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 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.

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we receive more than one application from the same person, the first received will be accepted and any others will be withdrawn from consideration.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more than one application from the same person, the first one received is accepted and any later submissions are withdrawn from consideration.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.

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)?

You need either your own ABN (a sole trader ABN is free and quick to set up via the ATO) or a Funds Administrator (auspicing organisation) that handles the funds on your behalf.

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.

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.

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.