A collection of writing competitions, prizes, awards and opportunities open for submissions throughout the year for adult writers residing in NSW, Australia.
JUNE
1 June: T&W Magazine Editorial Fellowship
Teachers & Writers Magazine is accepting applications for the Teachers & Writers Editorial Fellowship. The fellow will join the T&W Editorial Board and assist with the production of Teachers & Writers Magazine. The Editorial Fellowship is intended to give graduate students, recent graduates, and early-stage professionals with equivalent experience an opportunity to gain editorial and publishing experience through hands-on assignments and mentorship from skilled editors.
1 June: The Novel Prize
The Novel Prize is a biennial award for a book-length work of literary fiction written in English by published and unpublished writers around the world. The Novel Prize offers US$10,000 to the winner and simultaneous publication of their novel in Australia and New Zealand by Giramondo, in the UK and Ireland by Fitzcarraldo Editions, and in North America by New Directions. The prize recognises works which explore and expand the possibilities of the form, and are innovative and imaginative in style.
5 June: MeetCute Storyteller Competition
MeetCute are searching for the next big voice in romance fiction and the winner will be offered literary representation! Enter your opening chapter to a romance novel. From sizzle to slow burn, we are open to all types of romantic fiction from romantic comedy to historical romance to newer sub genres such as romantasy and mafia romance. The first prize winner will receive £500 and an offer of literary agency representation from Kate Nash Literary Agency Ltd.
6 June: Lake Macquarie Play Project Workshops
Join award-winning writer and creative producer Augusta Supple for a dynamic two-part playwriting project exploring place and collaborative theatre-making as part of the Dobell Festival program.
7 June: The Giancarlo DiTrapano Foundation for Literature & the Arts Residencies
The Giancarlo DiTrapano Foundation for Literature & the Arts Residencies are open to writers, translators, musicians, artists (working in all mediums), actors, directors, dancers, etc., from around the world—anyone who is looking for uninterrupted time to create new creative work. All residencies are fully funded, with airfare and full room and board at our 17th-century villa and cultural centre in Sezze Romano, Italy fully paid for. They are currently offering residencies for two weeks each in the spring and fall.
7 June: Bath Flash Fiction Award
We host two international flash fiction writing competitions; the Bath Flash Fiction Award, and the Bath Novella-in-Flash Award. In addition to winning cash prizes, entrants have the opportunity to appear in our print and digital anthology collections, and also as single author novellas-in-flash.
8 June: Human Rights Essay Prize
Centre for Stories is calling for writers to submit to Portside Review’s Human Rights Essay Prize. This year, the theme is ‘Rainbow Pride’. Writers are encouraged to submit essays with a focus on LGBTQIA2S+ rights, issues, empowerment, and celebration. The first prize will receive AUD $10,000, including flights to Perth to deliver a seminar.
15 June: The Australian Fiction Prize
The Australian Fiction Prize is an annual prize for a book-length work of fiction, offered by Australia’s leading publisher, HarperCollins Australia. It is open to all Australian writers, regardless of age or publishing history, with the winner receiving a contract from HarperCollins to publish the work, along with an advance of $15,000.
19 June: The Cooper Prize
The Cooper Prize is open internationally, to published or unpublished playwrights. The submissions will be reviewed by a panel of industry professionals and the winning playwright will receive a $20,000 AUD prize and their work will be considered for a full commission for production. All finalists will receive a professionally directed public reading of their submitted scene with professional actors.
22 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.
23 June: Asia Pacific Arts Awards 2027
The Asia Pacific Arts Awards recognise and celebrate Australian artists, collectives and organisations engaging across Asia Pacific. The awards are open to individuals, collectives and organisations from all Australian states and territories who have been engaged in building stronger, deeper and broader cultural links between Australia and its regional partners. The Awards recognise achievement across six categories: Impact, Innovation, Inspire (individual/group/collective), Inspire (organisations), Connect, Legacy. The Awards come with a $25,000 prize for each category.
30 June: Teacher, Teacher Anthology
Author and editor Dianne Bates is collecting stories from teachers all around Australia about their teaching lives for a proposed anthology titled Teacher, Teacher. Each story – with a title – should be 1,000-1,500 words. At the end of the book, there will be a biography of contributors. Payment will be at ASA rates. If you are interested in contributing to this anthology, please contact Dianne (Di) Bates at dibates@outlook.com with your expression of interest.
30 June: High Country Words
Submit a short story, poem, or memoir. The theme is wild. Take that how you will: wilderness, a wild night on the town, wild weather, the wild state of the world right now. Go wild! Win a maximum of $500.
JULY
10 July: State Library of NSW Fellowships
The State Library of NSW are expanding their fellowship program by offering a total of $266,000 in paid research opportunities in 2027. All Library Fellows receive specialist support, from access to the Library’s Donald and Myfanwy Horne Room through to mentoring by expert staff.
13 July: The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers
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.
17 July: The Kyoto Retreat
The 2026 Kyoto Retreat is a program created by Japan-based, independent curator Dexter Wimberly. The Kyoto Retreat offers artists, curators, and writers, based anywhere in the world, an opportunity to spend four weeks in Kyoto, Japan, for research, exploration, and inspiration. If selected for the retreat, you will receive a roundtrip flight, a private bedroom, and $800 USD to supplement meals and local transportation.
19 July: Woollahra Young Writers’ Award
The Young Writers’ Award is a local community award celebrating and encouraging the voices of young people. Secondary students aged 12–18 years who live or study in Woollahra or neighbouring (Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney) LGAs are welcome to submit their poems or short stories.
29 July: The Letter Review Prize
The Letter Review Prize is an internationally celebrated event, offered every three months in the categories of Short Fiction, Poetry, and Books. They publish their winners, maintain shortlists, submit to The Pushcart, and award over $16,000 USD annually to writers. Their prize is among the highest paying literary prizes administered by a literary journal in the world.
SEPTEMBER
22 September: Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize
The Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize welcomes submissions from Australian poets in any walk of life. Whether you are a new or an established poet, you may submit up to five poems for a chance to win $3,000 (winner) or one of two $500 highly commended awards.
25 September: Poem Forest 2026: The Sounds of Country
Poem Forest is a free nature writing program and prize that breathes life back into the natural world that sustains us. Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with Wollongong City Council, Poem Forest invites students and teachers to use their words to make positive climate action. For every nature poem received, a tree is planted to help heal habitats and create a Poem Forest for future generations.
30 September: Rhiza Edge Short Story Competition
Rhiza Books, in partnership with Wombat Books, are looking for short stories with the theme of “Hidden Creatures”. They are open to stories of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, action and crime. With a focus on cryptids / cryptozoology they invite exciting stories that embrace folklore, mystery, speculation… and all the shadowy places in between. Stories can be of length 1000 to 5000 words.
OCTOBER
31 October: The 2026 Hope Prize
The Hope Prize is a short story competition looking for thoughtful engagement with the themes of hope, courage, or resilience. They passionately welcome all writers globally, at all stages of their writing journeys. The total prize pool for The Hope Prize is $13,000 AUD and the winning entries, along with selected highly commended stories, will be published in an anthology by Simon & Schuster Australia.
NOVEMBER
30 November: The 2027 Perentie Prize
The Perentie Prize is for graphic novel manuscripts (text only) is now open. The winner will receive an offer of publication with Perentie Press, as well as a $2000 advance towards royalties.
GENERAL JOURNAL & MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS
Babyteeth Journal
Accepting submissions across many artforms, including poetry, prose and scripts.
Buzz Words
Buzz Words is the premier twice-monthly e-magazine for those in the Australian children’s book industry with information about Australian and overseas markets, events, opportunities, and industry news, as well as interviews and feature articles. There are opportunities for subscribers to get published in the magazine or book review website.
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 five 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.
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.
The School Magazine
Australia’s most-loved literary magazine for children. The School Magazine is open year-round to stories, articles, poetry, plays and persuasive writing for readers aged 7–12. They welcome submissions from both established and emerging writers, respond within 30 days and pay on publication.
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.
Varnish
Varnish discards traditional word limits and encourages longer works, allowing more thematically complex and timeless explorations, aiming to introduce readers to fresh mental frameworks and unexamined connections. Play with form, play with length, play with the reader.
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.