
• Development sessions focused on the written text 
• Access costs that support the applicant’s writing or development process 
• Materials, tools or software directly required to develop the written or illustrated work 
• Mentorship or professional guidance directly related to the work 
• Sensitivity readers or subject-matter experts 
• Research directly related to the writing or illustration process 
• Dramaturgical consultation, script editing or manuscript assessment 
• Other specialist support that directly contributes to developing the written or illustrated work 

This list is not exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the Guidelines on  ineligible costs. 

Can production costs for a theatre work be included in the budget? 

Production costs — such as venue hire, space rental, or the engagement of directors, actors, or production crew — are not eligible expenses under this fellowship. The Fellowships are designed specifically to elevate and prioritise the work of writing and illustration, and the budget should reflect that focus. Eligible costs are those that directly support the writing process itself.  

This can include, for example:  

• Dramaturgical consultation 

• Developmental table reads 

See the “What sort of things can I include in my budget?” question above for more examples of eligible costs. 

Can publishing costs for a printed work be included in the budget? 

Publishing costs – such as printing, marketing or shipping – are not eligible expenses under this fellowship. Fellowships are designed specifically to elevate and prioritise the work of writing and illustration, and the budget should reflect that focus. Eligible costs are those that directly support the writing process itself. 

See the “What sort of things can I include in my budget?” question above for more examples of eligible costs. 

How does the panel approach First Nations cultural content?

Applicants engaging with First Nations cultural content or stories that are not their own need to demonstrate appropriate cultural protocols and consultation.

Are there set quotas across artforms or regions?

There are no hard quotas across artforms or regions. The 10 fellowships are split: 4 emerging, 3 mid-career, 3 established, and applications are scored on their merit. At the recommendation stage, the panel may consider an appropriate mix of artforms across the ten recommended fellowships, so the cohort reflects the breadth of the NSW literary sector.

Am I responsible for my own tax?

Yes. Fellows are responsible for their own tax and banking arrangements. We can’t provide tax or financial advice; talk to an accountant or the ATO if you have questions.

What else do fellows get?

Alongside the $50,000 fellowship payment, fellows are offered:

Can I get help with my application?

Yes:

What if I have an access need?

Please email fellowships@writingnsw.org.au as early as possible in the application open period, letting us know what support you require. The earlier you get in touch, the more support we may be able to provide. Requests made close to the deadline may not be possible to arrange in time. 

Support options that do not require advance arrangement include audio or video recordings in place of written application responses. Writers and playwrights may also submit an audio or video recording in place of the written work sample. Tailored one-to-one application support sessions are also available with a member of the Writing NSW team via Microsoft Bookings. 

I live in a regional or remote part of NSW — what’s available for me?

Application support is available remotely. Cohort engagement during the fellowship is delivered mainly online to accommodate fellows across NSW. The final showcase event is held in person at Writing NSW in Callan Park, Sydney.

How do I contact Writing NSW about the fellowship?

Email fellowships@writingnsw.org.au for all questions about the Stories Matter NSW Literary Fellowships.