A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.
MAY
19 May: Judy Harris Writer-in-Residence Fellowship
Explore the power of creativity at the Charles Perkins Centre. The Writer-in-Residence Fellowship is open for Australian creative writers to apply for a year-long fellowship working with researchers, educators and clinicians. This generous fellowship includes a $100,000 grant to begin a project exploring issues around health including wellbeing, food, ageing, social disadvantage and cultural identity.
20 May: Publishable Manuscript Development Program
Queensland Writers Centre’s annual national manuscript development program for emerging writers, Publishable accepts submissions of completed, unpublished manuscripts across a broad range of genres and formats. Up to 10 shortlisted writers receive mentorship with an industry professional, and are given the opportunity to attend pitch interviews with specially matched agents and publishers.
23 May: Bundanon’s Artists in Residence Fellowships and Awards
Bundanon’s Artists in Residence program is supported by a range of leading arts organisations, cultural agencies, companies, and patrons. Through funding, collaboration, and shared vision, these contributors help create meaningful opportunities for artists to develop new work, engage with peers, and immerse themselves in the unique environment of Bundanon.
30 May: The Australian Fiction Prize
The Australian Fiction Prize is an annual prize for a book-length work of fiction. Open to all Australian writers, the winner will receive prize money of $20,000, plus an advance of $15,000, and publication by Australia’s leading publisher, HarperCollins Australia.
31 May: AWMA Writing Competition
Albury Wodonga Martial Arts (AWMA) is celebrating their 10th year! Amongst their special events they are including a writing competition on the theme of Martial Arts with Martial Artists Magazine Australia publishing the winning entries. Entries can be fiction or non-fiction and prizes of up to $200 are available.
31 May: Mosman Youth Awards in Literature
The Mosman Youth Awards in Literature (MYAL) is an annual short story and poetry competition that attracts budding poets, playwrights and authors from primary and secondary schools. Winners are awarded cash prizes and the opportunity to showcase their work.
31 May: RD Walshe National Writing for the Environment Prize 2025
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre holds an annual National Writing for the Environment Prize in honour of their founder, Bob Walshe. This year’s competition accepts submissions of poetry under 300 words and the winner will receive $500.
31 May: The Spiers Prize
The Spiers Prize is awarded annually to an unpublished manuscript, between 25,000 to 80,000 words, written for a readership of 8+ and suitable for the formats of middle grade fiction or young adult fiction. The winner will be offered a publishing contract with UWA Publishing and a cash prize of $5,000.
31 May: Places Writing Competition
The Minds Shine Bright Places competition is now open and calling for local and international writers to submit stories and poems about place. When they create the Places anthology and the Young Writers’ Places anthology they will make a map of the places that inspire the wining and commended stories and poems. First prize will also win $1500.
31 May: Creative Time Residential Fellowships
Creative Time Residential Fellowships enable children’s authors/illustrators to take up one-month residencies to concentrate intensively on their work and to advance their creative skills. Residencies are away from home in pleasant rent-free accommodation provided by the Trust. They may also provide a stimulus to co-creators, expand their industry networks and contribute to the appreciation of children’s literature in the communities they visit.
JUNE
1 June: Dymocks Beyond Words Creative Writing Competition
The Dymocks Beyond Words Competition is searching for Australia’s most creative and talented young writers! Open to primary and high school students across Australia, all entrants will be in the running to win a share of our $20,000 total prize pool. The competition is free to enter and has an open theme – which means you can write about any topic, and in any genre you like!
1 June: Leeton Eisteddfod: Speech, Drama and Literary Competition
Leeton Eisteddfod is taking entries for the 2025 Eisteddfod Literary Section ( as well as recitals, dance, music and much more). There is also a new section in Recitals – focused on local writing and writers – a fantastic opportunity to showcase Literary history and culture in Leeton and in the Riverina. Entrants in primary school and high school are invited to apply.
1 June: Seniors Card Short Story Competition 2025
The NSW Dept of Communities and Justice and FAW are conducting a Short Story Competition. The Top 100 stories will be published in Seniors Stories Volume 11. The theme for this year is ‘then and now’ and entry is free.
2 June: The Big Issue’s Fiction Edition
Got a short story that’s crying out for a national audience? Well, it’s time to polish it up, because The Big Issue’s annual Fiction Edition is now open for submissions! Entry is free, and open to writers based in Australia. Every author published is paid $500 and stories should be between 500 and 3000 words.
6 June: Human Rights Essay Prize
The Portside Review Human Rights Essay Prize is a new international prize. Celebrating writing excellence, a selection of ten shortlisted essays will be published in a special edition of Portside Review in 2025. The winner will receive a prize of AUD $10,000 and a round economy trip to Perth, Western Australia, to lecture on the essay’s theme and/or run workshops in September 2025.
6 June: Firstdraft’s Writers Program 2025
Firstdraft’s Writers Program fosters experimental and expanded approaches to arts writing, supporting writers at any stage of their career. Selected writers will receive mentorship and editorial support from the un Projects team to develop a text for un Extended, un’s online platform, and on Firstdraft’s website, alongside a publicly presented outcome at Firstdraft’s Woolloomooloo gallery.
11 June: ARA Historical Novel Prize
The $150,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize is open for submissions in two categories – Adult and Children &Young (CYA) Adult. $100,000 will be awarded to the Adult category winner, with an additional $5,000 awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors. In the CYA category, the winner receives $30,000, while two shortlisted writers will receive $5,000 each. The prize is open to authors who are citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand. Novels must have been first published between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025.
16 June: Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award
Waverley Council is proud to announce that nominations for the $40,000 Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award are now open nationally! The Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award acknowledges works demonstrating excellence in research, literary merit, readability and value to the community. Prize categories include the Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award ($40,000), Nib People’s Choice Prize ($4,000) and Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize (6 x $1,500).
23 June: Frank Moorhouse Fellowship for Young Writers
The Copyright Agency Frank Moorhouse Fellowship for Young Writers will support a writer aged 18-35 years to develop and write a new work of fiction. Named in honour of the late Frank Moorhouse, the Fellowship will provide a genuine career development opportunity for a young fiction writer who has not yet published a full-length work of fiction. Applicants must have previously published some short stories/work in literary magazines, journals or online. Writers who have published a full-length work, in fiction or any genre, are not eligible to apply for this Fellowship.
23 June: Westwords – Varuna Emerging Writers Residency
Westwords and Varuna are partnering to offer a residency to emerging writers from Western Sydney who display exceptional promise in their writing style and the premise of the work. WestWords welcomes manuscripts from writers working in fiction, drama, poetry, and narrative non-fiction. The winner will receive a mix of mentorship with an industry professional and private writing time including six nights’ accommodation at Varuna including meals.
27 June: 2025 Unpublished Novel Award
The Unpublished Novel Award celebrates stellar unpublished manuscripts in seven genres: Children’s & Young Adult, Crime & Mystery, Horror, Literary Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Thriller & Suspense. A panel of esteemed, shortlist judges with backgrounds in book publishing, film, and television will select one exceptional manuscript in each genre to receive a $10,000 grant to support it on the journey to publication.
30 June: Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards
The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards seek to capture the imaginations of school students across Australia, inspiring them to express their thoughts and feelings through the medium of poetry in their pursuit of literary excellence. The optional theme for 2025 is ‘All the Beautiful Things’. Students are encouraged to write about topics and experiences that spark their poetic genius (in whatever form they choose.)
30 June: Bundyi Writing Prize
The Bundyi Writing prize winner will receive a cash prize of AUD$10,000 sponsored by Simon & Schuster Australia and includes manuscript development with a First Nations editor. The winner will also have the opportunity to receive a standard book publishing contract with the Bundyi Imprint in relation to their Manuscript. Entries open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers.
30 June: AAWP and SW Novella Prize 2025
Have you written a novella in prose or verse? Or a hybrid novella that crosses genre boundaries? Enter the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Spineless Wonders publishing (SW) ‘Novella Prize’ for your chance to win. If you win you will receive a judges’ report from an established literary author. You will also receive a $500.00 cash prize and fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP (December 2025) where you will be invited to read from your work.
30 June: AAWP / Westerly Magazine Life Writing Prize 2025
The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Westerly Magazine once again offers a prize for Life Writing. The prize is open to writers at all stages of their journey; emerging and established writers are welcome to enter. The prize recognises excellence in nonfiction, creative nonfiction and hybrid modes of storytelling. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize, a one-year subscription to Westerly, and conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where they will be invited to read from their work. The winner’s work will be considered for publication by Westerly.
30 June: Sudden Writing Prize
AAWP and Express Media are deeply interested in capturing a composite ‘picture’ of what people are writing about. They invite creative work—short-short fiction, ‘sudden’ fiction, ‘sketchy’ stories, creative nonfiction, poetry, as well as hybrid forms. We accept submissions on the following scale: up to 400 words prose, 40 lines for poetry, 200 words for prose poems, and the equivalent for hybrid forms. Submissions must be previously unpublished. The winner receives $500, their work published on the Express Media website and a Voiceworks subscription, and a one-year membership to the AAWP.
30 June: Heroines Anthology Volume 6 & Heroine Women’s Writing Prize
Writing The Heroine publishes literary writing by women. Their special theme for this edition is witchcraft. First prize winner receives $500. The first prize may be won by either a poem or a piece of short fiction. All short-listed entries are published in Volume 6 of the Anthology.
JULY
2 July: Write Around the Murray Short Story Competition
Entries are open for the Write Around the Murray Short Story Competition. Win up to $1000 with an entry fee of $10 for submissions of up to 3000 words.
11 July: $311,00 in Paid Fellowships at the State Library of NSW for 2026
Applications are now open for $311,000 in paid Fellowships at the State Library of NSW for 2026. Many of these opportunities are supported by the State Library of NSW Foundation and their generous benefactors.
13 July: The Richell Prize
The Richell Prize is open to unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction. Writers do not need to have a full manuscript at the time of submission, though they must intend to complete one. The winner receives $10,000 in prize money, donated by Hachette Australia, and a year’s mentoring with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers.
31 July: The Children’s Peace Literature Award
The Children’s Peace Literature Award recognises books in which the main character(s) encourage the peaceful resolution of conflict and/or promote peace at the global, local or interpersonal level. Authors who have published a book for children (up to 18 years) in the period commencing two years prior to July 2025 are eligible for consideration for the prize. Successful candidates for the Children’s Peace Literature Award will receive an equal share of the award of $4000.
AUGUST
1 August: UQP Mentorship Prize for Under-represented Writers
UQP is delighted to announce a mentorship and residency prize for under-represented writers. Two winners will receive $5000, a residency at UQP’s office at The University of Queensland including return flights and accommodation, mentorship, editing, a professional development session and consideration of the final manuscript by a UQP publisher. UQP is looking for 5,000 words of a new work of fiction, non-fiction, or children’s fiction.
14 August: 2025 Woollahra Digital Literary Award
Opening on 16 May, The Woollahra Digital Literary Award is a national literary award supporting innovation in Australian literature and publishing, encouraging writers producing work in a digital medium. Winners can receive up to $2,500 in their category.
29 August: The Pearl Prize
The Pearl Prize is presented by Osborne and Fawkner Publishing as part of Midsumma Festival 2026. A writing award where Queer writers have a platform of self-expression through the writing landscape and into publication. Finalists will be selected and published and the winner of The Pearl Prize announced during Midsumma Festival 2026. The Winner of The Pearl Prize will receive a gift which includes a cash payment, and a copy of The Pearl Prize 2026.
31 August: Majorie Barnard Short Story Award 2025
The Fellowship of Australian Writers is looked for short stories up to 3000 words that have not been previously published. The winner will receive $500, and the entry fee is $15 per entry.
31 August: Hilarie Lindsay Short Story Competition for Australian School Students 2025
Entries are sought in the following categories; section one (years 10, 11 & 12, up to 2500 with a prize of $150), section two (years 7, 8 & 9, up to 2500 words with a prize of $125), section 3 (years 5 & 6, up to 1500 words with a prize of $100) and section 4 (years 4 and under, up to 1500 words with a prize of $50). The entry fee is $5.
SEPTEMBER
1 September: Heywire Competition
Heywire is a lived experience storytelling competition from the ABC, calling for stories from young people aged between 16-22 in regional, rural and remote Australia. Entries must be a true story about an aspect of your life. Stories can be in any format: text, video or audio — whatever form suits you best!
26 September: Poem Forest 2025
Poem Forest is a free nature writing prize for young people and accredited teachers that plants a native tree for every poem received. Since 2021, over 22,500 poem trees have been planted, nurturing vital ecological and creative ecosystems for generations to come.
OCTOBER
31 October: The 2025 Hope Prize
The Hope Prize is seeking powerful, original stories of hope, fiction or non-fiction, from both emerging and established voices. The winner will receive $10,000 AUD, and shortlisted stories will be published in a Simon & Schuster anthology, with 100% of royalties supporting their charity partner.
31 October: Woollahra Digital Literary Award – Judge EOI
Woollahra Libraries selects four judges annually for the Woollahra Digital Literary Award, celebrating outstanding Australian writing and digital innovation in literature and publishing. Judges are appointed for a 1–3 year term (August–November), receive an honorarium, and independently assess entries.
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.
The Human Writers
The Human Writers began as an Australia-based webzine but is now seeking previously unpublished non-fiction contributions from writers aged 50+ from all around the world. Writers 50+ can send stories of 1000 words or fewer, including a photo with their piece, and where they live.
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.