This special issue of TEXT seeks to publish scholarly papers and creative works concerned with and inspired by the theme of intertextuality. We are seeking creative works and scholarship that consciously respond to this tension, reflecting on or engaging in acts of allusion, rewriting and reimagining. In our contemporary moment of environmental, political and existential crisis, it is necessary to ask what purpose ‘writing back’ serves and how it might be done, especially in decolonising contexts.
Editors: Dr Aidan Coleman, (Southern Cross University), Associate Professor Melanie Duckworth (Østfold University College) and Associate Professor Adelle Sefton-Rowston (Charles Darwin University).
Abstracts for scholarly papers and creative work EOIs should be sent by 10 April 2026.
Read the full details and submission guidelines via the TEXT website.
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 Recent Work Press (RWP) ‘Novella Prize’ for your chance to win.
If you win you will receive: a written commendation from AAWP. 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 2026) 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 RWP: https://recentworkpress.com
Take advantage of this stunning opportunity. Fast track your writing journey in a fiercely competitive market.
In 2026, 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 written commendation from AAWP, 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.
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.
We are accepting submissions on the following scale: up to 400 words prose, 40 lines for poetry, 200 words for prose poems, and the equivalent for hybrid forms. Submissions must be previously unpublished. Please send your most polished work, without delay.
If you win you will receive a written commendation from AAWP and a $500 cash prize. You will have your work published on the Express Mediawebsite and receive a Voiceworks subscription. You will also receive fully subsidised conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where you will be invited to read from your work. Read the full terms of entry here
This prize is offered in partnership with the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF), and is open to translators at any stage of their career.
The winner receives a written commendation from AAWP, a festival pass to UWRF and accomodation for the duration of the festival (*Terms and Conditions apply, see below). In addition, you will receive 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.
Entries must be no more than 30 lines (poetry) or 3000 words (prose), and entrants can translate their own work into English. Entries must be accompanied by a ‘Translator’s Statement of Intention’ (up to 400 words) addressing the aims of the translation.
If you win you will receive: a festival pass to UWRF and accommodation for the duration of the festival (*Terms and Conditions apply, see below). In addition, you will receive 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. Entries should not exceed 3000 words.
Enter your poem in the ‘AAWP/UWRF Emerging Writers’ Prize for Poetry for your chance to win.
If you win you will receive: a festival pass to UWRF and accommodation for the duration of the festival (*Terms and Conditions apply, see below). In addition, you will receive 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.
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 commendation from AAWP 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 2026) 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.
You must be an AAWP member, and you may enter as many times as you like.
The Prizes and Partnerships Portfolio is managed by AAWP President | Chair, Associate Professor Julia Prendergast, contactable directly at jprendergast@swin.edu.au
Got a question? Want to be on our focused Prizes email list? Email us at prizes@aawp.org.au
AAWP prizes have been ratified by Arts Law: ‘Arts Law was very impressed with AAWP’s attitude, which clearly demonstrated AAWP’s respect for writers.’
In 2026, the Australian scholarly journal Cinder is transforming to a mentorship program. The program aims to support Higher Degree Researchers and Early Career Researchers to develop and submit a journal article to TEXT: Journal of Writing and Writing Courses.
If you are a Higher Degree Researcher or an Early Career Researcher (including independent scholars) who is seeking support to develop a draft scholarly paper suitable for TEXT, you are invited to apply. Early Career Researchers must be within 5 years of PhD conferral. You can read more about TEXT: Journal of Writing and Writing Courses here.
Successful applicants will be placed with a mentor – a topic or industry expert – who will read your work, provide feedback during a 30-minute meeting and review changes made in response to feedback. With mentor support, developed papers will be invited for submission to TEXT. You may negotiate a timeline with your mentor; however, it is anticipated that mentorships will not extend beyond 12 months.
The Cinder Mentorship consists of 6 places per year. Two places will be reserved for HDRs and ECRs from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The mentorship will also seek to support writer-scholars who are yet to be published or who experience barriers to support to develop scholarship.
To apply:
Write an application of no more than 1 page outlining:
A title, abstract and keywords of a proposed paper with the potential to be published in TEXT,
A short bio including relevant education, industry experience and any previous publications,
A short statement outlining the value of the mentorship to the applicant, including any information about your background you feel is relevant to the application, and
Your contact details.
Send applications and queries to the Cinder Mentorship Program coordinator, Ariella van Luyn: avanluyn@une.edu.au
Submissions open 1 January 2026 and will remain open until filled or 1 July 2026. You’re encouraged to submit early, as places may fill quickly.
Call for Expert Writing Mentors
We are inviting experienced academics, independent scholars and industry experts in writing, writing studies and adjacent disciplines to volunteer to act as Expert Writing Mentors as part of the Cinder Mentorship Program.
If you volunteer, your name and areas of expertise will be added to a list of mentors held by the mentorship coordinator. You may be contacted inquiring about your interest and capacity to read a draft paper, meet for 30 minutes with a mentee, and receive an account of their revisions in response to your feedback. If you agree, you will be put in touch with your mentee. You will be asked to provide a short progress update to the Cinder Mentorship Program coordinator. You may negotiate a timeline with your mentee; however, it is anticipated that mentorships will not extend beyond 12 months.
If you are interested in being an Expert Writing Mentor in the Cinder mentorship program, please submit:
Your name,
Position title and short CV,
Your best contact details, and
Areas of expertise
Expressions of interest and queries can be sent to Cinder Mentorship Program coordinator, Ariella van Luyn: avanluyn@une.edu.au
Movement & Stasis: 30th Annual Australasian Association of Writing Programs Conference
University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3 – 5 December 2025
This year’s conference is on the theme of Movement and Stasis. We invite abstracts for conference presentations of 15 or 20 minutes in duration and pre-formed collaborative discussion panels (three to four panellists only) that reflect consideration of movement and stasis. We encourage any or all modes of presentation.
We welcome the submission of abstracts relevant to the creative writing discipline, on creative and professional writing practices and processes, research in creative writing, the teaching of writing and related issues.
The deadline for abstract submissions is 30 May 2025.
The $150,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize is open for submissions in two categories – Adult and Children &Young (CYA) Adult. $100,000 will be awarded to the Adult category winner, with an additional $5,000 awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors. In the CYA category, the winner receives $30,000, while the two short listers receives $5,000 each.
The prize is open to authors who are citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand. Novels must have been first published between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025.
Open to researchers in various fields and disciplines, these fellowships offer financial and research support for residencies at the National Library. Providing extended access to Australia’s largest cultural collection, National Library Fellowships foster research that produces new knowledge to shape Australia’s intellectual landscape and contributes to public understanding of our collections.
The Library’s Fellowships offer experienced researchers an opportunity to undertake deep and sustained research at the National Library using the Library’s collections.
Fellowships are available to researchers who require onsite access to the Library’s uniquely held or extensive collections to advance their research towards publication or other public outcomes.
Applicants may work in any field or discipline where the Library’s collections have appropriate depth and breadth to support the desired outcomes.
Applications for National Library of Australia Fellowships and the Creative Arts Fellowship will close on Monday 5 May 2025.
The Roderick Centre for Australian Literature and Creative Writing at James Cook University is pleased to invite applications for its 2025 Writers on the Reef Residency.
The residency is open to published or emerging writers who have a current project to work on during their stay.
From the 13-20 August, 2025, 5 writers will be in residence at beautiful waterfront beach house in Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island.
This year’s residency invites writers of any genre with environmental themes, including but not limited to writing on nature, conservation, islands, oceans, beaches, Sea Country, ecosystems, sustainability, and island communities—or which may resonate in particular with Magnetic Island and its natural, social, or cultural history and habitat.
Writers of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, memoir and plays who are from Metropolitan Sydney are invited to apply for this unique opportunity to pursue their inspiration in the tranquil and historic Don Bank Museum whilst contributing to the cultural life of the local community.
This program aims to support writers at all stages of their career.
The successful candidate will benefit from a special one-hour consultation with a publisher from Penguin Random House, networking with the local writing community and Council’s Arts and Events initiaitives, and more.
The American Association of Australasian Literary Studies (AAALS), together with the American Australian Association, welcomes submissions to our annual creative writing competition between 1-31 March 2025.
The competition invites entries in the following categories:
· Poetry
· Creative Prose
· Indigenous Writers Poetry
· Indigenous Writers Creative Prose
With the generous support of the American Australian Association, the value of these prizes has been increased. The winner of each prize will now be awarded US$1000, plus publication in the journal Antipodes.
The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP)* is delighted to announce a new collaboration with The Writer’s Way retreats – immersive experiences designed to (re)connect writers with creativity, presence, and purpose.
Set in the spectacular Blackall Range of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland, The Writer’s Way welcomes writers of all backgrounds – creative, academic, and professional – to a retreat founded in mindfulness, not as theory, but as practice.
At The Writer’s Way retreats, you’ll explore meditative, contemplative, and reflective practices intended to deepen your connection to yourself as a writer, refine your creative process, and potentially, elevate the quality of your work. Whether you’re seeking a physical escape, a mental reset, or a spiritual (re)treat to strengthen your sense of purpose, The Writer’s Way provides a perfect setting, a tranquil space to (re)discover the joy of writing.
With limited places available, the next retreat runs 29 May – 1 June 2025.
*Special Offer: AAWP members who are Higher Degree Research (HDR) students or Early Career Researchers (ECRs) can apply for a special accommodation rate.
