For the benefit of our members (and the broader writing community), we’ve collected this list of current competitions and opportunities for you. Please note that we do not administer these competitions, and we can’t answer any questions you might have about them. Listings are provided in good faith. Please check details and conditions of entry.
Looking for children’s contests? Those exclusively for school-aged and ‘young’ writers are marked YOUTH, but others may include junior sections.
Date limited competitions and calls for submission, November 2024 to January 2025
COMPETITIONS
November 21st, 2024:
Submissions – Catchment – Accepting poetry (up to 30 lines) and tanka entries (up to 5 lines) in submission of ‘Edition 3’ of their literary journal of ‘Catchment’
November 22nd, 2024:
2024 Judith Wright Poetry Prize ($9000) – Overland literary journal – Open to emerging poets from Australia and New Zealand with 80 line entries
Junior journo | Junior Journo | KidsNews – Open to Australian school students between Years 3 to Year 9 with the theme of “Something factual that happened, or is about to happen, in your school or local community”. Entries close on Friday November 22nd 2024 at 5pm (AEDT), see their website and click on the ‘Competition Entry Form’ for more information.
November 30th, 2024:
COMPETITIONS – for writers of rhyme and metre | Jackie Hosking – This children’s based competition accepts submission both children’s and adults writing within rhyme and meter. See their website for further submission details.
Flash Fiction Competition 2024 – Fiction Factory – 1000 word flash fiction submissions accepted with all stories welcome excluding Children’s and Young Adult Fiction.
The Plaza Short Story Prize (2500 words) – The Plaza Prizes
The Bath Children’s Novel Award 2024 – £5,000 writing prize
December 6th, 2024:
National Poetry Prize | Somerset Storyfest – This poetry competition accepts submissions up to 50 lines from Australian high school students within Years 7 – 12.
Novella Writing Competition | Somerset Storyfest – This novella competition accepts submissions between 8,000 – 20,000 words from Australian high school students within Years 7 – 12.
December 13th, 2024:
ABPA – Events & Results – Two ‘Bush Poetry’ competitions targeted for both primary and high school students, accepting 4-20 line accepting submissions (primary students) and 12-40 lines submissions (high school). The theme for these competitions is ‘Watermelon’, see website for further submission guidelines and additional details.
December 20th, 2024:
Home – Little Stories.Big Ideas – 100 word flash fiction competition targeted for Australian secondary school students (Years 7 – 12) with the theme of ‘War’. See their website for further submission guidelines.
December 23rd, 2024:
Current Competition | Free Flash Fiction – Flash Fiction competition that accepts 100 to 300 submissions of any theme and closes on December 23rd 2024 (10pm UK time).
December 31st, 2024:
Competition | Audio Arcadia – Short Story competition accepting submissions up to 5000 words with the focus on Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Adventure and Travel themes. This competition closes at midnight on December 31st, 2024 (pacific time) and see their website for further submission guidelines.
Do Wha(TS) Write | Contest Rules – Flash Fiction & Short Story competition that accepts up to 1000 word submissions with no limits on theme and topics.
January 6th, 2025
2025 Poetry Competition – Shepton Snowdrops
January 15th. 2025:
Guidelines for the 2024–25 Nurse Essay Contest – Hektoen International – This essay contest accepts 500-1600 word submissions from writers who are nurses, nurses aids and nursing students with a specific focus on Medicine.
2025 Writing Competition | BmthWritingFestival
January 16th 2025:
2025 Competition Information — Stratford Shakespeare Festival
January 31st 2025:
GWN Summer Short Story Competition – Gippsland Writers Network – Closes 5pm on Friday January 21st 2025 with submissions of short stories up to 500 words accepted.
CALLS FOR SUBMISSION
Penguin Literary Prize – Penguin Books Australia – Currently accepting submissions of unpublished manuscripts until Monday December 16th 2024 (11:59pm AEDT), see their website for their submission guidelines.
SUBMIT TO THE DOROTHY HEWETT AWARD – UWA Publishing – Currently accepting submissions of unpublished manuscripts until Saturday 30th November 2024 (5PM AWST), see their website for submission guidelines
The Masters Review Chapbook Open: September 1 – December 15, 2024 – The Masters Review – The Chapbook Open is currently calling for submissions of flash fiction, creative non-fiction essays, short stories and manuscripts (45 pages maximum) with the basis of “experimenting with style and form and push the boundaries of genre”, for their prose chapbooks. Submissions will be accepted between September 1 and December 15, 2024, with all submissions must be single-author prose manuscripts of 25 to 45 pages and traditional lineated poetry is not accepted. See their website for further details on submission guidelines and prizes.
Mascara Literary Review – Mascara Literary is currently accepting unpublished submissions of poetry (3 poems max), reviews (1200 – 1500 words) , fiction (one story up to 3000 words or flash fiction of 1000 words) and non-fiction (3000 words). See their website for additional submission guidelines.
Antler Velvet | Prompts & Submission – Antler Velvet is an indie online arts magazine accepting on poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and art. Their focus includes fostering a place of expression, new ideas and unique ways of looking. They publish 4 online editions on an annual basis with ‘The Doe Edition (The Minzine’) currently open for submissions between 1st November until December 1st (published on December 31st) and the ‘The Fawn Edition’ open between November 15th until December 31st (published on January 31st). See website for their submission guidelines and additional details regarding their publishing periods.
King’s Shorts Info – King’s Theatre – This Canadian-based theatre community is currently accepting script submission as part of ‘The 16th King’s Shorts Festival of Ten Minute Plays’, with the event being hosted at King’s Theatre in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada on June 20, 21 & 22, 2025. All scripts submission must be 10 minutes in stage-length with no limits on genre and topics and open until January 15th, 2025. See their website for additional details on the event and submission guidelines.
Gilbert and Hall Press, Green magic: stories of hope and power, hopeful futures short story anthology call out. Submissions close January 2025.
Ongoing Opportunities
Welcome – Social Alternatives – Social Alternatives is an independent, quarterly refereed journal which aims to promote public debate, commentary and dialogue about contemporary social, political, economic and environmental issues. They accept submissions of academic papers, commentaries, book reviews and essays, short stories and poetry related to the aims of the journal. Wordcounts listed from this journal include academic articles (3000-5000 words), commentaries & review essays (800 – 2000 words) and short stories (1000 words). See their website for additional submission guidelines.
Australian short stories | Spineless Wonders publishing – Spineless Wonders is a Sydney-based multi-platform publishing house devoted to working collaboratively to produce books, eBooks and audiobooks as well as immersive and engaging literary-based experiences. They accept submissions of brief fiction (including short stories & novellas) amongst ‘Microlit’ (blend between micro fiction and prose poetry) and single author collections & anthologies in either print, eBook or audiobook format. See their website for additional submission guidelines.
Submit — Aniko Press – Aniko Press is an independent publishing company that publishes literary and contemporary fiction, short story collections, poetry, interesting/experimental nonfiction and exciting graphic novels. Their passion involves “curating a list of unique, exciting and experimental voices, and offering emerging writers a platform to share their stories” and their vision to creating “a space where readers and writers can explore new ideas, perspectives and artistic possibilities”. See their website for further submission guidelines.
Submission Guidelines | Black Inc. – Black Inc. is an independent Australian publisher based in Melbourne that publishes fiction and non-fiction books with imprints including the Quarterly Essay journal and La Trobe University Press books. They accept from Australian writers only for general, literary and commercial non-fiction – including history, current affairs, memoir and biography. Their submission period occurs on the first week of each month (1st – 7th) and see their website for further guidelines.
Submissions – Etherea MAGAZINE – Etherea Magazine is an Australian publication that seeks fantasy and science fiction flash fiction, short stories of length and novelette/novellas. They accept reprints (given that submissions are indicated upon publication) and charge between $25 – $200 flat rate per submission. See website for further details on their submission guidelines.
The Mythopoeic Society – The Mythic Circle Submissions Guidelines (mythsoc.org) – The Mythic Circle seeks contributions of fantasy- or mythic-inspired original stories, poems, and independent works of visual art. Their focus relies on emphasising in the benefit of writers trying to develop their craft in the Mythopoeic tradition. They publish short fiction and poetry that does not have a word count limit; however they do prefer short fiction submissions ideally no more than 5000 words. See website for their submission guideline details.
Metatron Press – Devoted to digital literature, including e-chapbooks, long poems, and long-form auto/non/-fiction, mixed/anti-genre, translation, and other experimental works.
Submissions | Old Moon Quarterly – Dark Fantasy Magazine (oldmoonpublishing.com) – Old Moon publishes character-focused, weird sword-and-sorcery: stories of a dark and transgressive nature, set in a secondary or historical-paranormal worlds, with the focus on rounded characters undergoing some sort of conflict, resolved by the might of their main or mind. They accept short-fiction pieces between 1000-6000 words and poetry with no more than 50 lines. See their ‘Submissions’ page for further details.
Submit – Southerly (southerlylitmag.com.au) – This magazine accepts short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and academic essays from exclusively Australian and New Zealand writers only. See website for further details.
Submit Your Work – Litro Magazine – ‘Litro Print Magazine’ accepts short fiction, flash/micro fiction, nonfiction (memoir, literary journalism, travel narratives, etc), original artworks (photographs, illustrations, paintings, etc) and translated to English pieces based on the designated theme. All accepted pieces are generally 4000 words but may accept no more than 5000 words in exceptional cases. See website for further details.
Quick Story Tales is a new opportunity for authors, and is open for submissions of very short stories and poetry, successful submissions are paid for publication. FAQs and application form on the website.
Overland: open for poetry submissions
Open to submissions from emerging, politically engaged poets for publication in the journal. Submit up to three poems per quarter. Payment for poems published in the print edition.
UQP Publishing is now accepting unsolicited submissions for their literary fiction and non-fiction lists, as well as the Stories for the Future initiative, in the first week of every month. To be considered, please read and follow the guidelines carefully.
The Wakefield Weekly Writing Competition is a monthly challenge for authors Australia-wide. Each month, they release a new prompt for authors to respond to. The prize for the winning author (or authors) includes gift vouchers and the publication of winning entries on the Wakefield Press blog.
Griffiths Review is regularly open for pitches and submissions, with four calls a year in each category: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. In addition they run the Emertging Voices Competition. Read the site carefully for T&C and details of themes etc.
Fractured Lit publishes flash fiction with emotional resonance, with characters who come to life through their actions and responses to the world around them. They are searching for flash that investigates the mysteries of being human; the sorrow and the joy of connecting to the diverse population. Fractured Lit is open year-round, to all writers. They currently publish microfiction (up to 400 words) and flash fiction (401-1,000 words), with new writing featured on Mondays and Thursdays. They also offer contests throughout the year.
Writers Victoria’s in-house magazine, The Victorian Writer, welcomes submissions from both members and non-members writing short fiction and non-fiction, poetry, and articles on the craft and business of writing. Check the link for submission dates, themes and pitching info.
The School Magazine is open for submissions, seeking quality children’s literature for ages 7-12+. Submit stories, plays, articles, persuasive texts or poetry. Categories for writers, illustrators, comic serial creators and cartoonists
Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub: is an online anthology of songs, fiction and poetry that’s inspiring, meaningful and original, and that reflects the principles, concerns and values of the Extinction Rebellion from a global, regional or local perspective. Submissions accepted year-round.
Tim Saunders Publications invite submissions of poems up to 30 lines and short stories up to 1000 words on a range of topics across the year. Contributors retain copyright. He also runs monthly prompts/competitions on a range for short-format formats: Four Words, Idea, Title and Writing Prompt with publication possibilities
Voiceworks is a national literary journal that features exciting new writing and art by young Australians. Our purpose is to create a space for people under twenty-five to develop their creative and editorial skills and to publish, and be paid for, their fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. See site for deadlines and details.
Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature is a digital, Open Access, quarterly journal accepting rolling submissions for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter issues. The aim is to highlight disability literature and the creative arts, and work pertaining to disability experiences and cultures, and prioritises work by writers and other creative artists with disabilities. See the site for cut-off dates.
NB: writers with disability can find more info on opportunites and resources through Writers Victoria Writeability site.
Green Stories writing competitions is a writing competition project with a range of categories for novels, plays, and short stories. Entries should conform with positive visions of more sustainable futures and/or the inclusion of green solutions but needn’t have an explicitly green theme.
Women with Disabilities Australia is looking for blog posts from women, girls and non-binary persons with disability that live in Australia, on the theme of leadership.
The Australian Bush Poets Association run a calendar of bush poetry events for both written and performed bush poetry.
Ginninderra Press (accepts unsolicited manuscripts across a range of genres, please read their criteria carefully).
Wombat Books (accepts unsolicited manuscripts, submitting authors should be familiar with WB’s body of printed books).
LitMag is looking for fiction, poetry and non-fiction submissions (submission fees, paid).
Big Sky Publishing is open for finished non-fiction manuscripts.
The Archipelago is a new online journal exploring themes of migration, identity and decolonisation (limited payment) through prose, poetry and art.
[untitled]is open to submissions of short stories 300-5,0000 words
Science Write Now is a website promoting writing about science through the forms of fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction and poetry.
Creative Writing News maintains a website of international writing opportunities of all types. Entry conditions vary so check the details carefully.
Write from the Heart runs a monthly, themed micro-fiction contest with the $2 entry fee being split between a charity and the prize pool.
Overland journal is paying for fiction in its print and online editions.
Right Now magazine is looking for pitches on written and multimedia works about human rights issues in Australia.
Penny Mint seeks experimental poetry, spoken word, essays, serialised fiction and more.
Frankie seeks interviews, rants, research pieces, photography projects and editorial illustrations.
Quadrant online seeks essays, literature, poetry and historical and political debate.
Arena (Online and Quarterly) seek commentary on emerging social and political issues.
Going Down Swinging journal seeks fiction, creative non-fiction, spoken word, commentary, essays, comics, poetry and experimental work.
Archer Magazine is open to pitches for articles and images about sexuality, gender and identity.
The Sydney Review of Books is open to pitches for non-fiction on contemporary literature and culture.
Sweaty City seeks writing about climate change and urban ecologies with a Sydney focus.
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund has rolling grant opportunities for artists and organisations throughout the year.
US-based Sunspot Literary Journal offers a $35 Editor’s Prize for every digital edition, a $50 Editor’s Prize for the annual print edition, and pays for artwork selected for a cover. It accepts flash, stories, essays and memoir up to 49,000 words, poetry and art. Translations welcome.
Positive Words holds monthly mini-competitions (short story up to 100 words or poem up to 10 lines) with a different word/prompt.
The Human Writers is offering a platform for works on ‘creative ageing in Australia’ from older Australian writers.
Babyteeth journal is open to submissions of prose, spoken word, visual art and more.
Dark Lake Publishing publishes regular anthologies and single titles on the dark side.
Opportunities for Poets | New Australian poetry, contemporary Australian writers & poetry education | Red Room Poetry (includes section for prose)
Writers – The School Magazine – The School Magazine
Storiaverse For Writers (an interesting new concept)Submit | Australian Literary and Arts Magazine | ISLAND (islandmag.com)
Submit | Australian Literary and Arts Magazine | ISLAND
Lightspeed Magazine – Science Fiction & Fantasy – Lightspeed is a digital science fiction and fantasy magazine that accepts original and unpublished short stories & novelettes (1,501 – 10,000 words) from all writers. See website for further submission guideline details.
Nightmare Magazine – Horror & Dark Fantasy – Nightmare Magazine is a horror & dark fantasy magazine that feature works spanning the broad spectrum of dark fiction, with an emphasis on fascinating characters and prose. Original and unpublished Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry and Short Stories entries are accepted by all writers. See website for further submission guideline details.
Fantasy Magazine – From Modern Mythcraft to Magical Surrealism – Fantasy Magazine is a digital magazine focusing exclusively on the fantasy genre (dark fantasy, contemporary urban tales, surrealism, magical realism, science fantasy, high fantasy, folktales). Their current publication schedule (monthly basis) includes two original short stories and two pieces of flash fiction, feature interviews and poetry. Each issue’s contents are serialized on our website throughout the month. See website for further details.
Clarkesworld Magazine – Science Fiction & Fantasy – Clarkesworld Magazine is a Hugo, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes short stories, interviews, articles and audio fiction. See ‘Submissions’ page for specific genre guidelines.
Home – Alfred Hitchcock – AHMM is a monthly issued magazine that specifically seeks for mystery & crime focused entries (classic mystery, police procedurals, private eye tales, suspense, courtroom dramas, espionage). Accepted entries must be no longer than 12,000 words and further information can be found via ‘Writers Guidelines’ page.
ILLUMINATIONS OF THE FANTASTIC LITERARY MAGAZINE – Monthly Submissions for Adventure, Essays, History, Horror, Mystery, Poetry, Sci-Fi & Travelogue. More information can be found via ‘About’ page.
Furious Fiction | Australian Writers’ Centre (writerscentre.com.au) – Monthly Submissions with regular challenge prompts announced on the first Friday of each month, the next challenge prompt to be announced on September 6th 2024. Contestants to submit entries under a deadline for 55 hours and word limit of 500 words.