Competitions Listing

This page lists competitions, both large and small. For hints on how to make the most of entering a competition, please see our Competitions page. Awards and prizes are listed under Opportunities. The listings below are in calendar order by closing dates. You'll find our most recent postings show the closing date in red (so if you're a regular visitor, please scroll down the page), while the closing dates for our older postings will be in black.

Writing competitions have proliferated since the advent of the internet and not all of them are genuine:

• be wary of competitions asking for hefty entry fees but offering small prizes
• the Australian Society of Authors suggests that a $5 fee for prize money over $1,000 is acceptable
• the ASA provides a set of guidelines free on their website
• the results should be made public
• the judges should be listed on the entry form
• if publication is part of the deal make sure that you’re not signing away your copyright under the conditions of entry
• make sure that you have all of the organiser’s contact details and caution is advised if the address is a PO Box.

Dogged perseverance often pays off … as many of our members will attest. Good luck!

May 31: Best Australian Food Blog Food Writing Competition 2013
The Australian food blogsphere is a wonderful place full of an amazing array of talented and emerging food writers. As such, Food Bloggers Australia along with the SA Writers Centre is thrilled to announce a new, national food blogging writing competition to uncover the great food blog food writers this country has to offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for food bloggers to show off their writing skills and possibly win a great prize in the process. We're pleased to welcome Kitchenware Direct on board as our 2013 competition sponsor.
Competition Details
We have three fabulous prizes of $150 Kitchenware Direct vouchers to be awarded to one lucky winner under each of the three categories of Food or Food/Travel Narrative, Restaurant Review or Original Recipe. There will also be a voter's prize awarded randomly in the Original Recipe category. To be eligible to enter you must be either a member of the SA Writers Centre (not a member? Join here) or Food Bloggers Australia (not a member? Join here) and entries for the competition will be based on blog posts published within the last four (4) months, up to and including the closing date of 31 May 2013. All entries must be submitted by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it no later than 1700 hrs (CST) on Friday, 31 May 2013 and all winners will be announced on Friday, 21 June, 2013.
Competition Categories and Judging
Entrants can submit one blog post under one only of the following categories:

• Food or Food/Travel Narrative
• Restaurant Review
• Original Recipe

The Food or Food/Travel and Restaurant Review categories will be judged by food historian, author and Professor of the Graduate Program in Food Studies at the University of Adelaide, Barbara Santich and Michelle 'Prakky' Prak, Board Member of the SA Writers Centre and social media consultant. The Original Recipe category will be decided by popular vote. Voting will commence on Wednesday June 5 and a voting link will be published here, on the Food Bloggers Australia website.
Prizes
One winner from each category will be awarded a $150 voucher sponsored by Kitcheware Direct.

Competition Terms and Conditions
IMPORTANT – please make sure you read and note all of the terms and conditions of entry. The competition Terms and Conditions can be found here. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions will deem your entry ineligible.
Grab a Badge
Entered the competition? Why not grab a badge for your blog and display it in your sidebar. If you're a Mac user simply drag and drop; if you're on a PC please right click and copy.

Positive Words Short Story & Poetry Competition and Mini-Competitions
Positive Words magazine runs a Short Story & Poetry Competition and a number of monthly Mini-Competitions themed around keywords. For details and entry forms, please go to the website link above or contact the editor, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last Day of Each Month: Darker Times Fiction Short Story Competition
Entries up to 3000 words on the subject of 'darker times'. 1st prize is a percentage of money raised that month plus publication on the website and in a Darker Times Anthology. Runners up will also be published on the site and in the anthology. Please email your entry to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

May 31: Sports Fiction and Essay Contest This contest, now in its second year, seeks today's best short fiction and essays on sports-related themes (no poetry this year). We will award $3,000 in prizes. For full guidelines click the link.

May 31: AHWA Short Story and Flash Fiction Competition

The Australian Horror Writers Association seeks short fiction to 8,000 words and flash fiction to 1,000. Winners receive paid publication in Midnight Echo. For more info follow the above link.

May 31: Whitsunday Voices and DBCT P/L Picture Book Competition
Open section with a $2000 1st prize and a $1000 2nd prize for a picture book manuscript up to 500 words revolving around the DBCT P/L mascot, Hector. Details and entry form from www.dbct.com.au or via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

May 31: "Some Like it Hot" Romantic Fiction Competition
In celebration of its launch and all things romance, Steam eReads is calling for entries to the 2013 "Some Like it Hot" Romantic Fiction Competition. Seeking original, previously unpublished works of 50,000+ words. Entry is free, and open to Australian and international writers aged 18 and over. Three cash prizes and a publishing contract with Steam eReads. First prize is worth $1,500 AUD, with second $1,000 AUD and third $500 AUD.

May 31: The Best of Times Short Story Competition #15
For humorous short stories (any theme) up to 2500 words. First prize: $200, second prize: $50. No entry form is required. Include a cover sheet with your name and address, story title and word count, and where you heard about the competition. Entry fee is $6 per story. Send a cheque or money order made out to Chris Broadribb or use Paypal to pay This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Post your entry to PO Box 55, Blaxcell NSW 2142 (including a large SSAE for results) or email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

June 3: Think Inside the Box AWG Competition
The Australian Writers' Guild presents an outstanding opportunity for writers with an original idea for an adult television drama series or mini-series. This is an invaluable chance to get your work in front of the best in the business! Download entry form and guidelines via the above link.

June 12: National Open Poetry Competition
Run by The Society of Women Writers NSW; entries must be unpublished, max 40 lines, entry fee $10 per story. For details follow the link above.

June 17: Impress Prize for New Writers 2013 Competition
The prize is in its seventh year and its aim is to find exciting new, unpublished writing talent. The winner will receive a publishing contract from Impress Books and will be chosen from a shortlist by a panel of judges working in the book industry.

June 18: Prada Journal Short Story Competition, 2013
Open to all writers 18 years plus. €5000 prize money for selected winner or winners. Short story of no less than 2000 words to a maximum of 4000. Competition and full list of terms available via the above link. Prada is a global luxury company renowned for innovation and creativity.

June 30: Scribblers Literary Competition
 Prose and Poetry sections each First prize $350, Second Prize $150, Third Prize $100. Short stories to 2,000 words, poetry to 40 lines. Details and entry form via the link above.

June 30: Langhorne Creek Writers' Festival Adult Writing Competition
Three contests. Two prose categories up to 2,000 words each: Open Theme (on any topic), or Langhorne Creek Theme (on a topic related to Langhorne Creek, South Australia), and poetry up to 50 lines on any topic. For each contest: First Place $500, Second Place $200, Third Place $100. Winning entries will be announced at the Festival September 21st, and will be read at the Cellar Door Muster October 13th. Entry to the Writing Competitions is FREE. Entry form via link above or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

June 30: Adelaide Plains Chapter and Verse Fairy Tale Twisted Sideways competition.
Open Section only with prize pool of up to $1000. Take a fairy tale and give it a good twist! Maximum 2000 word limit. Entry form and guidelines Carolyn Cordon. 

June 30: Motorcycle Short Story Competition
A $1000 cash prize for best true or fictional story, from 500 to 3000 words, involving motorcycles and their riders. No entry fee. Details at www.motorbikelegends.com.au

10 July: National Open Short Story Competition
Run by The Society of Women Writers NSW; entries must be unpublished, max 2500 words, entry fee $10 per story. For details & entry form follow the link above.

July 12: All Poetry Competition
Prizes $200, $100, $60. Open theme. Original, unpublished poetry 14-40 lines. Entry fee $7 per poem. Organisers, Judges: Kitchen Table Poets, Shoalhaven.

July 22: Yarram Community Learning Centre
Open theme. Short stories (1,500-3,000 words) and poetry (8-48 lines) rhyming or free verse. Short story first prize $200, second prize $100. Poetry first prize $100, second prize $50. Entry fee $5 per story, $3 per poem. To request an entry form – PO Box 212, Yarram, Vic, 3971, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Phone (03) 51 826 294.

July 26: FAW Eastern Suburbs Branch [Bondi Writers] 2013 Short Story Competition.
Open theme. Maximum length 3,000 words. Unlimited entries, no entry form required, attach cover sheet with author details. White A4 paper, no names on manuscript, double line spaced, and pages numbered please. Entry must not have won a monetary prize nor have been published as at the close date. Include SSAE for results and judge's report. $5 per entry: cheque/money order payable to Bondi Writers Group. First Prize $200. Second prize $100. Entries to be sent to: Competition Convenor, Bondi Writers, P.O. Box 701, Bondi Junction, NSW, 1355.

September 1: FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD Short Story Competition
Shadeofloud presents FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD Short Story Competition. Open to all. First prize £250. 1500 words max. £10 per entry. More details: www.shadeofloud.com/competition

September 7: The Toolangi C. J. Dennis Poetry Competition 2013
Three Adult categories ('Open', 'Adults Writing for Children, and 'Themed'), each with $250 1st prize. Junior categories (Primary and Secondary) also. Details and entry form here.

September 30: Scribes Writers Short Story and Memoir Award 2013
Open Section with a $200 1st prize and $100 2nd prize for Fictional Short Stories up to 1,000 words. $100 1st prize and $50.00 2nd prize for Memoir. Details from www.scribeswriters.com

November 30: Bottle Tree Productions One Act Competition for Writers 2013
First Prize $1,000, Second prize $250, Third prize $100. Closing date November 30, 2013. For more info please go to http://www.bottletreeinc.com/script_contest.html