Writing Competitions
Australia
Writing Australia, the new national literature organisation, has a new website and a new writing competition Writing Australia, currently comprises the Writers’ Centres in SA, TAS, NSW, VIC and the ACT. Its office is in the National Library of Australia Canberra, its National Director is Mary Delahunty, author, former journalist and Victorian Minister for the Arts. Its mission is to promote and develop Australia’s literature sector through brokering a range of national programs and partnerships for the benefit of Australian writers.
Writing Australia's Unpublished Manuscript Award $10,000 plus $2000 for mentoring Closes 13 October 2011
The Award, to aid in the development of the next stage of an unpublished manuscript, is for a work of adult literary or genre fiction. It will be granted to the work that shows the greatest promise and likely to benefit most from this opportunity. Over the next three years this Award will become one of Australia’s major prizes for an unpublished manuscript. For details go to: Writing Australia
For a more comprehensive list of competitions, refer to the Australian Writers' Marketplace (book or website) or contact your local writers' centre
Varuna, the Writer's House, Katoomba, NSW
Competitions run throughout the year. Check website for details: http://www.varuna.com.au
Sisters in Crime Australia
Scarlet Stiletto Awards http://www.sistersincrime.org.au/
Annual, opens in April,
Open only to women residents of Australia (sorry guys!)
Short story, 5000 words maximum
Partners in Crime (Sydney): Queen of Crime annual short story competition http://www.partnersincrimesydney.com/PICS_QUEENOFCRIME.html
Annual, closes approx 29 October each year
Short story, 3000 words maximum
Wet Ink Magazine Short Story Competition http://www.wetink.com.au
Annual, entries close 31 August (postal entries only)
Short story, 5000 words maximum
Ned Kelly Awards: SD Harvey Short Story Award http://nedkellyawards.com/index.php/news-feeds/sd-harvey-award-guidelines/
4000 words, entries must be received by 31 May (postal entries only)
International: UK
Crime Writers' Association: "Debut Dagger" Awards
Annual, opens late October, closes early February
http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/debut/index.html (accessed 01/01/2011)
Send: The first 3000 words (or fewer) of your novel, plus a 500-1000 word synopsis of the rest of your novel, plus £25 fee. Submissions can be by surface mail or online.
Subscribe to fortnightly Debut Dagger newsletter while competition is open.
International: USA
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America: "First Crime Novel Competition"
Annual, opens around July, closes 30 November of each year
http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=minotaurbooks&id=4933 (accessed 01/01/2011)
(or go to: http://us.macmillan.com/minotaur.aspx, scroll down about half a page, and click on "St Martin's Writing Competition" link in the right-side frame)
Full manuscript must be greater than 60,000 words
Amazon.com, Penguin group and CreateSpace: "Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award"
Annual, opens around mid- to late-January, closes in early February (Note the short window of time)
http://www.amazon.com.Breakthrough-Novel-Award-Books
An international competition seeking the next popular novel, and is open to authors with an unpublished or previously self-published novel. Prizes are for General Fiction and for Young Adult Fiction. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance. Visit the site for more information.
Writers' Digest Annual Writing Competition
Annual, open in January, closes early May http://www.writersdigest.com/annual
Online entry or regular mail.
Entry Fees are all in US dollars (fees for 2011):
Poems are $15 for the first entry; $10 for each additional poem submitted in the same online session. All other entries are $25 for the first manuscript; $15 for each additional manuscript submitted in the same online session.
Memoirs/Personal Essay, Magazine Feature Article and Children's/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum.
Mainstream/Literary Short Story and Genre Short Story: 4,000 words maximum.
Inspirational Writing: 2,500 words maximum.
Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 32 lines maximum.
Stage Play Script or Television/Movie Script: Send the first 15 pages in standard script format, plus a one-page synopsis. Complete scripts are not eligible. Scripts—original or written for any series in production on or after January 1 or each year —are eligible; adaptations will not be accepted.
Black Orchid Novella Award, Nero Wolfe Society
Annual, and must be postmarked by May 31,
http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/neroaward/black_orchid_award/BO_award_intro.htm
Entries must be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length
Please visit www.nerowolfe.org for official rules and procedures to submit your novella
For questions, contact Jane K. Cleland, Chair, jane@janecleland.netFor details
Writing Australia, the new national literature organisation, has a new website and a new writing competition Writing Australia, currently comprises the Writers’ Centres in SA, TAS, NSW, VIC and the ACT. Its office is in the National Library of Australia Canberra, its National Director is Mary Delahunty, author, former journalist and Victorian Minister for the Arts. Its mission is to promote and develop Australia’s literature sector through brokering a range of national programs and partnerships for the benefit of Australian writers.
Writing Australia's Unpublished Manuscript Award $10,000 plus $2000 for mentoring Closes 13 October 2011
The Award, to aid in the development of the next stage of an unpublished manuscript, is for a work of adult literary or genre fiction. It will be granted to the work that shows the greatest promise and likely to benefit most from this opportunity. Over the next three years this Award will become one of Australia’s major prizes for an unpublished manuscript. For details go to: Writing Australia
For a more comprehensive list of competitions, refer to the Australian Writers' Marketplace (book or website) or contact your local writers' centre
Varuna, the Writer's House, Katoomba, NSW
Competitions run throughout the year. Check website for details: http://www.varuna.com.au
Sisters in Crime Australia
Scarlet Stiletto Awards http://www.sistersincrime.org.au/
Annual, opens in April,
Open only to women residents of Australia (sorry guys!)
Short story, 5000 words maximum
Partners in Crime (Sydney): Queen of Crime annual short story competition http://www.partnersincrimesydney.com/PICS_QUEENOFCRIME.html
Annual, closes approx 29 October each year
Short story, 3000 words maximum
Wet Ink Magazine Short Story Competition http://www.wetink.com.au
Annual, entries close 31 August (postal entries only)
Short story, 5000 words maximum
Ned Kelly Awards: SD Harvey Short Story Award http://nedkellyawards.com/index.php/news-feeds/sd-harvey-award-guidelines/
4000 words, entries must be received by 31 May (postal entries only)
International: UK
Crime Writers' Association: "Debut Dagger" Awards
Annual, opens late October, closes early February
http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/debut/index.html (accessed 01/01/2011)
Send: The first 3000 words (or fewer) of your novel, plus a 500-1000 word synopsis of the rest of your novel, plus £25 fee. Submissions can be by surface mail or online.
Subscribe to fortnightly Debut Dagger newsletter while competition is open.
International: USA
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America: "First Crime Novel Competition"
Annual, opens around July, closes 30 November of each year
http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=minotaurbooks&id=4933 (accessed 01/01/2011)
(or go to: http://us.macmillan.com/minotaur.aspx, scroll down about half a page, and click on "St Martin's Writing Competition" link in the right-side frame)
Full manuscript must be greater than 60,000 words
Amazon.com, Penguin group and CreateSpace: "Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award"
Annual, opens around mid- to late-January, closes in early February (Note the short window of time)
http://www.amazon.com.Breakthrough-Novel-Award-Books
An international competition seeking the next popular novel, and is open to authors with an unpublished or previously self-published novel. Prizes are for General Fiction and for Young Adult Fiction. Each winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance. Visit the site for more information.
Writers' Digest Annual Writing Competition
Annual, open in January, closes early May http://www.writersdigest.com/annual
Online entry or regular mail.
Entry Fees are all in US dollars (fees for 2011):
Poems are $15 for the first entry; $10 for each additional poem submitted in the same online session. All other entries are $25 for the first manuscript; $15 for each additional manuscript submitted in the same online session.
Memoirs/Personal Essay, Magazine Feature Article and Children's/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum.
Mainstream/Literary Short Story and Genre Short Story: 4,000 words maximum.
Inspirational Writing: 2,500 words maximum.
Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 32 lines maximum.
Stage Play Script or Television/Movie Script: Send the first 15 pages in standard script format, plus a one-page synopsis. Complete scripts are not eligible. Scripts—original or written for any series in production on or after January 1 or each year —are eligible; adaptations will not be accepted.
Black Orchid Novella Award, Nero Wolfe Society
Annual, and must be postmarked by May 31,
http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/neroaward/black_orchid_award/BO_award_intro.htm
Entries must be 15,000 to 20,000 words in length
Please visit www.nerowolfe.org for official rules and procedures to submit your novella
For questions, contact Jane K. Cleland, Chair, jane@janecleland.netFor details