wordbox celebrates two years of supporting young people's creativity!party!
the story space blog is here
wordbox
wordbox
for young Australian writers and readers!
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 JC Burke, Pat Flynn, Simon Higgins, Leah Upton
& James Moloney
Blog launched Summer 2008
Who's who in this
chock-a-block
non-salad webroll?
These fabulous wordbox linkers
support young people's writing!:
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
TEN BIG TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR WORK PUBLISHED:
1.Write regularly.
2. Refine your style.
3. Build up a portfolio of edited, polished work.
4. Check out which markets your work is best suited to, and note submission or entry guidelines.
5. Send a few pieces out, keeping track of when and where.
6. Start a published work and award-winning work portfolio.
7. Attend workshops, festivals, open mic events or
create your own event to learn and share your work.
8. Do not pay to get your work published (unless you retain creative control, as in zines).
9. Verify your facts and be nice to people in print.
10. You don't have to start with a novel (see 2 & 6
and scan the list below for opportunities! -
they're tailored for young writers)
Lili Wilkinson was published in Voiceworks
when she was 12.
This is what wordbox is all about - encouraging young Australians to get their words out in the world.
These opportunities allow you to start establishing
yourself in the arts scene.
Or for you to send off that one short story
you've written this year.
It's up to you.
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.
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
02/01/2008
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
AUS
01/02/08
Write in Your Face Grant
An initiative of the Australia Council Literature Board supporting emerging forms of writing practice by young writers. They invite proposals from young writers (up to 30 years) who are using language in innovative ways, including writing for zines, e-zines, comics, multimedia, multi-artforms, websites, live performance and spoken word.
02/08
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
02/08
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
22/02/08
FAW Alan Marshall Short Story Awards
Young Writers' Award category for writers 15-19 years:
up to 1000 words
MARCH
AUS
10/03/08
Kingaroy Eisteddfod Literary Awards
Sections for young writers. Schedule and entry form online.
SA
03/08
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.
APRIL
AUS
04/04/08
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
04/04/08
Wakakirri Story-Writing (Registration)
Only three entries allowed from each registered school.
Closing date for entries is then 13 June for story-writing.
Primary students: 500 words; Secondary students: 1000 words.
NSW/ACT
11/04/08
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 winners' stories published on SMH and Sydney Writers' Festival websites.
NSW
18/04/08
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 Melina Marchetta. A fabulous initiative from the Western Sydney Young People's Literature Project.
AUS
30/04/08
Shout Share Live Unite Online!
National Youth Week creative competition theme: perspectives on community - whether that be your town, school, clubs, or online community - or issues that concern you - like climate change or education or any other issue you want to raise. The choice of medium is yours - animation, audio, design, film, interactive media, photography, visual arts or writing.
Two categories - Junior (12-17) and Senior (18-25).
MAY
QLD
08/05/08
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
05/08
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
05/08
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. 2008 theme: to be announced.
AUS
05/08
KSP Science Fiction/Fantasy Award
Shire of Mundaring (Western Australia
QLD
05/08
Maryborough Eisteddfod Speech and Drama Programme
Held July 2008. Young local writers can read/present own work in Write and Read Your Own Poem, Talk and Speech.
WA
22/05/08
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
24/05/08
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.
JUNE
Word Play, the program for young readers, writers and illustrators: Bookings open 8am Tuesday 3 June by fax.
Word Play will be held 17-19 September 2008 in Brisbane. Program booklet available in all south-east Queensland schools or online from Monday 2 June.
What's on: Author sessions, Community Engagement Day, SlammED! - a youth poetry slam and slam workshop, Online Literature Festival, Book signings and Bookgigs. Go!
AUS
02/06/08
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards - open to all school students (kindergarten to year 12) in Australia. 2008 theme: Forests, feathers, fins and fur, 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
06/06/08
South Australian English Teachers' Association Young Writers' Award - poetry and prose (up to 1000 words) invited from South Australian school students.
NSW
06/08
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.
NSW
06/08
Frustrated Writer Mentoring Program through Childrens Book Council NSW branch
QLD
06/08
Young at Art competition.
Elibility: Young Queenslanders aged 12-25.
Theme: to be announced. 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
06/08
Ipswich Poetry Feast International Poetry Competition
For young people aged 5 to 17 (and open categories).
AUS
06/08
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
l(dot)huf(at)cqu(dot)edu(dot)au
NSW
06/08
Stories on Screen
NSW primary school students invited to adapt an Australian picture book into a short film.
06/08
Stories on Screen
NSW primary school students invited to adapt an Australian picture book into a short film.
NSW/ACT
27/06/08
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.
27/06/08
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
30/06/08
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. 2008 Judge: Wendy Orr.
AUS
06/08
National Playwright Competition
proudly sponsored by Boroondara Theatre Company in association with Camberwell Youth Theatre.
Youth Writer Section open to 15-25 year old entrants from Australia
If you have details on this competition, please forward them to wordbox so everyone can see.
AUS
30/06/08
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
04/07/08
The Randolph Stow Young Writers Award
Prose or poetry for students in years 4-12 from the Geraldton region.
WA
04/07/08
The Randolph Stow Young Writers Award
Prose or poetry for students in years 4-12 from the Geraldton region.
NSW
25/07/08
Play Now Act Now Creative Writing Prize
Young people aged 16-25 invited to write up to 1000 words on the theme Party Smart - story, NF or poem about issues associated with use of alcohol and other drugs. First prize is $2000 and a year's membership to the NSW Writers' Centre and Arts Hub Australia.
25/07/08
Play Now Act Now Creative Writing Prize
Young people aged 16-25 invited to write up to 1000 words on the theme Party Smart - story, NF or poem about issues associated with use of alcohol and other drugs. First prize is $2000 and a year's membership to the NSW Writers' Centre and Arts Hub Australia.
AUS
07/08
Australian Catholics Young Journalist Award
Open to Australian secondary school students. Two sections: Junior (word count up to 500) and Senior (up to 700 words).
07/08
QLD
07/08
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
18/07/08
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
07/08
National History Challenge
Theme: Lessons from the Past. Students in years 5 to 12 (up to 19 years) may enter an essay, performance, display or multimedia item.
AUS
07/08
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
07/08
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.
07/08
Inaugural Gippsland Short Story Competition
Primary and secondary students' sections. Word count - up to 1500 words.
AUGUST
VIC
03/08/08
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 Simmone Howell - entrants 12-14 years (500 words), and entrants 15-17 years (1000 words).
AUS
15/08/08
St Martin's Youth Arts Centre Emerging Playwright's Competition for all Australian playwrights aged 13 to 17 and 18 to 25.
WA
08/08
Christobel Mattingly Award
Prose and poetry entries accepted from any school aged student residing or attending school in the City of South Perth.
AUS
08/08
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.
2005 winners published in What difference does writing make?
NSW/ACT
08/08
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
08/08
Social Responsibility Writers' Prize
Open to secondary school students and tertiary students.
Call 1800 050 009 to order an entry pack.
QLD
08/08
CYA Later Alligator Conference Competitions
Age 16+. Picture books, chapter books and YA book texts.
AUS
08/08
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
08/08
State Library of Queensland Young Writers Award
Eligibility: Queensland
AUS
08/08
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
08/08
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
08/08
Scarlett Stiletto Young Women Writers' Award
This award for women under 21 - max. of 5000 words.
Contact Carmel
AUS
08/08
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
08/08
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
08/08
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
08/08
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
01/09/08
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
19/09/08
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
26/09/08
Mary Poppins Literary Awards
Launched by Proud Marys. Open to primary (500 words) and secondary (1200 words) school students in Fraser Coast Queensland
26/09/08
Mary Poppins Literary Awards
Launched by Proud Marys. Open to primary (500 words) and secondary (1200 words) school students in Fraser Coast
QLD
09/08
Meanjin Writers' Camp
Brisbane Meanjin Local Council of ALEA invites applications from students in years 6,7 & 8 in Queensland
QLD
09/08
Queensland Rural Women's Network Cultural Competition
Open to all women, 16 years and over who are Queensland
QLD
09/08
TechnologyOne Website Competition
Epilepsy Queensland Queensland
AUS
09/08
Eastern Regional Libraries National Storywriting Competition
Two categories for youth resident in Australia Lorraine
19/09/08
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
26/09/08
KSP Short Fiction Award
Write 1000-3000 words for the Shire of Mundaring (Western Australia) National Young Writers' Awards (20 years and under).
AUS
26/09/08
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.
AUS
09/08
Young Tasmanian Short Story Awards for Australians 25 years and under. 800-1500 words. Enquiries: ewin4692@bigpond.net.au
AUS
09/08
Young Tasmanian Poetry Awards for Australians 25 years and under. 30 line limit. Enquiries: ewin4692@bigpond.net.au
OCTOBER
AUS
03/10/08
ABC Radio Heywire
Young people aged between 16 and 22, living or working in regional or rural Australia
VIC
10/10/08
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
10/08
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 (to be announced). For guidelines, local entrants should contact Goomeri Heritage Writers.
AUS
10/08
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
11/08
Somerset National Novella Writing Competition for School Aged Writers
Open to all current secondary school students in Australia
QLD
11/08
Somerset Poetry Prizes for School Aged Writers
Open to school aged children from Queensland
and 8-12). Line count: 16-40.
AUS
11/08
Colin Thiele Poetry Award
For poets aged between 17and 20. Any theme, no word limit. Enquiries: blundell@vicnet.net.au
AUS
11/08
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
AUS
11/08
FAW Young Poet of the Year Award
For a poem on any theme, no word limit. Two age groups: 8-12 and 13-16. Enquiries: blundell@vicnet.net.au
AUS
11/08
FAW Michael Dugan Short Story Award
For a short story on any theme, max. 3000 words. Two age groups: 8-12 and 13-16. Enquiries: blundell@vicnet.net.au
AUS
11/08
FAW John Morrison Short Story Award
Entrants aged between 17 and 20 years. For a short story on any theme, max. 3000 words. Enquiries: blundell@vicnet.net.au
DECEMBER
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