|
welcome!
wordbox is a huge national resource listing Australian writing competitions, opportunities, literary events, workshops and reading activities
for school-aged Australians. Competition entries are by date,
for organised types.
YouWrite features aspiring and published authors on writing.
Readers, discover wordie activities
on ReadMe!
wordbox launched 14 May 2006
YouWrite launched
Summer 2007 with advice from great Australian authors
Blog launched Summer 2008
Slideshare ppt added Oct 2008
Readathon fundraising to June 2009
Who's who in this
chock-a-block
non-salad webroll?
These fabulous wordbox linkers
support young people's writing!:
Fremantle Children's Literature Centre, Judith Ridge (Western Sydney Young People's Literature Officer) at Westword,
Jenny Stubbs at Ipswich District Teacher Librarians Network on EQ's The Learning Place!,
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards, The Australian Government's Culture and Recreation Portal, State Library of Queensland's Summer Reading Club, writingWA, edna.edu.au, State Library of Tasmania's Kids' Pages, The Source: Chill, Australian Writers Marketplace Online, National Literacy and Numeracy Week, and many public and school library sites.
What writing comps are happening in your state/territory? Get them listed!
the wordbox is for
young writers to discover
new ideas with words
~ Nicole (Ohio)
guidelines
Literary Competition Guidelines recommended by the Australian Society of Authors:
'Entry fees are acceptable so long as they are in proportion to the prizes on offer. A $5 fee is appropriate where the prize is more than $1000. Entry fees of more than $20 are unacceptable.'
Advertisements should include presentation details, prize details and judges' names, date results will be publicly announced, closing date, publication plans, fees to be paid for published entries and importantly - name, phone number and street address of organisers (be cautious if only a P.O. Box address is given).
Writers who access competition details through this resource site should gather as much information as possible and satisfy themselves that they are comfortable entering the competition. wordbox aims to list only those competitions listed by reputable organisations which have children's literary interests at heart.
For ASA's full guidelines for literary competitions, send a ssae to P.O. Box 1566, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012.
Be alert for scam
competitions and
avoid them!
Check out these sites
for information -
Writing World - Literary Scams
(particularly points 5 & 6)
Elite Skills
Warnings and cautions for writers
10 tips for winning writing contests, and other writers' tips on
YouWrite.
This is the
UN Decade of Literacy! |
competitions and opportunities
your words. out in the world
FLASH! 30 August 2009 deadline: Write an IM/email short story and win advice and feedback from It's yr life authors, Tempany Deckert and Tristan Bancks. Write alone or with a friend. For writers aged under 18. E your story to Tristan online.
OzKidz In Print - promoting young Australian writers
Vibewire.net - Australian youth portal promoting
youth writing and art.
Voiceworks - from Express Media - features exciting new work by young Australian writers and artists (under 25)
John Marsden is EM's patron.
Lili Wilkinson was published in Voiceworks
when she was 12.
Writers' Window - an NZ site for school-aged writers to publish their writing (for students aged 5 to 18). Includes poetry,
short stories and hypertext stories. Includes writers' tips.
JANUARY
AUS
02/01/2009
DMag National Writing Competition
Young people under 15 years, who have purchased DMag, can enter a short story of 500 words.
AUS
One Fifty - Australians aged under 30 invited to submit microfiction with best published online. Submit a MicroStory (max. 150 words) by email or a MicroMiniStory (max. 150 characters!) by SMS.
FEBRUARY
SA
02/09
Adelaide Plains Cup Festival Poetry Competition
Junior section theme is 'The Bush' for primary and secondary school students. Poems up to 60 lines. For details, contact gracar@twpo.com.au.
AUS
20/02/09
Laura Literary Awards - The CJ Dennis Poetry Awards and Flinders News Prose Award
Short story and poetry sections for juniors and young adults
up to 18 years. Short stories 500 words (jnr) and 1000 words (ya). Poems up to 60 lines.
AUS
20/02/09
FAW Alan Marshall Short Story Awards
Young Writers' Award category for writers 15-19 years:
up to 1000 words
MARCH
AUS
13/03/09
Kingaroy Eisteddfod Literary Awards
Sections for young writers. Schedule and entry form online.
Coordinator required for competition to proceed.
SA
03/09
Kernewek Lowender Writers Competition with Max Fatchen Awards. Theme: Around the Table. Short story and poetry categories. Enquiries to tstringer(at)dodo(dot)com(dot)au.
QLD
27/03/09
Write on Redlands
Children aged 5 to 12 residing in or attending primary school in Redland City can enter stories of up to 500 words. Short listed finalists invited to creative workshops with Justin D'ath or John Danalis (in 2009). Write on!
APRIL
AUS
04/09
The Cancer Council Victoria Arts Awards
Theme: Seize the Day. Create art, short stories, poetry or film about your experience of cancer. Children's writing categories: Under 18 and Under 11 (word counts vary). Visit the site (Fundraising/Arts Awards) for eligibility details, categories and entry forms or telephone 1300 656 585.
AUS
03/04/09
Wakakirri Story-Writing (Registration)
Only three entries allowed from each registered school.
Closing date for entries is then 28 August for story-writing.
Primary students: 500 words; Secondary students: 1000 words.
NSW/ACT
09/04/09
Write Now! creative writing competition for NSW and ACT school students in years 7, 8 and 9. Choose one of three sample story starters then continue the narrative, completing a short story of no more than 1000 words. Prizes include iPod Nanos, bookpacks and publishing.
NSW
04/09
Blacktown City Libraries Youth Short Story Writing Competition - Young people aged 12-18 years who live in or attend school in Blacktown local government area are invited to write a short story of up to 700 words on the theme Shout, Share, Live, Unite! Finalists will be selected by a published author. A fabulous initiative from the Western Sydney Young People's Literature Project.
AUS
04/09
Shout Share Live Unite Online!
National Youth Week creative competition tba. Two categories - Junior (12-17) and Senior (18-25).
AUS
24/04/09
Write in Your Face presented by Express Media (funded by the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts).
Write in Your Face supports emerging forms of writing practice by young writers (up to the age of 30), or organisations working with young writers. Grants of up to $5000 available for projects supporting writing practices by young people. Proposals invited from people who are using language in innovative ways, including writing for zines, e-zines, comics, multimedia, multi-artforms or cross-media works, websites, live performances and spoken word.
MAY
QLD
29/05/09
Queensland Theatre Company Young Playwrights Program
for Queenslanders aged between 13 and 26 years (inclusive): three Queensland writers will be selected to actively develop their 30 minute script over a six month period with directors, dramaturges and actors at QTC.
AUS
05/09
Bill Coppell Young Writer's Award
Entries open March 2008. North Sydney Council and the Stanton Library invite young people, aged 11-18 years, to submit one poem or one short story not exceeding 750 words. Five age categories, with a limit of one entry per person in one category only. Some winning entries will be published.
E-mail enquires to kidzone@northsydney.nsw.gov.au.
AUS
05/09
Gold Coast Writers Association Inc. Children's/Youth Literary Competition
Three sections: 7-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years.
Write a short story, poem (all sections) or play (14-17 years section) on the theme. 2009 theme: to be announced.
AUS
05/09
KSP Science Fiction/Fantasy Award
Shire of Mundaring (Western Australia) National Young Writers' Awards (20 years and under): word count 1500-3500; speculative fiction welcome.
QLD
05/09
Maryborough Eisteddfod Speech and Drama Programme
Held August 2009. Young local writers can read/present own work in Write and Read Your Own Poem, Talk and Speech.
WA
05/09
The Tim Winton Award for Young Writers, launched in February. Prose up to 3000 words. Entrants must reside in metropolitan Perth and be between ages of 5 and 17 (categories by school years 1-12).
WA
05/09
The Mary Durack Award - prose categories for years 1-12 school students (up to 1500 words). Entrants must reside or attend school in local government areas of Swan, Mundaring, Kalamunda and Armadale.
NT
31/05/09
Northern Territory Literary Awards - Kath Manzie Youth Literary Award - for a work of creative fiction up to 3000 words by a Northern Territory resident of ages 15 to 25.
Enquiries - 1800 019 155 or ntl.info@nt.gov.au.
The Awards acknowledge written work of outstanding literary merit, and rewards the achievements of NT writers.
JUNE
06/09
Word Play, September 2009 in Brisbane.
AUS
06/09
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards - open to all school students (kindergarten to year 12) in Australia. 2009 theme: tba, or topic of own choice. Awards open in March. All participants receive a certificate. Various prizes include cash, trophies, books and a trip to Gunnedah for the national presentation ceremony. Read the winning poems online.
SA
06/09
South Australian English Teachers' Association Young Writers' Award - poetry and prose (up to 1000 words) invited from South Australian school students.
NSW
06/09
Albury City Libraries Short Story Competition
Theme: The Crossing Place. Children up to year 6 from the Upper Murray Regional area invited to enter stories up to 1500 words.
QLD
06/09
Young at Art competition.
Elibility: Young Queenslanders aged 12-25.
Theme: tba. Media: use multimedia, creative writing or visual art to show your interaction with a person or group of people aged over 50. For more information, use the link above or contact 1300 132 654.
AUS
06/09
Ipswich Poetry Feast International Poetry Competition
For young people aged 5 to 17 (and open categories).
AUS
06/09
Bauhinia Literary Awards
Short Stories and Poetry in Open, Regional Tertiary and Secondary Student Categories.
Short Stories in Primary Student Category.
Winning entries announced in August with outstanding winning entries published in Idiom 23 Magazine.
For entry forms and information, contact Liz Huf, Central Queensland University on telephone 07 4923 2573 or email
l(dot)huf(at)cqu(dot)edu(dot)au
NSW
06/09
Stories on Screen
NSW primary school students invited to adapt an Australian picture book into a short film.
NSW/ACT
06/09
The Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year
Senior students in years 10-12 and up to the age of 21 years are invited to write a short story of 700 to 1000 words on any theme. Great prizes including publication.
AUS
30/06/09
YAWA: Young Australian Writers' Awards
Write a story, non-fiction article or report, play, poem, cartoon, comic or song lyrics. Open to Australians and New Zealanders aged 5-14. Word count for age group categories ranges from 300-600 words. Visit the site to see previous winning entries. 2009 Judge: tba.
AUS
06/09
National Playwright Competition
sponsored by Boroondara Theatre Company in association with Camberwell Youth Theatre.
Youth Writer Section open to 15-25 year old entrants from Australia - providing an opportunity for young One Act Play writers to be recognised. Performances in December.
Email contact: boroondaratheatre@gmail.com
AUS
06/09
ABR Reviewing competition
a good opportunity for emerging writers and older students wanting to establish a career in reviewing. Review any book from fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children's and young adult published since January 2006.
First prize includes publication in Australian Book Review and two future commissions.
JULY
WA
07/09
The Randolph Stow Young Writers Award
Prose or poetry for students in years 4-12 from the Geraldton region.
NSW
07/09
Play Now Act Now Creative Writing Prize
Young people aged 16-25 invited to write up to 1000 words on the theme tba- story, NF or poem about issues associated with use of alcohol and other drugs.
AUS
07/09
Australian Catholics Young Journalist Award
Launched in February. Open to Australian secondary school students. Two sections: Junior (word count up to 500) and Senior (up to 700 words).
QLD
07/09
The Courier Mail Young Reviewer of the Year Awards
Eligibility: School children living in Queensland.
Theme: Reviews of books in the Younger Readers, Older Readers and Picture Book sections of the Children's Book Council Book of the Year Shortlist. Word counts range from 100 to 300 words. See also CBC Qld branch.
VIC and WA branches of CBCA also run Young Reviewer of the Year Awards
QLD
18/07/09
Literary Competition
Sponsored by Queensland Independent Education Union (QIEU), English Teachers' Association of Queensland, The Courier Mail and the Department of Education and the Arts (entry form and poster on QIEU site). Limit of 5 entries per category per school. Write a poem, short story and/or non-fiction prose.
Four age groups can enter: Years 11 & 12, Years 9 & 10,
Year 8 and Years 6 & 7.
AUS
07/09
National History Challenge
Theme: tba. Students in years 5 to 12 (up to 19 years) may enter an essay, performance, display or multimedia item.
AUS
07/09
Voices on the Coast: Children's Creative Writing Competition
for students of years 7-12. Great prizes on offer. Categories for different year levels in illustration, poetry and narrative (various line/word/page counts).
AUS
07/09
QANTAS Spirit of Youth Awards
SOYA awards cash prizes, free travel and mentorships to young people (25 and under) in seven different creative categories, including words. Entries (max. 3000 words) for writing component (fiction, creative non-fiction, prose, poetry, letters, stories, raves, diary entries) open until 31 July.
07/09
Inaugural Gippsland Short Story Competition
Primary and secondary students' sections. Word count - up to 1500 words.
AUGUST
VIC
08/09
Monash Literature Festival Short Story Competition
Participants must be a resident, work or attend school in the City of Monash. Two categories will be judged by author - entrants 12-14 years (500 words), and entrants 15-17 years (1000 words).
AUS
08/09
St Martin's Youth Arts Centre Emerging Playwright's Competition for all Australian playwrights aged 13 to 17 and 18 to 25.
WA
08/09
Christobel Mattingly Award
Prose and poetry entries accepted from any school aged student residing or attending school in the City of South Perth.
AUS
08/09
Future Leaders Writers' Prize
Australian secondary schools are invited to submit essays written by year 11 and 12 students. Essays may be fiction or non-fiction on any topic, from 800 to 1000 words.
Winners published.
NSW/ACT
08/09
Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Morning Herald Young Playwrights' Award - Students 19 years of age or under invited to write a one act play (up to 30 minutes). Two winners (years 7-10 and year 11+) receive an incredible opportunity to participate in a workshop with a professional director, dramaturg and cast which culminates in a staged reading at STC. Two winners also receive a monetary prize from SMH.
AUS
08/09
Social Responsibility Writers' Prize
Open to secondary school students and tertiary students.
Call 1800 050 009 to order an entry pack.
QLD
08/09
CYA Later Alligator Conference Competitions
Age 16+. Picture books, chapter books and YA book texts.
AUS
08/09
Dorothy Shaw Young Writers Competition - for Australian students aged 6-18 who are deaf or hard of hearing. For junior, senior and YA sections, enter a short story of up to 1000 words written or signed in Auslan.
QLD
08/09
State Library of Queensland Young Writers Award
Eligibility: Queensland residents aged 18-25. Word count: under 2500 words. Entry forms and conditions available from end of May. Read stories from previous winners at the site.
AUS
08/09
Lindisfarne Literature Festival Creative Writing Competition
Theme - open creative writing piece. Primary students' section: 300-400 words, Secondary students' section: 600-800 words.
Prizes on offer include a laptop, 'young writer' course, iPod Nano and USB stick. For more information, guidelines and entry forms, contact Jeannie on jbarker@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au or Ian on iayers@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au.
AUS
08/09
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) Human Writes Essay Competition - Junior (11-14) and Senior (15-18) writers, currently living in Australia, eligible to submit a personal essay showing HREOC your ideas on the topic of human rights (juniors - 200-600 words, seniors - 200-1000 words). Prizes for national, state and territory winners. Download an entry form, or for more information call
02 9284 9600.
AUS
08/09
Scarlett Stiletto Young Women Writers' Award
This award for women under 21 - max. of 5000 words.
Contact Carmel at cshute@portphillip.vic.gov.au.
AUS
08/09
Churchill and District News Short Story and Poetry Competition
opens May. Five categories are for children and young adult writers:
Children 7 and under - short story, poem, picture story
children 8-12 - short story (up to 500 words)
children 8-12 - poetry (free or rhyming verse up to 20 lines)
young adults 13-18 short story (500-2000 words)
young adults 13-18 poetry (free or rhyming verse 8-48 lines)
AUS
08/09
John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers
For writers under 25 - poetry and short story categories. Download entry forms and guidelines or contact Express Media on 03 9326 8367.
AUS
08/09
Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers' Centre - Write a Book in a Day . Primary, secondary or open teams can compete on any day from April 1 to August 31. Sponsorship raises funds for Children's Hospitals Australia and the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers' Centre.
VIC
08/09
Boroondara (Victoria) Literary Awards
Local young writers' section includes categories for poetry and prose for students from years 7-9 and years 10-12 living, working, studying in Boroondara. Competition further supported by the Writers in Schools Program. For more information email bla@boroondara.vic.gov.au.
SEPTEMBER
AUS
09/09
FAW Hilarie Lindsay Young Writers' Award
Primary and secondary school student categories.
Even year - poetry / Odd year - prose. Year 4 and under (max. 20 lines), years 5 & 6 (max. 40 lines), years 7-9 (max. 40 lines), years 10-12 (max. 60 lines). Check FAW entry conditions here. Email FAW1@bigpond.com.
AUS
09/09
Taronga Foundation Poetry Prize
Australian youth (19 and under) invited to submit poems on any subject (but a Wildlife Prize is awarded for most outstanding poem dealing with wildlife conservation or the environment). Enter in individual or class divisions.
2008 Theme: BEARS. Participation certificates and great prizes, plus winning and commended poems published by Random House Australia in Poems by Young Australians.
QLD
09/09
Mary Poppins Literary Awards
Launched by Proud Marys. Open to primary (500 words) and secondary (1200 words) school students in Fraser Coast Queensland region to write a fantasy story, or create an illustrated book (primary school category - individual or class effort). For more information, contact librarians at Fraser Coast Regional Libraries.
QLD
09/09
Meanjin Writers' Camp
Brisbane Meanjin Local Council of ALEA invites applications from students in years 6,7 & 8 in Queensland schools to attend November camp. Camp is conducted to encourage and develop talented young writers who will work with invited authors.
QLD
09/09
Queensland Rural Women's Network Cultural Competition
Open to all women, 16 years and over who are Queensland residents. Write a short story up to 3000 words on the advertised theme.
QLD
09/09
TechnologyOne Website Competition
Epilepsy Queensland invites Queensland secondary school students to enter this annual competition. Design a website with the theme. Contact Kellyanne at ebcomp@epilepsyqueensland.com.au.
AUS
09/09
Eastern Regional Libraries National Storywriting Competition
Two categories for youth resident in Australia: Teenage (13-18 years) and Junior (9-12 years). Contact Lorraine or Jill on telephone 03 9298 8444. Check site for conditions of entry and entry form.
09/09
Queensland History Teachers' Association Historical Writing Competition - Students in years 8 to 12 may enter an essay or other appropriate piece (diary, script, etc) ranging from 500 to 2000 words (in different year level categories).
AUS
09/09
KSP Short Fiction Award
Write 1000-3000 words for the Shire of Mundaring (Western Australia) National Young Writers' Awards (20 years and under).
AUS
09/09
Get Reel: Design a Drug Ad competition
Two divisions: grades 5-8 and 9-10. Entrants aged from 10-16 design a 30 second television ad targeting drug use. Submissions in these formats: script, storyboard, Powerpoint presentation, video or i-movie.
OCTOBER
AUS
10/09
ABC Radio Heywire
Young people aged between 16 and 22, living or working in regional or rural Australia, are invited to submit a non-fiction piece of up to 400 words about your experiences, your life, your issues. Write it for radio because broadcast is part of the prize. Prize also includes participation in Heywire Youth Issues Forum the following year.
VIC
10/09
Friends of the Doveton Library Young Writers Short story and Poetry competition
Open only to Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation members (Victoria). Ages 8-11 write 50-250 words (ss) or up to 20 lines (poem), ages 12-15 write 250-750 words (ss) or up to 40 lines (poem).
QLD
10/09
Goomeri Heritage Writers Neverending Stories Young Writers' Bursary
Annual writing competition open to students aged 11 to 15 years resident in Kilkivan Shire, Queensland.
Short story or an informative essay, 2000-3000 words with the theme (tba). For guidelines, local entrants should contact Goomeri Heritage Writers.
AUS
10/09
Griffith University Queensland - Journalism article opportunity: Year 11 and 12 students, write a short article (up to 400 words) about something you believe is a 'big issue'. Your chance to get a byline on courermail.com.au, do work experience with Nova and win a laptop.
NOVEMBER
AUS
11/09
Mavis Thorpe Clark Award
Individual: collection of writing (up to 10 pieces) by a student attending an Australian secondary school (poetry, short stories, non-fiction, etc)
Group: For a collection of writing by a group of students attending the same Australian secondary school (up to 15 pieces). Enquiries: blundell@vicnet.net.au
DECEMBER
AUS
12/09
Vision Australia's Dickinson Literary Award
Open to Australian writers who are blind or have low vision.
Youth category - under 16. Write up to 500 words fiction or nonfiction. Entry form online.
|
|
bravenet.com
