Category: Competitions and Opportunities

The Peter Cowan 600 Word Short Story Competition 2026 is now open, inviting writers to craft a compelling story in just 600 words or less. The competition celebrates the art of short fiction and honours one of Western Australia’s most respected writers, Peter Cowan. If you’d like to strengthen your

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Whispering Rooms by Genki Kawamura and Marie Kondo. Whispering Rooms is a gentle, imaginative collection of short stories told from the perspectives of rooms and objects. Drawing on Marie Kondo’s tidying philosophy, each tale explores memory, loss, and the quiet moments when

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Diaries of Note by Shaun Usher. Diaries of Note is a curated collection of 366 extraordinary diary entries, one for each day of the year, spanning centuries and voices both famous and unknown. Intimate, surprising, and deeply human, it offers a vivid

The Furphy Literary Award Open Short Story Competition for 2026 is open for entries, inviting Australian citizens and current residents to step into the spotlight with a powerful short story that captures Australian life in all its diversity. Now in its seventh year, the free-to-enter national competition offers a $15,000

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is back, with expanded publishing opportunities for 2026. Open to international writers, the prize welcomes previously unpublished short fiction and offers a range of ways for selected writers to share their work with new readers. If you’re currently working on short fiction, this is

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Violin Maker’s Secret by Evie Woods. A mysterious violin with rare beauty and power lies hidden in Heathrow Airport’s Lost and Found, waiting to change the lives of those who discover it. Three strangers, baggage claim agent Devlin, retired teacher Walter,

This week, we’re giving away three copies of On The Edge by AWC graduate Kate Horan. Sixteen years after her best friend’s unsolved murder, GP Nel Foley returns to the small town she fled, only to reopen old wounds and dangerous suspicions. As she digs into the past, Nel uncovers

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Ironbark Promise by Leonie Kelsall. City lawyer Jemma Di Angelis retreats to Settlers Bridge for safety, only to clash with rugged farmer Hamish MacKenzie. As danger follows her into the countryside, unexpected chemistry grows, forcing Jemma to face both buried secrets

Are you ready to see your fiction shine on a national stage? The 2026 Peter Carey Short Story Award is inviting writers from across Australia to share their most compelling stories and compete for prestigious prizes and publication opportunities. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or finding your voice, this is

If you have a powerful short story that explores social justice with heart and originality, this is your moment to be heard. The 2026 Hilarie Lindsay Prize invites women writers from across the country to submit their best unpublished work and honour a remarkable literary legacy. If you’d like support

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Staged by John M. Green. Staged by John M. Green is a fast-paced crime thriller that begins when a Hollywood star dies on stage during a performance, an incident that seems accidental at first, but lures a disgraced journalist and a rule-bending

If you’re looking to put your short fiction into the world in 2026, there are two exciting opportunities open to writers across Australia and beyond. From island-inspired storytelling to a celebrated international short story competition, these prizes invite bold ideas, original voices and carefully crafted work. If you’re keen to

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave. Five years after her husband disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter Bailey have rebuilt a quiet life – until he reappears, sparking danger and forcing them to flee. On the run across continents,

If you’ve published a book that showcases the strength and diversity of Western Australian storytelling, now is the time to put it forward. The 2026 Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards are officially open, inviting Western Australian writers, illustrators and publishers to enter their work into the State’s most prestigious literary

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath. Kill Your Boss is a darkly funny and twisty whodunit where Detective Sergeant Kiara Lui investigates the suspicious death of a hated library boss, only to uncover secrets that connect to a haunting cold case and

The Mona Brand Award for Women Stage and Screen Writers is Australia’s premier biennial prize celebrating and championing the remarkable contributions of women and non-binary writers to theatre and screen, offering $40,000 in total prize money across both established and early-career categories and is now open for entries. Information from

Have a bold story or fresh idea you’re ready to share? The Griffith Review Emerging Voices Competition is your opportunity to bring bold, original fiction or creative non-fiction work to one of Australia’s most respected literary platforms. Here’s the competition information from the Griffith Review website: Griffith Review is looking

This week, we’re giving away three copies of What Happened that Night by Nicci French. What Happened that Night is a tense, psychological thriller where loyalty breaks under pressure. After nearly 30 years behind bars for his friend’s murder, Tyler Green is finally released – only to gather the circle

There’s a fresh creative buzz blossoming at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, with expressions of interest now open for the inaugural Writers in Residence Program. For the first time, two Australian writers will be invited behind the scenes of the nation’s oldest scientific institution to soak up its beauty, history

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Tom Clancy Executive Power by Andrews & Wilson. Tom Clancy Executive Power is an explosive new thriller in the Jack Ryan universe. When a covert mission unravels and global tensions rise, a new generation of operatives must navigate the deadly intersection of