Australian Writers' Centre blog

7 short story competitions with huge prizes

There are lots of reasons why you might enter short story competitions. They’re a great incentive to help you finish and hone your story. They’re also an excellent opportunity to get your story in front of famous judges – who could be agents, publishers or writers. And of course... read more

Q&A: Phony vs phoney

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re such... read more

International short story competition now open

The Wollongong Writers Festival Short Story Prize 2019 is open to everyone – including writers outside Australia.  There’s $1,000 up for grabs for the winner of the competition. This year’s theme is “All Lit Up” and the word limit is 2,500 words. From the Wollongong Writers Festival... read more

Furious Fiction August 2019 winner and shortlist

This month’s Furious Fiction continued to break records, with almost 1400 entries received across the weekend! The theme was a little different too, as we got all descriptive. The August criteria were: Each story had to include, word for word, ALL of the following SIX descriptions: SHINY, SILVER COLD... read more

WIN ‘Where the Dead Go’ by Sarah Bailey

This week we have three copies to give away of Where the Dead Go – the new book from bestselling, award-winning author and AWC alumna, Sarah Bailey. This is Sarah’s third book, following on from the success of The Dark Lake (2017) and Into the Night (2018). You can... read more

Queensland Writing Fellowships now open

Queensland writers, are you looking for a fellowship opportunity? Well, the Griffith Review Fellowships for 2020-2021 are now open.  This fellowship is not just for writers currently living in Queensland. According to the Griffith Review website: Up to six fellowships of $3,000–$7,000 will be awarded in... read more

Q&A: Origin of ‘southpaw’ and ‘goofy foot’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, it's all... read more

We’re hiring: Assistant Project Manager

The Australian Writers’ Centre team is growing and we need an Assistant Project Manager. Please note: This role is not a writing-based role. This role won’t be a stepping stone for you to publish your novel – but you will help others pursue their passion for writing. And hey... read more

Enter The Deakin University Non-fiction Prize 2019

Write non-fiction? The Deakin University Non-Fiction Prize is now open and there’s $3,000 AUD up for grabs! Entries for this competition close on 1 September 2019. It’s open to writers aged 30 and under, writing long-form non-fiction who are also Australian residents. From... read more

COMP CLOSED ‘Fake’ by Stephanie Wood

“Women the world over are brought up to hope, even expect, to find the man of their dreams, marry and live happily ever after…” But this week, our giveaway book presents a very different view. The book is Fake by Stephanie Wood, an award-winning features writer who has created... read more

2019 Brisbane Writers Festival tickets now on sale

The Brisbane Writers Festival is on from 5-8 September 2019 and tickets are now on sale. The Brisbane Writers Festival have announced a massive lineup with over 160 internationally renowned writers, thinkers and more scheduled to speak and present at the event. The festival will have a special focus... read more

How high do your stakes have to be?

By Nat Newman  How high do your stakes have to be when writing a story? Is death, destruction and violence necessary to push your story forward? Short answer: No way. I started thinking about this after a discussion on the So you want to be a writer Facebook community. A... read more

Q&A: Breath vs breathe

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, it's a... read more

‘Why I write’ collection part 3

“If I waited till I felt like writing, I’d never write at all” – Anne Tyler Writing can bring you incredible joy – but it can sometimes feel like a chore. It depends on your mood, what’s gone on that day, and whether you got out on the right side... read more

Dogs and books – who could ask for more?

We love books. And we love dogs. So we were pretty chuffed to discover The Dog Book Company. It's a business that's only recently started but we love the idea behind it: It creates stylish hardcover coffee table books about the world’s favourite dog breeds. Importantly, $1... read more