Now that you’re in the swing of honing your writing skills after our ’22 Ways to Improve your Writing in 2022’ blog series, consider submitting to one (or all!) of these competitions in the first half of 2022 as the next challenge on your writing journey.
February:
28th February: Minds Shine Bright Competition
Explore the theme of confidence through poetry, story and script writing. Each writer needs to interpret the theme of confidence in some way in their submitted writing.
There are four categories including short stories, flash fiction, poetry and script writing. There will be a $1000 prize for the overall winner, a $500 prize for the winner of each category and $100 for commendations. $5 entry fee. Entry via website: https://mindsshinebright.com/
28th February: 2022 Heroines Anthology/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize
The Heroines Anthology is a collection of stories about women written by women. Works with a particular focus on telling lost women's history, untold stories, and reimagined myths, fairy tales, folklore or legends, or speculative fiction, are particularly encouraged.
Only accepts submissions from writers who identify or live as women.
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.
In 2022, the 1st prize for Short Fiction is $1000 & 1st prize for Poetry is $1000. Entry fee $15
Enter through website: https://www.theneoperennialpress.com/heroinesanthologyprize2022
March:
11th March, 2022: Tales of the Pandemic Competition
Short pieces of fiction or non-fiction writing up to 3000 words about an aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic. A selection of entries will be professionally published in an anthology by IngramSpark. Winners will receive two free copies of their work in the paperback publication. Prizes: First prize $3,000; Second prize $1,000; Third prize $500; Local prize $1,000.
Entry via the website: https://www.yourlibrary.com.au/shortstorycomp/
19th March 2022: Griffith Review Emerging Voices Competition
Griffith Review is looking for submissions of fiction and creative non-fiction from 3,500 words up to 5,000 words. You can write to any theme you like – but we want new ideas, fresh voices and bold perspectives. Up to five winning entries will be selected. The winners will share a prize pool of $25,000, and their work will be published in Griffith Review’s seventy-eighth edition. 'Emerging' writers are writers ranging from previously unpublished through to those with a maximum of one published book (fiction or non-fiction).
Entry fees are $25 for non-subscribers, $15 for current subscribers and free for Griffith Review Contributors Circle members. The entry fee entitles you to a complimentary digital edition of Griffith Review.
Submit via their website: https://griffithreview.submittable.com/submit
April
30th April: Under the Silver Tree Short Story Competition
Under the Silver Tree Cooperative Bookshop is conducting a short story writing competition, with total prize money of $1,500.
Entrants will write a short story of no more than 2000 words inspired by RebeccaWest’s quote: “The world is round and what might seem like the end may also be only the beginning.” There is a fee of $10 for each entry.
First prize is $1,000; West Darling Arts Award to a writer from Western Region (Far West NSW): $500
Entry via website: https://www.underthesilvertree.com/writers-competition
30th April: Furphy Short Story Prize
The inspiration for this prize was stories by Joseph Furphy about the Riverina – so it’s a competition close to our hearts at Mona!
The theme for the competition is Australian Life, in all its diversity. The word limit is 5,000 words. Reward: Prize Money: 1st Prize – $15,000, 2nd Prize – $3,000, 3rd Prize – $2,000 There is also a LaTrobe University Shepparton Residency on offer for the winner, and many entries will be published in Furphy’s annual publication.
Entry via website: https://www.furphystory.com.au/furphy-literary-award/open-short-story-competition/
May
6th May: Laura Literary Awards
This competition has many facets, including a wide range of age brackets for prizes, including prizes for our Young Monas. There are prizes for both short stories and poetry, and the theme is completely open. Word limits range from 500 to 1500 words for short stories and 60 lines for poetry.
Entry fee (for Open section only) is $10. For further information about entry conditions, see the Rocky River ‘Riters website: https://rockyriverriters.club/laura-literary-awards-conditions-of-entry/
27th May: Poetry d’Amour Love Poetry Contest
This WA Poets competition is open to all poets, poems must be less than 40 lines in length and about the theme of love.
Entries subject to a fee of $10 per entry, or $20 for 2 entries, $25 for 3 entries and $30 for 4 entries, with an entry consisting of one original, unpublished poem. There is a Youth Incentive that applies for a free entry. For formatting requirements, https://wapoets.com/poetry-damour/poetry-damour-love-poetry-contest/
Entry via email: poetrydamour@gmail.com
June
30th June: Scribes Writers – Poetic Licence
Two categories available for entry, traditional verse and free verse. Each are limited to 60 lines and prize money available is $200 for first prize and $100 for second prize. Theme is open. Entry fee is $8 per poem.
Entry via Geelong Scribes Writers website: http://www.scribeswriters.com/
17th June: RD Walshe Memorial Writing for the Environment
The 2022 Sutherland Shire Environment Centre’s national Writing for the Environment competition invites writers to submit a fictional piece of prose on the topic of peace and sustainability. There are three categories: up to 18 years, 19-25 years, over 65. The word limit is 800 words for all categories. First prize in each category: $500, runner-up $100.
Entry via website: https://www.ssec.org.au/grants-and-awards/rd-walshe-memorial-writing-for-the-environment-prize/
July
30th July: Mary River Press Services Short Story Prize
Open theme, accepts all prose fiction and non-fiction between 2000-5000 words. First prize $100 and publication on the website, second prize $30 and third prize $10. Entry fees range from $3 to $5.
Entry via website: https://maryriverpress.com/competitions/
While you wait for ISSUE TWO, make sure you've read ISSUE ONE!
