Competitions
2023 ACMF National Songwriting Competition
The 2023 ACMF National Songwriting Competition is now open.
Every year, students from schools across Australia are invited to put pen to paper and enter their original song in the competition.
Entry is free for students from Years K-12.
Winners receive prize-money which can be allocated towards musical equipment or tuition.
Entries for the competition close on 30 September.
Find out more and enter here.
International Short Story Writing Competition ’23
We’re looking for short stories! Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or less? Enter GEMA’s International Short Story Writing Competition today!
If you are a writer aged 18 or younger and wanting to get published, participate to see your work published in book form, distributed globally, and win trophies, medals, Kidzania passes, free access to GEMA’s creative writing program, and certificates!
Entries are open now and close 8 October.
Find out more and enter here.
The 2023 Simpson Prize Competition
The Simpson Prize is a national competition for Year 9 and 10 students that focuses on the service of Australians in World War I.
One winner and one runner-up from each State and Territory will participate in a three-day program in Canberra. Winning students will also travel to key historical and commemorative sites across Australia, noting that the final itinerary is subject to confirmation.
To enter the Simpson Prize, you must respond to the question using the Simpson Prize Australian War Memorial Source Selection and your own research:
“Commemoration of the Anzac tradition has widespread support in Australia despite different historical interpretations and debates about the nature and significance of the Anzac legend.”
To what extent does your own research support this view?
Entries are open until Friday 3 November.
Find out more and enter here: https://www.simpsonprize.org/
Storyfest National Novella Writing Competition
The Storyfest National Novella Writing Competition is open to all Australian high school students. It is a wonderful opportunity for serious student writers, encouraging them in their literary growth – and there are also some fantastic prizes on offer.
All state winners will be awarded:
- Cash prizes
- Flights and accommodation to the Gold Coast
- Tickets to attend Somerset Storyfest (25-27 March 2024)
- Exclusive access to meet with Australia’s elite authors and publishers
Entries close Friday 1 December.
Find out more and enter here.
MiNDFOOD Short Story Competition
Due to popular demand, our short story competition has been renewed for 2023!
Each month, MiNDFOOD will publish one reader’s short story, with the best story published over the course of a year going on to win $1000. We are looking for unpublished stories from budding non-professional writers who may need a nudge to showcase their talent. Each month, the staff of MiNDFOOD will choose the best story to publish and, at the end of the year, will choose the award for Best Short Story.
Entries need to be 2000 words in length and previously unpublished.
Find out more and enter here.