Each month Write the World holds a new competition, developed around a particular idea or genre of writing, such as poetry, fantasy, sports journalism, or flash fiction. Competitions encourage you to dig deeper into the writing process, try out new genres and share your work with a sea of eager readers.
Open to: 13 - 18 years
Prizes: The winning entrant receives $100, and the runner-up and best peer-reviewer receive $50.
Entry fee: Free entry however sign up is required
Closing Date: Monthly
More information : Click here for upcoming competitions
The brief: submit a picture book or chapter book.
Open to: all writers aged between 8 and 18 years of age.
Entry fee: free.
Prizes: first ($100), second ($60) and third prize ($40) will be awarded in each category.
Closing date: 11th April 2023.
Positive Words magazine holds two major competitions each year, one closing 23 April and the other 31 October.
Positive Words magazine also holds a monthly Mini-competition.
Click here for further information.
The Brief: Submit either a poem or short story of up to 750 words.
Open to: Sydney NSW metropolitan, based young people, aged between 11 and 18 years of age.
Cost: free.
Categories: The competition is judged in five age categories by a panel of award winning authors.
Prizes: Prizes totalling over $2,000. All winners will also be offered the opportunity to attend a special writers masterclass.
Closing date: 30 April 2023.
More information: entry conditions and online entry form can be found on the North Sydney Council website.
The brief: The awards are aimed at promoting Australian writing and writers. The only requirement is for Australian content. Short story entries must not exceed 1000 words and poetry entries must not exceed 30 lines (excluding title)
Open to: 16 years and under
Entry fee: $5 per entry
Prizes: 1st Prize: $200, Second Prize: $100, Third Prize: $100
Closing date: Friday 6th May 2022
Further information: Click here
The brief: The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national Writing for the Environment competition invites writers – or those who want to write – to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability.
Submission criteria: This national competition is open to Australian citizens only. For the 2022 Writing for the Environment competition, the Sutherland Shire Environment Centre will accept writing that is:
Categories: There are three age categories for the 2022 competition:
Note: The submission form asks for your birthdate. Your age on the closing day of the competition is the age that counts.
Prizes: There are prizes in each age category.
Entry fee: Free entry
Closing date: Submissions must be received by 5pm AEST on Friday, 17 June 2022.
More information: Click here
The Brief: Drawing on the text’s themes of continuity and change, the 2022 My Place Competition prompts students to reflect on life in their own evolving places and communities. What changes have occurred in the natural and built environments, and what remains constant? Do the people in your community have a long connection to the area or are groups ever shifting and changing? How has your own relationship to place changed or continued over time? We are asking Australian children: tell us about your place.
Participants are invited to submit a short story via the competition page between 15 August – 16 September 2022, with the following word limits applying:
Year 7 and 8 - Up to 1000 words
Open to: secondary students in Years 7 and 8
Prizes: TBA
Entry fee: Free entry
Closing date: 16 September 2022
More information: TBA
Childrens Charity Network is a Victorian based not-for-profit organisation, which acts as an umbrella for different programs/initiatives. Its main aim is to build, foster and nurture confidence and self-esteem in all children.
The Ozkids Art Program showcases the talents of Australian children and provides a platform to enter their work and have it assessed by a panel of experts. All approved entries are published here on the website. Some are selected for publication in our OzKids Magazine and at the end of the year, the Winners are Announced.
Competitions include Young Australian Writer Awards.
So what are you waiting for, get started today.
Closing Date: 30.09.2022
The Brief:
Students are invited to submit a piece of prose and/or poetry from the Categories below:
Dates 1 March and close 31 May 2023
Prose
Senior – Years 10, 11, 12
Junior - Years 7,8,9
Poetry
Senior – Years 10, 11, 12
Junior - Years 7,8,9
Open to: Students across Sydney
Cost: Free
Prizes: Prose
Senior – Years 10, 11, 12
1st Prize — $350
2nd Prize — $150
Highly Commended – $100
Junior – Years 7, 8, 9
1st Prize — $200
2nd Prize — $100
Highly Commended – $75
Poetry
Senior – Years 10, 11, 12
1st Prize — $250
2nd Prize — $150
Highly Commended – $75
Junior – Years 7, 8, 9
1st Prize — $150
2nd Prize — $100
Highly Commended – $50
Submission Rules:
Further information: Mosman Library Service 9978 4091.
The Brief: Max 500 words, one entry only
Theme: After Midnight
Entry fee: Free
Closing Date: 15 March 2023 (5pm)
The brief: In 100 words or less (not including title), write your story incorporating the theme 'Love'
Open to: There are two categories, one for students in years 7 to 9 and one for students in years 10 to 12. This is so students compete against similar aged peers.
Prizes: The winning entries from both age categories will all receive prizes from our sponsors, along with a certificate of achievement. At the judge’s discretion, Encouragement Awards will also be distributed to honourably-mentioned entries.
Entry fee: free.
Closing date: 7th April 2023
More information: https://littlestoriesbigideas.com.au/
The brief: The Future Leaders Writing Prize is designed to recognise and reward talented young writers. It aims to encourage expressive and creative writing. Year 11 and 12 students in Australian secondary schools are invited to submit a piece of writing (800 to 1,000 words). The writing can be fiction or non-fiction and on any topic
Open to: Year 11 and 12 students in Australian secondary schools
Cost: Free entry
Prizes: The award winner will receive $1,000. Where there is more than one winner the prize money will be shared. The winners of the Future Leaders Writing Prize will have their work published.
Closing date: 1st May 2023
Further information: Click here
Open to: school students in years 5 to 12 from Australia.
Categories: Years 5 and 6, years 7 and 8, years 9 and 10 and years 11 and 12.
Entry fee: free.
Prizes: Prizes are awarded in 4 categories: Years 5/6, 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12. $350 for each category winner and $200 for each category runner-up. Winners and runners-up will also receive a book pack from Allen & Unwin.
Closing date: Friday 6 May 2022.
More information: visit Whitlam Institute’s website or click here for Competition Guidelines.
The brief: Submit fiction that is between 1500 and 2500 words.
Open to: Australian published and unpublished writers, students, anyone over the age of 12.
Categories and prizes: overall winner – $30,000; WA Winner – $4000; Regional Australia winner – $3000; Youth winner – $2000 plus mentoring; Reader’s Choice – $2,000; Other nine shortlisted for the overall prize – $1000 each.
Entry fee: free.
Closing date: Tuesday 31 May 2022.
More information: visit the competition’s website.
The brief: Write a short story on any theme or topic of your choice. For entrants in school years 5-9: Your short story must be between 500 and 1000 words.
Open to: All Australian resident students from Preparatory to Year 9 studying in an Australian school
Cost: Free
Restrictions: Only one entry per person permitted. If an entrant is under 18 years of age, they must obtain the permission of their school and parent or guardian before entering this competition. All entries must be submitted by a registered teacher from the entrant’s school and entries must be accompanied by a signed Permission to Publish and Consent form signed by a parent or guardian.
Prizes: Years 7-9 : Main prize & Runner up - HarperCollins book pack consisting of books (valued at $100), Highly Commended prize - A HarperCollins book pack consisting of books (valued at $50)
Closing date: 5:00pm [AEST] on Friday, 24 June 2022
Further information: www.kidsnews.com.au
The brief: Write a poem with an optional theme: ‘in my opinion’. Please note that it is an optional theme. The Society encourages students to write about topics and experiences that spark their poetic genius (in whatever form they choose).
Open to: Australian students.
Cost: depends on the number of entries a school or individual is submitting.
Categories: Lower Primary (Years K – 3); Upper Primary (Years 4 – 6 + 7 in SA); Assisted Learning Primary; David Maher Award for Small Schools; Junior Secondary (Years 7 – 9); Senior Secondary (Years 10 – 12); Assisted Learning Secondary; Schools Award; Kurrunbede Award.
Prizes: Monetary prizes and gift packs are awarded to category winners and runners-up.
Dates: March - 30 June 2023.
Further information: Go to the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards website. There you will find info about conditions of entry and fees involved, as well as learning resources to help you get creative.
The Brief:
POEM FOREST is a free nature writing prize that breathes life back into the natural world that sustains us.
Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with The Australian Botanic Garden, 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. In 2021, over 5,000 poem trees were planted.
Open to: All students
Categories:
Prizes: The following prizes will be awarded to the best poem in each category:
The Threatened Species Prize (F-12) will be awarded to the best poem written in response to Australia’s threatened species. See the list of threatened flora, fauna and ecological communities. The prizes for this category are as listed above.
The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan Local Prize (F-12) will be awarded to the best poem by a student living or studying on Dharawal Country within the Camden and Campbelltown LGAs. The prizes for this category are as listed above, plus a private garden tour for you and your family. Choose from a Sunset Spotlight Tour through Cumberland Plain Woodland, private First Nations Cultural Tour, or behind-the-scenes PlantBank and Nursery Tour
Entry fee: Free entry
Closing date: 23rd September 2023
More information: Click here
Blazek, L. (2017, July 25). Workplace in my office with coffee [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/GnvurwJsKaY
Jardim, E. (2018, May 18). Books and coffee cup on a desk [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/M0zs81FNm6s
Olinger, H. (2018, February 7). Journaling [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/NXiIVnzBwZ8