This prize is offered in partnership by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Spineless Wonders publishing (SW). Enter here.

Novella Prize—Publication Pathway and Cash Prize

Have you written a novella in prose or verse? Or a hybrid novella that crosses genre boundaries? Enter the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Spineless Wonders publishing (SW) ‘Novella Prize’ for your chance to win.

If you win you will receive: a judges’ report from an established literary author. This ‘tick of approval’ will see your manuscript assessed without delay. You will, effectively, leap to the top of the submissions pile. You will also receive a $500.00 cash prize and fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP (November 2024) where you will be invited to read from your work.

If your full manuscript is as robust as the synopsis and opening extract, you may secure a publishing contract with Spineless Wonders

Take advantage of this stunning opportunity. Fast track your writing journey in a fiercely competitive market.

Submissions close June 30, 2024. Enter here.

The submission fee per entry is $20.00.

For further information, please visit AAWP.

If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au

Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.

Conditions of Entry

This competition is open to writers at all stages of their career.
The AAWP and SW ‘Novella’ Prize will be launched following the annual conference of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs, 2023. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2024. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Entries should not exceed 5,000 words (prose) or 50 lines (poetry). An extract from a subsequent chapter is permissible as long as the total submission adheres to the aforementioned guidelines.
When submitting your work (via Submittable), please use the section marked ‘Cover Letter’ to add your full name, your preferred contact details (email and phone) and a 100- word author bio (as you would like it to appear on any prize announcements).
You must submit a 500-word synopsis with your submission. The synopsis should precede your submission and the entire submission should be submitted as one Word document. Suggested formatting for the entry is as follows—line spacing: 1.5, font size: 12-point, font: Times New Roman or Garamond.
The winner will be announced on the AAWP website no later than September 30, 2024. At this time the winner will submit a full manuscript together with a 500-word synopsis.
You may enter as many times as you wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
The entry should be de-identified. The author’s name, or other identifying characteristics, should not appear on the submission. Judging is blind.
Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
The AAWP reserves the right to disqualify any entry that breaches the Conditions of Entry. The entrant will be provided with written notification of the disqualification.
The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
The submission may include work that has been published previously providing such publication does not breach the Conditions of Entry and as long as the author owns the copyright.

Terms and Conditions

Copyright in the submitted work will remain with the entrant. The AAWP will not reproduce any entries or synopses without the express permission of the entrant. If needed, a copyright licence can be negotiated after the Prize has been awarded.
There is no guarantee of a publishing contract.
The overall winner will receive $500.00 in prize money. This will be paid via bank transfer. The overall winner will also receive a judge’s report from an established literary author. This ‘tick of approval’ will see your manuscript assessed by SW without delay.
AAWP conference fees (negotiated annually) are provided for the winner. This includes conference attendance (and all the benefits that entails). Extra fees (i.e. for the conference dinner, or for special activities such as workshops or tours) are the responsibility of the winner. Travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the winner.
The winning entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
If your work includes Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and you inform us of this, AAWP will acknowledge the language group or Indigenous community with an appropriate notice of custodial interest, to be negotiated with you.