A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.
APRIL
11 April: Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award Judging Panel EOIs
Waverley Council invites authors, academics, literary critics, and book industry professionals to submit an Expression Of Interest (EOI) to join the Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award Judging Panel for a three-year tenure covering the 2025, 2026 and 2027 Award programs. The annual judging cycle typically spans from late April until October. A new judge is appointed to the panel of 3 each year, replacing the longest serving member.
13 April: Desperate Literature Prize for Short Fiction
The Desperate Literature Prize for Short Fiction is awarded for fiction under 2000 words. The winner will receive €2000, a week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, a consultation with a literary agent and a manuscript assessment. Two runner-ups will receive €1000 and all shortlisted writers will be published in a limited edition book.
14 April: Penguin Random House’s Write It Fellowship
Write It seeks to nurture and develop unpublished voices across all genres, focusing on First Nations and CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) writers, writers from socio-economically marginalised backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ and writers with a disability. The successful applicants will be mentored by Penguin Random House Australia editors across twelve months, with the hope of publication. Additionally, as part of the fellowship, each of the successful applicants will receive a $2000 writing grant and the opportunity to participate in a PRHA Open House Session.
14 April: Don Bank Writer in Residence Program – North Sydney Council
Open to writers at any stage of their careers working in all types and genres of storytelling, this residency offers a writer a unique opportunity to pursue their inspiration in the tranquil and historic Don Bank Museum, a heritage building in a garden setting located in the heart of North Sydney CBD. The six-month residency will take place from August 2025 to February 2026.
16 April: The Daisy Utemorrah Award
The Daisy Utemorrah Award is looking for an unpublished manuscript of junior or YA fiction by a First Nations author. It is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people currently living in Australia. The winner of the award recieves $15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books.
22 April: 2025 Shalom Collective Australian Jewish Writer Awards
Four prizes celebrating contemporary Jewish writers and new works published during the 2024 calendar year, including two new awards. Submissions are now open and close on 22 April 2025 and winners will be announced in August.
27 April: Romanian/Australian Anthology
DIALOGUES is the tenth volume in Mihaela Cristescu’s series of Romanian and Australian Anthologies of Contemporary Poetry and Prose. Entries for DIALOGUES are open until 27 April 2025. The 2025/26 theme is ‘dialogues’ and Mihaela welcomes diverse responses. You might not read Romanian, but most Romanian writers know some English. The collection will be published in Romania this year and launched in Sydney at the State Library of NSW in March 2026.
27 April: 2025 Poetry Prize – ‘Flight’
The Liquid Amber 2025 Poetry Prize invites you to explore the idea of ‘flight’ – and to take it in whatever direction you wish. First prize will receive $1,250 and second prize is $650. The best poem by an emerging poet will receive a mentorship pack with Rose Lucas.
27 April: 2025 Young Writers’ Award
2025 marks 36 years of Stanton Library and North Sydney Council celebrating the writing talent of young people in our community with our annual Young Writers’ Award since 1989. Young people aged 11 to 18 years old are invited to submit either one poem or one short story not exceeding 750 words.
28 April: National Young Writers’ Festival Artist Call Out
On 7 April, the National Young Writers Festival will be launching their Artist Call Out for those who want to be part of the 2025 National Young Writers’ Festival, held 3 – 6 October 2025 in Newcastle, NSW. They want to hear from young and emerging writers and artists who love what they do and want to share it with others.
30 April: 2025 Furphy Literary Award
The 2025 Furphy Literary Award is open for writers to submit a short story of up to 5,000 words. Entry is free and three winners, along with an additional 13 shortlisted stories will be published in The Furphy Anthology 2025. Prizes include $15,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, and $2,000 for third place.
30 April: The Best of Times Short Story Competition
Wild Thoughts is looking for humorous short stories (any theme) up to 2500 words. Entry fee is $10 per story and you can enter as many times as you like. First prize will win 60% of total entry fees received, second prize: 15% of total entry fees received, third prize: 5% of total entry fees received. There will also be certificates for highly commended and commended stories.
30 April: Creative NSW Project Funding Applications for Creative Steps and Next Steps
Do you have a project or professional development opportunity that requires funding? You can apply for Creative NSW Creative Steps funding for new work, or Next Steps funding for professional development to advance your career. (Website will be updated to reflect round two dates and guidelines in March 2025).
MAY
1 May: Questions Writing Prize
The 2025 Questions Writing Prize aims to recognise and reward young Australian writers (18 to 30 years). The writing can be fiction or non-fiction on any topic as long as the piece remains between 1,500 and 2,000 words. The prize for the best writing submitted is $3,000 (where there is more than one winner the prize money will be shared). The winner of the Questions Writing Prize will have their work published in a forthcoming issue of Questions.
5 May: Kyogle Readers & Writers Festival Writer-in-Residence
Now in its fourth year, this program supports regionally based writers to develop their manuscripts through the provision of accommodation, funding and a mentorship with an established author. This year’s iteration will support a Young Adult writer based in regional NSW (or South East Queensland*) with a mentorship from Hayley Lawrence.
5 May: Varuna Residential Fellowships
Varuna Residential Fellowships offer uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio and a one-hour mentorship conversation with a Varuna consultant. All food is provided, with an evening meal prepared by our chefs Jane, Sheila and Dionne, to be enjoyed with the companionship of your fellow writers – at any time, there are six writers-in-residence at Varuna.
5 May: 2026 Creative Arts Fellowship
Apply now for the National Library’s 2026 Creative Arts Fellowship. This $35,000 Fellowship is available to writers looking to develop new creative work using the National Library’s collections.
5 May: The 2025 Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize
The Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize returns for its 5th year in 2025. Living Stories is a creative writing competition for residents of Western Sydney and Wingecarribee Shire, offering an opportunity at publication and cash prizes from a pool of over $8,000. Entries can either be a fiction short story (max 500 words), narrative non-fiction story (max 500 words), personal essay (max 500 words) or a poem (up to 25 lines).
6 May: Roderick Centre Residential Fellowship for Regional and Remote Writers
Presented in partnership with Roderick Centre for Australian Literature and Creative Writing (RCALC), three fellowships are available to writers living in regional and remote parts of Australia. Each of the three recipients will receive a two-week residency at Varuna, with full board and accommodation including a prepared evening meal, uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers, rimbursement of all travel expenses from anywhere in Australia, including airfares and transfers and $600 towards other expenses. Each writer will be able to use this expenses budget to fit their individual needs.
7 May: 2025 Robert Gray Prize for Poetry
The Robert Gray Prize for Poetry is accepting submissions on ‘the subject of nature’, employing any form or approach to the theme. Each entry must be no longer than forty lines. Enter as many poems as you choose. The winning entry will receive a prize of $5000.
12 May: June Shenfield National Poetry Awards
MARION is delighted to open entries for the 2025 June Shenfield Poetry Awards — a national annual prize established to commemorate poet June Shenfield and to encourage the writing, publishing, and reading of poetry. This award is for an emerging Australian poet and the first prize winner will receive AUD $1,000. Award winners and shortlisted poets may have their work published online in the MARION Journal and/or in a future poetry publication.
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.
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: The Alice Sinclair Memorial Writing Competition
The Lake Macquarie branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers invites entries, opening on 4 April 2025, of poetry up to 50 lines or short stories up to 2500 words. The entry fee is $15, and first place will win $300, while second place will win $100 and third place $50.
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. Submissions for the Prize will open at 10am AWST 1 May 2025 and will close at 11.59pm AWST 31 May 2025.
JUNE
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 the two short listers receives $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).
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.
JULY
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
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!
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.
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Find out more about getting published and submitting your writing to journals with our information sheets.