The Writing Quarter

The Apollo Bay Wordfest Short Story Competition is open for entries. 📖 Submit a short story on the theme ‘What it means to be human’. 🌟 Open to emerging writers living in Victoria, Australia Deadline is 19 June 2026. Full details below. 🔗 apollobaywordfest.com/shortstory-com…

The Hunter Writers Centre’s ‘Grieve’ Writing Competition is open for entries. 📖 Submit prose, poetry, artwork, video or audio. The deadline is Sunday 26 April, 8pm AEST. Full details on their website below. 🔗 hunterwriterscentre.org/grieve-2026/

The Purorrelato 2026 Micro-story Competition is open for entries. 📖 Submit a micro-story (max 1,500 characters) related to Africa for a chance to win up to €750. 🪶 The deadline for entry is 16th April 2026 Full details on their website below. 🔗 casafrica.es/en/event/puror…

The E M Fletcher Writing Competition 2026 is open for entries. 📖 Submit a short story (1,500–2,000 words) on a family history or genealogy theme for a chance to win up to AU$1,000. 🌟 Deadline: 15 July 2026 Full details on their website below. 🔗 familyhistoryact.org.au/writingcompeti…

The Eastwood-Hills FAW Literary Competition 2026 is open for entries. 📖 Submit your writing (flash fiction, poetry, memoir, or short story) for a chance to win up to $150. 🌟 Deadline: 15th May 2026 Full details on their website below. 🔗 fawnsw.org.au/eastwood-hills…

Happy Easter from The Writing Quarter 🐣🌸 We hope the Easter period brings you rest, relaxation, and maybe a little autumn writing inspiration too ✍️🌼 We’ll be back on Tuesday as usual. See you then!

Bardsy's Spring 2026 First Chapter Anthology Contest is open for entries. 📖 Enter by 4th May for the chance to win up to $1,000 and publication. Full details on their website. 🔗 bardsy.com/contest

The IndigoTeen Magazine is open for submissions. ✍️
 Open to creatives between 13 and 19 years old. Accepting short stories, essays, novellas, memes, anecdotes, comics, poetry, graphic design and artwork. 📖 Full details on their website. 🔗 indigoteen.org

The 2026 Peter Cowan 600 Word Short Story Competition is open for entries on 11th March. ✍️ There are 4 categories: Open, Novice, Seniors and Youth. Tell your story in 600 words or fewer for the chance to win up to $200. Full details on their website. pcwc.org.au/competitions

Put your storytelling skills to the test with AWC’s Furious Fiction Challenge. ✍️ The next challenge goes live on Friday, 6th March. In 55 hours, write a story in 500 words or fewer. Full details on their website. 🔗 writerscentre.com.au/furious-fictio…

The Furphy Story Open Short Story Competition 2026 is open. ✍️ Enter your story for the chance to win up to  $15,000 and a Shepparton Residency at LaTrobe University. 🌟 Deadline for entry is April 30, 2026. Full details on their website. 🔗 furphystory.com.au/furphy-literar…

The Sorrento Creative Writing Prize 2026 is open for entries. 📚 Open to Australian citizens and residents aged 18 and over. Enter today for the chance to win $5,000 and more. 🌟 Deadline is 1 March 2026. Full details on their website. sorrentowritersfestival.com.au/about-us/creat…

The Young Writers’ Award 2026 is open for entries. ✍️ Open to writers aged 11-18. Enter a short story or poem to win from a $3,500 cash pool, a Publisher Experience with Penguin Random House Australia, and so much more! 🌟 Deadline: 28th February northsydney.nsw.gov.au/young-writers

The Sheila Malady short story competition is open for entries. ✍️ This year’s theme is Much Ado About Nothing. Enter a work of fiction for the chance to win up to $300 and so much more. ⭐️ Deadline: February 16. Full details on their website: stratfordshakespeare.com.au/competition-in…

The 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival is on the lookout for volunteers! ✍️   Open to 300 volunteers to help out in different roles throughout May 18 – 28. Applications close midnight on Thursday 29 January. Full details on their website. 🔗 sydneywritersfestival.formstack.com/forms/voluntee…

The 2026 Book Links Short Story competition is open. 📖 The competition is open to AU writers. Enter for the chance to win $250 and feature on the Book Links website. 🏆 Deadline for entry is Saturday, 14 March 2026.  Full details on their website. 🔗 booklinks.org.au/terms-and-cond…

Slush Journal is open for submissions. 📖 They are accepting short stories, micro and flash fiction & prose poems. Selected writers will be paid  $100 AUD. 🌟 Full details: slushpress.com

Latest News 📚✨ The Write Here Festival is set to bring a three-day celebration of storytelling to Lake Macquarie, featuring author talks, workshops and creative events. The 2026 program will be announced soon. Full details on their website. 🔗 library.lakemac.com.au/Whats-On/Festi…

The Rhiza Edge Short Story Competition is open for entries. 📖 Accepting short stories for an audience of 12+, with a fantasy theme. 🧙‍♀️ Enter today for the chance to pitch a full manuscript to Wombat/Rhiza. Deadline: 31 December, 2025. ✍️ Full details: wombatrhiza.com.au/rhiza-edge-sho…

The 2025 Neilma Short Story Prize is open for entries. ✍️ Open to short stories with the theme of ‘travel’. Enter today for the chance to win up to $5,000 and publication in Overland. 🌟 Deadline is 5th December. Full details at their website: overland.org.au/prizes/overlan…