Young Writer Competitions
If you’re a young writer in Australia, and have been wondering about opportunities to submit your work, then look no further. This post contains a list of writing competitions for young writers in Australia, together with useful information such as word limits, closing dates and links to entry forms.
Be sure to check back regularly, though, because I’ll update the post whenever info about other competitions (or publishing opportunities) are released. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter, in which I always include a list of opportunities for the coming month.
The competitions listed are in chronlogoical order of closing date, apart from the first one listed, as it has a different competition each month.
1. Write the World (ongoing monthly competitions)
Write the World describes itself as a ‘community of young writers (ages 13-18), hailing from over 80 countries’. Write the World holds monthly competitions, developed around a particular idea or genre of writing. The competitions encourage you to try out new genres and share your work with other readers, as well as offering the opportunity to receive peer and expert feedback, before submitting your final piece.
Upcoming topics include:
- October: Review — Sound through words
- November: Fiction — Write another life
- December: Creative Nonfiction — Looking ahead, looking back
Cost: Free.
Prizes: Winning entrant receives $100. Runner-up and best peer reviewer are awarded $50. All three winners will be featured on their blog.
More info: For a more detailed information about each topic, including deadlines (for draft and final submissions) and prizes, head to the Write the World website.
2. Somerset National Poetry Prize
The brief: Submit an original poem of no more than 50 lines excluding the title, on any subject. The poem must be unpublished (also not published online) and not have won a prize previously.
Open to: all current secondary students who are Australian citizens or permanent residents attending school in Australia. Students receiving home schooling are eligible to enter.
Categories: Junior Secondary – Years 7 to 9; Senior Secondary – Years 10 to 12
Cost: $15
Prizes: One winner will be selected from each category and at the discretion of the Judges, up to five short-listed highly commended runners up will be selected. The winner in each category will receive $300 plus flights to attend the Somerset Storyfest (18 to 20 March 2020).
Closing date: Friday 6 December 2019.
More information: visit the Somerset Storyfest website.
3. Somerset National Novella Writing Competition
The brief: Submit a novella no less than 8,000 words and no more than 20,000 words. Please note that this word limit has been reduced from previous years.
Open to: all current secondary students attending school in Australia. Students receiving home schooling are eligible to enter. Entrants must be under 19 years of age as at date of close of entries on 6 December 2019.
Cost: $20.00
Prizes: State Finalists will be selected: Queensland, New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, Victoria/Tasmania, South Australia/Northern Territory and Western Australia. State winners will have the opportunity to attend Somerset Storyfest, be billeted by students of the Somerset Wordsmiths’ Club, and attend the events at the Somerset Storyfest over the three days, where the National winner will be announced. There will be monetary prizes awarded to all State winners and one prize of $2,500 will be awarded to the National winner.
Closing date: Friday 6 December 2019.
More information: visit the Somerset Storyfest website.
Over to You
Just a quick note: if you do enter a competition, take time to read the guidelines carefully to ensure you’re entry meets the requirements, so that it’s accepted. This can include seemingly minor details such as size, font and spacing of your text.
If you’d like some guidance on what to look out for, then take a look at an earlier post of mine, Writing Competitions: What You Need to Know Before Entering.
What are you waiting for? Start writing, keep writing – and let me know how you go!
