A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.
OCTOBER
1 October: Noosa Arts Theatre National One-Act Playwriting Competition
This playwriting competition offers a unique opportunity for the three finalist playwrights to see their new work performed on stage at the Noosa Arts Theatre during the One-Act Play Festival.
7 October: 2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize
Australian Book Review’s Peter Porter Poetry Prize is worth a total of $10,000 and is open to unpublished poems of no more than 60 lines written in English. Five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2025 issue.
8 October: The Westwords Prize
The WestWords Prize is a new publishing Prize that welcomes submissions from writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction who have a completed, previously unpublished manuscript, and who have a connection to Western Sydney. The winner of the Prize will receive a publication deal with WestWords’ Books, WestWords’ adult trade imprint.
10 October: NSW Literary Awards
The NSW Literary Awards are the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia and cover all genres of writing, and traditionally-published as well as self-published works.
11 October: The Pearl Prize
The Pearl Prize is presented with Osborne and Fawkner Publishing and supported by Midsumma Festival. A writing award where Queer writers have a platform for self-expression through the writing landscape and into publication.
13 October: Griffith Review 87 No Place Like Home
This edition of Griffith Review heads out in search of home – what it means to us, why it matters and how it shapes our sense of self. Accepting submissions of non-fiction and fiction that responds to the theme, up to 4000 words.
14 October: Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize
Submit poems up to 50 lines for the chance to win $3000, with two highly commended entrants to be awarded $500 each.
15 October: Caledonia Novel Award 2025
An Edinburgh-based international writing competition for unpublished and self-published novelists, with a top prize of £1500.
18 October: Dorothy Shaw Young Writers Competition
The writing competition is in memory of Dorothy Evelyn Shaw, whose advocacy for deaf children to have equitable access to learning literacy is legendary.
21 October: The Rosie Award
The Rosanne Fitzgibbon Editorial Award (the Rosie) recognises excellence in editing, as demonstrated in one published work. The nominated editor will have demonstrated a commitment and dedication to their craft by supporting a writer to create the best publishing outcome.
25 October: The Writing Prize
The Writing Prize is for Australians forty years and under. The winner will receive $10,000 and their writing featured on www.writing.org.au. Entries can be from an individual or groups of two, three or four people.
28 October: The Emerald Award
The Emerald Award is Romance Writers of Australia’s major contest for unpublished writers, offering a unique opportunity to have your full manuscript judged if you make the second round. Initial entry is the first 10,000 words of your manuscript. RWA Aspiring or Emerging members only, with no works 10K+ commercially available.
31 October: 2024 Ernestine Hill Memorial Award
Submit a short story of up to $4000 words with an Australian Country theme for the chance to win $1000 and digital publication.
31 October: 2024 Rae Alison Cerhan Australiana Ballad
Submit a ballad (poem) of up to 100 lines for the chance to win $600 and digital publication.
NOVEMBER
2 November: Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and over can enter a short story of 2000-5000 words for a chance to win £5,000.
5 November: Odyssey Victoria Short Story Competition 2024
This year’s theme is “Regret” and must include a reference to alcohol or other drugs. First place wins $1000 and a one year membership to Writers Victoria.
8 November: Women Writers’ Queensland Marj Wilke Award
Open to Australian Women Writers over the age of 18 years, this short story award honours one of WWQ’s founding members, Marjorie Wilke. Up to 1500 words accepted with first prize $350.
11 November: The IPEd Student Prize
The IPEd Student Prize acknowledges excellent work by a student of editing. The prize is open to any tertiary-level student enrolled in an editing or publishing course at a New Zealand or Australian tertiary institution. Entry is open for work completed as part of the student’s course that demonstrates editing skills or reflects issues relevant to the editing profession.
15 November: Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024
Entries can be on any subject, theme or genre, up to a maximum of 3000 words. First prize is £1,000.
25 November: Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship
Presented by Writing NSW and Text Publishing with First Nations Australia Writers’ Network, Boundless pairs an emerging Indigenous writer from anywhere in Australia with an established Indigenous writer for a structured year-long mentorship.
30 November: Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition
The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast poems in the English language of 40 lines or fewer. The poem can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. First prize is €2,000 plus publication in Southword.
30 November: The Bath Children’s Novel Award
A £5,000 international writing prize for un-agented emerging writers who may be unpublished, self-published or independently published.
30 November: Anthology Travel Writing Competition
Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in English by writers anywhere in the world. First prize of €500 and the winning entry published in Anthology magazine.
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
Currently closed, the next submissions window for Meanjin (Autumn 2025 issue) will be in late September 2024.
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. Currently closed for submissions for 2024.
Writing NSW publishes these free listings in good faith but does not endorse or warrant the accuracy of any information.