Are you interested in writing competitions? Here you will find a summary of excerpts from recently announced competitions. Click the competition title to read more details.
Although the competitions may be conducted by the FAW NSW state body or by its Branches, they are still open to the general public, unless stated to the contrary. You may also find some outstanding writing opportunities from other groups but FAW NSW takes no responsibility for competitions administered by other organisations.
For Conditions of Entry relating to individual competitions, and to obtain an entry form (where required), contact the relevant competition organisers.
Entry Form: 2025 Marjorie Barnard Short Story Award
ENTRIES CLOSE 6:00pm Sunday 31 August 2025
Failure to comply with these Conditions will mean disqualification.
* All fields are required.
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Conditions: 2025 Marjorie Barnard Short Story Award
Closing date: 31 August 2025
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
- The Award is for Short Stories up to 3000 words.
- Entrants must be permanent residents of Australia.
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Entry Form: 2025 Hilarie Lindsay Short Story Competition
For Australian School Students
ENTRIES CLOSE at 6:00pm Sunday 31 August 2025
SECTION 1: Years 10, 11 & 12up to 2500 words Prize $150SECTION 2: Years 7, 8 & 9up to 2500 wordsPrize $125SECTION 3: Years 5 & 6up to 1500 wordsPrize $100SECTION 4: Year 4 &…
Conditions: 2025 Hilarie Lindsay Short Story Competition
For Australian School Students
Closing date: 31 August 2025
Entries are sought in the following categories:
SECTION 1: Years 10, 11 & 12 up to 2500 words Prize $150SECTION 2: Years 7,…
Country Newspapers Short Story Competition
The Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW has partnered with Country Press by assisting them to conduct a Short Story competition through our member, Greg McFarland (Isolated Writer) as their Representative. There are 49 Country Newspapers involved which are listed below.
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Workshops for Seniors Card Short Story Competition 2025
The NSW Dept of Communities and Justice and FAW are conducting a Short Story Competition for NSW Seniors Card and Senior Savers Card holders. The Top 100 stories will be published in Seniors Stories Volume 11.
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Conditions of Entry: Seniors Card Short Story Competition 2025
The 2025 Ernestine Hill Memorial Short Story Awards Luncheon
Immediately following the 2024 FAW NSW Annual General Meeting will be the second Ernestine Hill Memorial Short Story Awards Luncheon.
This event will include presentation of both the Ernestine Hill Memorial Short Story Award and the Rae Alison Cerhan Australiana Ballad competition.
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The Stringybark Open Themed Short Story Award 2025
Closing date: 23 February 2025
Stringybark Stories is proud to announce its 44th short story competition since 2010. Stringybark Publishing, and authors Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist are proud to sponsor the Stringybark Open Themed Short Story Award 2025.
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Next Generation Short Story Writing Opportunity
Closing date Thursday 27 February 2025
The Next Generation Short Story Awards, currently in its second year, is a not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories. The Short Story Awards is now accepting entries of short stories and poems in English (5000 words or less) for the 2025 awards program in 30+ categories.
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Tasmanian Writers’ Prize 2025
Entries close February 14, 2025
The prize is for short stories up to 3,000 words having an island, or island-resonant, theme.
The winning entry receives a cash prize of $500 and all finalists’ stories will appear in the
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Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2025
Closing date February 13, 2025
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the most exciting and rewarding book awards program open to independent publishers and authors worldwide, is currently accepting entries written in English and released in 2023,
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Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction 2025
- Opens: Midday 24 January 2025 AEDT;
- Closes: Midnight 26 January 2025 AEDT
The Not Quite Write Prize challenges writers to break the writing ‘rules’ while still telling a compelling 500-word story.
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Eastwood Hills FAW 2024 Literary Competition: Results
FLASH FICTION
1st place: ‘Heading Off’ David Brelsford
2nd place: ‘Walking to the Strand’ Thom. James
Highly Commended: ‘The Whisper of Trees’ Dianne Morton
Highly Commended: ‘An Ordinary Day’ Karen Payne
Commended: ‘Voices’ Christabel Strehle
Commended: ‘Farewell Francesca’ Robyn Knibb
PHILIPPA HOLLAND AWARD FOR POETRY
1st Place: ‘Two Canticles’ Colleen Keating
2nd Place: ‘Breathe…’ David Campbell
Highly Commended: ‘ungraspable’ Colleen Keating
Highly Commended: ‘Languid Ribbons’ David Terelinck
Highly Commended: ‘Embarking on a Poet’s Lighthouse Residency’ Ronald Atilano
Highly Commended: ‘Cloud Reading’ Richenda Rudman
Commended: ‘The Human Heart is 73% Water’ David Terelinck
Commended: ‘No Drone’ Ronald Atilano
ALAN RUSSELL AWARD FOR MEMOIR
1st place: ‘Peril Beyond the Moment’ Karen Payne
2nd place: ‘Tough’ Cheryl Lockwood
SHORT STORY
First Place: ‘The Seat at Table Rock’ David Campbell
Second Place: ‘The Gift’ Mike Woodhouse
Highly Commended: ‘Blind Faith’ Gayle Neighbour
Highly Commended: ‘The Driving Lesson’ Ivy Jacqueline Higgs
|Highly Commended: ‘Lunch Meeting’ Tania Park
Commended: ‘The Aroma of Coffee’ David Brelsford
Commended: ‘Children Know Best’ Tania Park
Commended: ‘On Second Thoughts’ Robyn Knibb.
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Results: The FAW NSW 2023 Ernestine Hill and Rae Cerhan Competitions
The Inaugural 2023 Ernestine Hill Memorial Short Story Competition:
Winner: Rachel Flynn, Fitzroy North, Victoria
Story Title: ‘Griffith’
The 2023 Rae Alison Cerhan Australiana Ballad:
Winner: Nola Vickery
Poem Title: ‘Under Opal Skies’.
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