A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.
NOVEMBER
3 November: By Ed’s International Creative Writing Competition
This competition is a creative writing competition. You have to write using easy language. Your audience is adults with disability who find reading hard. You get 500 words. Winners will be told on International Day for People with Disability December 3 2025.
10 November: IPEd Student Prize
The IPEd Student Prize is free to enter and is awarded annually for a piece of work submitted for assessment as part of a tertiary-level qualification in editing, publishing, or another discipline with a focus on editing. It is open to any tertiary-level student enrolled in an editing or publishing course at an Australian or New Zealand tertiary institution, including students who finish their studies at the end of the first semester.
10 November: 2026 Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellowship
This Fellowship is open to both playwrights to write a new play and to directors or writer/directors that can lead the creation of an Indigenous led new stage work, whether that be a new play, an adaptation or through a devised process. It also includes an invitation to have a voice in Belvoir’s artistic decision-making processes.
11 November: Creative Futures Fund 2025
The aim of the Creative Futures Fund is to invest in the creation and sharing of Australian stories through exceptional creative projects across all artforms that can clearly demonstrate ambition, audience reach and impact. The Fund invests in projects through two streams, Development Investment and Delivery Investment. Both streams must tell Australian stories, and utilise Intellectual Property that is majority Australian owned.
11 November: Young People: First Nations Arts & Culture Project Fund
This funding opportunity is open to Australian First Nations artists or arts workers between the ages of 18 and 35 to support their creative practice and career development, nationally and internationally across all art forms.
15 December: The Varnish Prize for Fiction
The Varnish Prize for Fiction is looking for submissions of the most compelling, formally-inventive, and vital unpublished short fiction. The winner will receive $350 and all finalists and shortlisted writers will be published in Varnish Online.
25 November: Grounded Story Grants
The Grounded Story Grant Program supports early-stage First Nations storytellers to bring a project to life. They’re distributing $5,000, tailored mentorship, coaching workshops, and practical tools to six First Nations creatives, to create a storytelling project based on the theme: Home.
30 November: International Dark Poets Prize
Poets worldwide are invited to explore the shadows of language and be recognised for their work. Receive £1000 prize for the winning poem, publication opportunities for selected entries, and previously published poems are accepted. Entry fees are £6 for 1 poem.
30 November: 2026 Dorothy Hewett Award
The Dorothy Hewett Award is a national award for unpublished manuscripts. The award is open to all writers who have completed a manuscript. The work must be currently unpublished and belonging to one of these genres: fiction, narrative nonfiction, poetry, verse novel or memoir. The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 and will be offered a publishing contract by UWA Publishing.
30 November: Perentie Prize
Would you like your words to come to life in a graphic novel? The 2025 Perentie Prize is for graphic novel manuscripts (text only). The winner will receive an offer of publication with Perentie Press, as well as a $2500 advance towards royalties.
DECEMBER
1 December: Think+DO Tank Foundation’s Weekend Writers’ Residency 2026
Are you a writer from Greater Western Sydney who wants to grow your craft and connect with others? Apply for the opportunity to perform, publish or engage in Think+DO Tank Foundation’s programs, and have special guest appearances from other authors to provide tips and inspiration to keep going over a five-month residency.
2 December: Creative Steps – New Work
Opening 23 October, receive from $10,000 to $100,000 to support creative development and presentation of new work by individual artists, arts and cultural workers. Applicants are encouraged to drive and develop partnerships with arts and cultural organisations to support their new works.
5 December: Somerset Storyfest National Writing Competitions
The Somerset Storyfest National Novella and Poetry Writing Competition are open to all Australian high school students. They are a wonderful opportunity for serious student writers, encouraging them in their literary growth – and there are also some fantastic prizes on offer!
7 December: Newcastle Poetry Prize
Proudly presented in partnership with the University of Newcastle, the Newcastle Poetry Prize offers one of Australia’s most significant opportunities for poets, with a $15,000 first prize and publication in the annual anthology.
9 December: Ann Moyal Non-Fiction Fellowship
Encouraging excellence in non-fiction writing, this prestigious three-week fellowship at Varuna with travel cost included supports established writers who are developing an original work founded on research, in the broad fields of the humanities and social sciences.
12 December: Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize
The Hawkeye Manuscript Development Prize is valued at $3,500. The Hawkeye Prize Winner receives Author Coaching, a Structural Edit and a Line Edit with the structural edit, and line editing and author coaching sponsored. All manuscripts longlisted and shortlisted are announced on their website and enews, and receive judges’ comments!
15 December: The 69th Blake Poetry Prize
Liverpool Powerhouse, in collaboration with WestWords, are honoured to present the 69th Blake Poetry Prize. The Blake Prize is an open poetry prize that challenges poets, both national and international, in conversations concerning faith, spirituality, religion and/or belief.
15 December: Penguin Literary Prize
The Penguin Literary Prize was established to find, nurture and develop new Australian authors of literary fiction. It offers the winner $20,000 and the opportunity to publish with Penguin Random House.
15 December: The 7th Annual Story Foundation Prize
The seventh annual Story Foundation Prize is now open! The winner will receive $1500 and publication in their summer 2026 issue for a single short story.
22 December: Lake House Artist Residency
Apply for a Lake House Artist Council-funded Residency valued at $2000, including accommodation plus a modest per diem of $150 per day. It offers artists, curators and creatives the space and time to create and develop new work.
JANUARY
30 January: Creative Wollongong Short Film Competition and Festival
We’re inviting budding film makers and storytellers aged 12 years and over to enter the Creative Wollongong Short Film Competition 2025/26. This year, each entry needs to add the key feature of birds – which can be included as an object, an overall theme, or something else! The ‘best of’ films will be screened at the Creative Wollongong Short Film Festival and will be in the running for a range of exciting prizes including cash and industry vouchers.
FEBRUARY
1 February: Powerhouse Young Writers’ Challenge with Andy Griffiths
NSW primary school aged children are invited to produce a creative story, inspired by objects selected by Andy Griffiths from the Powerhouse Collection. Submit your story and you will be invited to a Powerhouse Young Writers’ Challenge event.
1 February: Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship
EOIs open on 15 December for The Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship which enables selected Arts Fellow to travel to Antarctica, the sub-Antarctic or Southern Ocean. Travel to and from Antarctica, and meals and accommodation while in Antarctica are covered by the fellowship. Travel to Antarctica must be essential to the project.
14 February: NH Summer Short Story Competition
Submissions are open for Ninth Heaven‘s anonymously judged short story competition for emerging and established writers, with a $1,000 prize pool and publication in Ninth Heaven.
26 February: Next Generation Short Story Awards
Have your short story considered for cash prizes, awards, exposure, and recognition as one of the top short stories written this year! Three grand prize winners selected from all entries are awarded $500, $300 and $200 based on the order of win and are invited to attend the Indie Book Awards gala ceremony.
2 February: 2026 Calibre Essay Prize
The Calibre Essay Prize – now worth a total of AU$10,000 – is open to all essayists writing in English. The winner will receive $5,000. The second prize is worth $3,000 and the third prize is worth $2,000.
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.
Kill Your Darlings
KYD now accepts short fiction submissions from members year-round, with a minimum payment of $1000. (Writers who aren’t yet members are welcome to join and submit.)
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.