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Welcome to the wonderful world of Creative Writing! Writing isn’t something that’s confined to the classroom, and if you have a passion for it then entering competitions can be a great motivator for you to make real that story that’s been bouncing around inside your head.
On this page you can find information on various writing competitions available to any budding authors at St Leonard’s, along with some sites to visit for inspiration. Have a look and see if you can find a competition that you like, and feel free to talk to your English teacher for advice or your writing or how you can enter a competition.
Poetry
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards: http://www.dorothea.com.au/
John Marsden & Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers: http://www.expressmedia.org.au/jmp/
Somerset National Poetry Prize: http://www.somerset.qld.edu.au/celebration-of-literature/competitions/poetry-prize/
Short Stories and Novellas
John Marsden & Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers: http://www.expressmedia.org.au/jmp/
Somerset National Novella Writing Competition: http://www.somerset.qld.edu.au/celebration-of-literature/competitions/novella-writing/
The Charles Dickens Prize: http://dickens.asn.au/prize/
HTAV Historical Fiction Competition: http://www.htav.asn.au/students/htav-historical-fiction-competition
Laura Literary Awards: https://rockyriverriters.club/competitions/
Rhonda Jankovic Literary Awards: http://www.rhondajankovicliterarysociety.org/literary-awards.html
Local Council Writing Competitions
Boroondara City Council: Boroondara Literary Awards
Glen Eira City Council: My Brother Jack Awards
Melbourne City Council: Young Writer’s Award
Monash City Council: WordFest SnapStory and Short Story Writing Competitions
Stonnington City Council: What’s Your Story? Writing Competition
Essay Competitions
John Button School Prize: http://arts.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/john-button-school-prize
Resources
A useful guide to narrative writing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/creativewriting/narrativewriting1.shtml
The mystery genre: http://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box.html
The power of simple words: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-power-of-simple-words
A range of short story ideas: http://www.creative-writing-now.com/short-story-ideas.html
Examples of great opening lines: http://americanbookreview.org/100BestLines.asp
Creating mystique like Harris Burdick: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/davidc/6c_files/documents/mysteries/divmysteries.htm
For a regularly updated list of current creative writing competitions,
please check this website:
http://www.austwriters.com/AWRfiles/competitions.htm
Note that it includes many professional and international competitions,
so check the details carefully.