The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) publishes the literary journal Meniscus and the writing journal TEXT, and hosts a number of creative writing competitions.
Meniscus is an online, free access literary journal. The editors and advisory board are based in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds, identities, nationalities and ethnicities, anywhere in the world. Meniscus publishes high quality, innovative poetry, prose poetry, short fiction, flash fiction and creative essays in English, or in other languages with a good parallel translation.
We don't accept work produced by generative AI, except where it may include a creative interaction between person and machine, and where the role of the AI is clearly explained.
We do accept simultaneous submissions, but ask that you advise us if one of your pieces is accepted by another publisher before you hear from us.
We do accept your work if it has appeared on social media, or your own blog, but not if it has been published elsewhere.
Meniscus has two issues a year — the first around April/May, the second around October/November. We open for submissions usually from 1 Nov to 15 Jan, and for 1 June to 15 Aug for the second, and usually don't begin reading the submissions until the closing date.
The Australian Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund provided funding for the journal until 2019. At present, we regret, we cannot guarantee funding for any other contributors.
This prize is offered in partnership by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF)
Enter your poem in the ‘AAWP/UWRF Poetry Prize for Emerging Writers’ for your chance to win.
If you win you will receive: a festival pass to Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) and accommodation for the duration of the festival (*Terms and Conditions apply, see below). In addition, you will receive a one-year annual membership to the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP). The editors at Meniscus will also consider your work for publication.
Take advantage of this stunning opportunity to celebrate the craft of writing at Southeast Asia’s largest and most exciting literary festival. Be welcomed into the thriving community of writers within the AAWP. Enter your poem and make the most of this generous publication pathway and networking opportunity for emerging writers.
For further information, please visit: https://aawp.org.au/news/opportunities
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The submission fee per entry is $20.00. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to emerging writers. Emerging writers will not have a full-length, single-authored, commercially published, print publication in poetry. Emerging writers who have published in electronic format only, or who have published work in collections showcasing multiple authors, are eligible.
2. The Prize will be launched at the AAWP annual conference. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on the UWRF website and the AAWP website no later than September 30, 2025.
3. Entries must be in English.
4. Entries should not exceed 40 lines (lineated poetry) or 400 words (prose poetry and hybrid forms).
6. Suggested formatting for the entry is as follows—line spacing: 1.5, font size: 12-point, font: Times New Roman or Garamond.
7. You may enter as many times as you wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
8. The entry should be de-identified. The author’s name, or other identifying characteristics, should not appear on the submission. Judging is blind.
9. The UWRF/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. If an entry is disqualified no refund will be given.
10. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
11. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
12. The award is for unpublished writing, including online publication.
Terms and Conditions
1. Copyright in the submitted work remains with the entrant. The AAWP will not reproduce any entries without the express permission of the entrant. If needed, a copyright licence can be negotiated after the Prize has been awarded.
2. The overall winner will receive one festival pass to UWRF 2025. The festival pass allows access to UWRF main stage sessions but does not guarantee access to ticketed special events, including masterclasses and workshops.
3. Accommodation is provided for the winner for the duration of the UWRF (up to five nights). Accommodation is arranged by AAWP in consultation with the UWRF Head of Programming. Costs associated with alterations to bookings are the responsibility of the winner.
4. The winner is entitled to a one-year membership of the AAWP. Entrants are not required to hold an existing membership, but if they are successful then their current membership will be extended by one year.
5. 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.
6. Publication in Meniscus is not guaranteed.
7. The overall winner will be credited on all copies of their entry/entries.
8. The winning entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
9. 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.
The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) / Voiceworks (Express Media) invite submissions of Sudden Writing.
We are deeply interested in capturing a composite “picture” of what people are writing about. Now. Please send creative work—short-short fiction, “sudden” fiction, “sketchy” stories, creative nonfiction, poetry, as well as hybrid forms.
Theme: Open
Word count:
· 400 words prose
· 40 lines for poetry
· 200 words for prose poems
Submissions must be previously unpublished. Please send your most polished work, without delay.
If you win you will receive $500. You will have your work published on the Express Media website and receive a Voiceworks subscription. You will also receive a one-year membership to the AAWP, and fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where you will be invited to read from your work.
Take advantage of this opportunity to win a significant cash prize and get published. Be welcomed into the thriving writing communities of Voiceworks and the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP).
For further information, please visit: https://aawp.org.au/news/opportunities
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The submission fee per entry is $5.00. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to emerging writers under 25 years of age, and is for unpublished writing. Emerging writers will not have a full-length, single-authored, commercially published, print publication in fiction, creative nonfiction or poetry. Emerging writers who have published in electronic format only, or who have published work in collections showcasing multiple authors, are eligible.
2. The Prize will be launched at the AAWP annual conference. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on the AAWP website and the Voiceworks website no later than September 30, 2025.
3. Entries should not exceed the guidelines: 400 words prose, 40 lines for poetry, 200 words for prose poems.
5. When submitting your work, 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).
6. Suggested formatting for the entry is as follows—line spacing: 1.5, font size: 12-point, font: Times New Roman or Garamond.
6. The entry should be de-identified. The author’s name, or other identifying characteristics, should not appear on the submission. Judging is blind.
7. You may enter as many times as you wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
8. 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. If an entry is disqualified no refund will be given.
9. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
10. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
11. The AAWP will not reproduce any entries without the express permission of the entrant.
12. There will be only one overall winner.
13. Copyright of all submitted work remains with the entrants. The overall winner’s work will be published on the Express Media website. The author retains copyright but grants Express Media a non-exclusive, non-commercial licence to communicate and publish the work on their website (which may remain online in perpetuity), and to record and broadcast readings of the winning entry for the purposes of promoting the prize and Voiceworks, for a period of two years.
14. The overall winner will receive $500, will have their work published on the Express Media website and receive a Voiceworks subscription. The overall winner is also entitled to a one-year membership of the AAWP. Entrants are not required to hold an existing membership, but if they are successful then their current membership will be extended by one year.
15. AAWP conference fees (negotiated annually) are provided for the winner. The AAWP conference subsidy for the winner 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.
16. Entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
17. 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.
The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Westerly Magazine are proud to offer a prize for Life Writing.
The Prize—Publication Pathway and Networking Opportunity
In 2025, the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Westerly Magazine are offering a prize for Life Writing. We welcome submissions of autobiography, biography, memoir, and essays. We celebrate Life Writing as a rumination upon memory and experience and encourage creative and hybrid approaches.
The prize is open to writers at all stages of their journey; emerging and established writers are welcome to enter. The prize recognises excellence in nonfiction, creative nonfiction and hybrid modes of storytelling. Hybrid storytelling is broadly conceived as storytelling that crosses traditional boundaries of nonfiction and creative nonfiction and/or is experimental in form.
We invite you to send Life Writing submissions of up to 3500 words. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize, a one-year subscription to Westerly, and conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where they will be invited to read from their work. Please see item 3 (Terms and conditions). The winner’s work will be considered for publication by Westerly.
We encourage you to take advantage of this stunning opportunity to celebrate diverse interpretations of nonfiction, creative nonfiction and hybrid modes of storytelling, and be welcomed into the thriving community of writers associated with the AAWP.
For further information, please visit: http://www.aawp.org.au/news/opportunities/
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The submission fee per entry is $20. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to writers at any stage of their career. Staff members of Westerly are ineligible to enter, as are AAWP Executive Committee Members.
2. The Prize will be launched at the AAWP annual conference. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on the AAWP website and the Westerly website no later than September 30, 2025.
3. Entries should not exceed 3500 words.
4. Entries may address any theme, and take any form associated with life writing.
5. 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).
6. Suggested formatting for the entry is as follows — line spacing: 1.5, font size: 12-point, font: Times New Roman or Garamond.
7. The author’s full name should not appear anywhere on the work. Judging is technically blind, with the concession Life Writing may include identifying characteristics.
8. Authors may enter as many times as they wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
9. The AAWP and Westerly reserve the right to disqualify any entry that breaches the Conditions of Entry. The entrant will be provided with written notification of the disqualification. If an entry is disqualified, no refund will be given.
10. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
11. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
12. The award is for unpublished writing, including online publication.
Terms and Conditions
1. The AAWP will not reproduce any entries without the express permission of the author. Westerly will consider the winning entry for publication. If published, Westerly will require the right to reproduce the work. Copyright otherwise remains with the winning author. If required, a copyright licence will be negotiated after the Prize has been awarded. Copyright of all other submitted work remains with the entrants.
2. The winner will receive $500 in prize money, to be paid via bank transfer and a one-year subscription to Westerly.
4. Publication in Westerly is not guaranteed.
5. The winning entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
6. 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.
This prize is offered in partnership by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Spineless Wonders publishing (SW).
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 2025) 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 SW: https://shortaustralianstories.com.au/
Take advantage of this stunning opportunity. Fast track your writing journey in a fiercely competitive market.
For further information, please visit: https://aawp.org.au/news/opportunities
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The submission fee per entry is $20.00. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to writers at all stages of their career.
2. The AAWP and SW ‘Novella’ Prize will be launched following the annual conference of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs, 2025. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted.
4. 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.
5. 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).
6. 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.
7. The winner will be announced on the AAWP website no later than September 30, 2025. At this time the winner will submit a full manuscript together with a 500-word synopsis.
8. The AAWP and SW ‘Novella Prize’ is open to current members of the AAWP; if membership is not active prior to the entry being submitted, the entry is invalidated.
9. You may enter as many times as you wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
10. The entry should be de-identified. The author’s name, or other identifying characteristics, should not appear on the submission. Judging is blind.
11. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
12. 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.
13. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
14. 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
1. 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.
2. There is no guarantee of a publishing contract.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. The winning entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
6. 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.
This prize is offered in partnership by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and the University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP).
The Prize—Publication Pathway/Expert Mentoring
Have you written a poetry collection, literary novel, short story collection or a hybrid work that crosses genre boundaries? Enter the Australasian Association of Writing Programs’ (AAWP) ‘Chapter One’ competition for your chance to win.
If you win you will receive: a written appraisal of your work from an established literary author and a letter of recommendation to the University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP). 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 2025) where you will be invited to read from your work.
If your full manuscript is as robust as ‘Chapter One’ you may secure a publishing contract with UWAP: http://uwap.uwa.edu.au.
Take advantage of this stunning opportunity. Fast track your writing journey in a fiercely competitive market.
For further information, please visit: https://aawp.org.au/news/opportunities
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The submission fee per entry is $20.00. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to emerging writers. Emerging writers will not have a full-length*, single-authored, commercially published, print publication in fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction. Emerging writers who have published in electronic format only, or who have published work in collections showcasing multiple authors, are eligible.
*A full-length publication is considered > 40,000 words for prose and > 40 pages for poetry.
2. ‘Emerging Writers’ may include writing students, research higher degree students, and research higher degree graduates and may also include submissions from writers beyond their graduation. Submissions are welcome from emerging writers outside the university setting.
3. The Prize will be launched at the AAWP annual conference. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on the AAWP website and the UWRF website no later than September 30, 2025.
4. Entries should not exceed 50 lines (poetry) or 5,000 words (prose). An extract from a subsequent chapter is permissible as long as the total submission adheres to the aforementioned guidelines.
5. 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).
6. You must submit a 500-word synopsis with your submission. The synopsis should precede your submission and the work 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.
7. 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.
8. ‘Chapter One’ is open to current members of the AAWP; if membership is not active prior to the entry being submitted, the entry is invalidated.
9. You may enter as many times as you wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
10. The entry should be de-identified. The author’s name, or other identifying characteristics, should not appear on the submission. Judging is blind.
11. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
12. 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.
13. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
14. 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
1. 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.
2. The letter of recommendation written to UWAP does not guarantee a publishing contract.
3. The overall winner will receive $500.00 in prize money. This will be paid via bank transfer. The overall winner will also receive a written appraisal from an established literary author and a letter of recommendation to the UWAP.
4. 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.
5. The winning entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
6. 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.
Global Writing Communities—Translators’ Prize
This prize is offered in partnership by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF).
Enter your work of translation to the ‘AAWP/UWRF Translators’ prize’ for your chance to win. The AAWP/UWRF collective vision is to promote the work of under-represented writers to a broader ‘English-using’ audience, in order to celebrate the art of translation by building both local and global writing communities from within our broad geographical region.
If you win you will receive: a festival pass to Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) and accommodation for the duration of the festival (*Term and Conditions apply, see below). In addition, you will receive a one-year annual membership to the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where you will be invited to read from your work. The editors at Meniscus Literary Journal will also consider your work for publication.
Take advantage of this stunning opportunity to celebrate the craft of writing and translating at one of the most vibrant and diverse literary festivals in the world. Be welcomed into the thriving community of writers within the AAWP. Enter your work of translation (poem or short story) and make the most of this generous publication pathway and networking opportunity for writers and translators.
For further information, please visit: https://aawp.org.au/news/opportunities
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The entry fee is $20.00. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to translators at any stage of their career.
2. The translator must have prior approval to translate and publish the translated work, ensuring the translation is covered by copyright law—the original author (or copyright holder in the case of a deceased author) must have signed a release, both for the translation and for publication of the translation. That release must accompany the entry.
3. The Prize will be launched at the AAWP annual conference and closes at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on the AAWP website and the UWRF website no later than September 30, 2025.
4. Entries must be in English.
5. When submitting your work, please use the section marked ‘Cover Letter’ to add your full name and a 100-word author bio (as you would like it to appear on any prize announcements).
6. Entries should not exceed 30 lines (poetry) or 3000 words (prose). Prose may be a standalone work or an extract from a longer-form work of literature. The translator may be the author of the original poem, short story or extract from a longer-form work of literature (which may have been originally published in a language other than English). The award is for entries unpublished in English, including online publication.
7. AAWP/UWRF recognise that translation is an act of interpretation, even when the original work is the translator’s own. Entrants must submit a ‘Translator’s Statement of Intention’ (maximum 400 words) addressing their aims in approaching this particular work of translation, including (but not limited to): limitations, possibilities and aims. The Translator’s Statement of Intention is assessed as part of the judging process.
8. Suggested formatting for the entry is as follows—line spacing: 1.5, font size: 12-point, font: Times New Roman or Garamond.
9. Translators may enter as many times as they wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
10. The AAWP/UWRF reserves the right to disqualify any entry that breaches the Conditions of Entry. The entrant will be provided with written notification of the disqualification. If an entry is disqualified no refund will be given. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
11. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
Terms and Conditions
1. Where the translator is not the original author of the work that has been translated, the translator represents and warrants that they have obtained permission from the original author or copyright owner in the work to adapt the work into the translation. The original author (or copyright holder in the case of a deceased author) must have signed a release, both for the translation and for publication of the translation. That release must accompany the entry. The translator will unconditionally indemnify and keep indemnified the AAWP against all losses, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable legal expenses as between solicitor and client) that the AAWP incurs as a result of or in relation to a breach of any of the translator’s representations or warranties under this clause.
2. Moral rights will remain with the original author of the translated work. Moral rights include: crediting the overall winner on all copies of their entry/entries; not editing or altering winning entries without the consent of the author. The translator will hold copyright in the submitted translated work. The AAWP will not reproduce any entries without the express permission of the translator. If needed, a copyright licence can be negotiated after the Prize has been awarded. If the translated 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.
3. The overall winner will receive one festival pass to UWRF 2025. The festival pass allows access to UWRF main stage sessions but does not guarantee access to ticketed special events, including masterclasses and workshops.
4. Accommodation is provided for the winner for the duration of UWRF (up to five nights). Accommodation is arranged by AAWP in consultation with the UWRF Head of Programming. Costs associated with alterations to bookings are the responsibility of the winner.
5. The winner is entitled to a one-year membership of the AAWP. Entrants are not required to hold an existing membership, but if they are successful then their current membership will be extended by one year.
6. 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.
7. Publication in Meniscus is not guaranteed.
This prize is offered in partnership by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF).
Enter your short story in the ‘AAWP/UWRF Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers’ for your chance to win.
If you win you will receive: a festival pass to Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) and accommodation for the duration of the festival (*Terms and Conditions apply, see below). In addition, you will receive a one-year annual membership to the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP. The editors at Meniscus will also consider your work for publication.
Take advantage of this stunning opportunity to celebrate the craft of writing at Southeast Asia’s largest and most exciting literary festival. Be welcomed into the thriving community of writers within the AAWP. Enter your short story and make the most of this generous publication pathway and networking opportunity for emerging writers.
For further information, please visit: https://aawp.org.au/news/opportunities
If you have queries or questions about the AAWP’s prizes, please write to: prizes@aawp.org.au
The submission fee per entry is $20.00. Conditions of Entry and Terms and Conditions are below.
Conditions of Entry
1. This competition is open to emerging writers. Emerging writers will not have a full-length, single-authored, commercially published, print publication in fiction or creative non-fiction. Emerging writers who have published in electronic format only, or who have published work in collections showcasing multiple authors, are eligible.
2. The Prize will be launched at the AAWP annual conference. Submissions close at midnight (local time) on June 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on the UWRF website and the AAWP website no later than September 30, 2025.
3. Entries must be in English.
4. Entries should not exceed 3000 words.
6. Suggested formatting for the entry is as follows—line spacing: 1.5, font size: 12-point, font: Times New Roman or Garamond.
7. You may enter as many times as you wish. Subsequent entries incur a separate fee.
8. The entry should be de-identified. The author’s name, or other identifying characteristics, should not appear on the submission. Judging is blind.
9. The UWRF/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. If an entry is disqualified no refund will be given.
10. Entries may not be altered after they have been submitted.
11. The judges’ verdict is final. The judges will not enter into correspondence or discussion about the outcome.
12. The award is for unpublished writing, including online publication.
Terms and Conditions
1. Copyright in the submitted work remains with the entrant. The AAWP will not reproduce any entries without the express permission of the entrant. If needed, a copyright licence can be negotiated after the Prize has been awarded.
2. The overall winner will receive one festival pass to UWRF 2025. The festival pass allows access to UWRF main stage sessions but does not guarantee access to ticketed special events, including masterclasses and workshops.
3. Accommodation is provided for the winner for the duration of the UWRF (up to five nights). Accommodation is arranged by AAWP in consultation with the UWRF Head of Programming. Costs associated with alterations to bookings are the responsibility of the winner.
4. The winner is entitled to a one-year membership of the AAWP. Entrants are not required to hold an existing membership, but if they are successful then their current membership will be extended by one year.
5. 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.
6. Publication in Meniscus is not guaranteed.
7. The overall winner will be credited on all copies of their entry/entries.
8. The winning entries will not be edited or altered by AAWP without the consent of the author.
9. 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.