Writing Competitions
Tom Collins Poetry Prize 2019
Background
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The Tom Collins Poetry Prize is an annual competition inaugurated by FAWWA in 1975 in memory of the Australian author Joseph Furphy (1843 - 1912). Under the name Tom Collins, he wrote the Australian classic, Such is Life, as well as many poems.
Competition Guidelines
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Open theme
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Poem length: Up to 60 lines
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The Tom Collins Poetry Prize is one of Australia's most prestigious poetry prizes, with first place being awarded $1000. Second prize: $300 and 3rd prize: $100.
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Competition opens 1st October closes 15th December. Winners are announced in February. The competition is now closed until October 2020.
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Limit of five entries per person, $10 for each entry. Submit a separate entry for each poem.
Stuart Hadow Short Story Prize 2020
The Stuart Hadow Prize is an annual short story competition run by FAWWA in honour of WA writers Lyndall Hadow and Donald Stuart. Each year, the contest attracts high quality entries from around Australia. In 2020, the first prize is $1000 and a week of unpaid residency at Mattie Furphy House in Swanbourne.
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This year's contest is open theme, with a maximum of 3,000 words per story.
Competition Guidelines
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Past Competitions
Stuart Hadow Short Story Competition 2019
Stuart Hadow Judge's report
First - Nadia Lisa King for Mariko’s Mouse
Second - Carmel Lillis for How I’ll Know Her
Third - John Scholz for Boat People
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Highly Commended - Michael Hunt for Between two Eternities
Highly Commended - Jim Brigginshaw for The White Horse
Highly Commended - David Vernon for
Commended - Susan Thompson for Letter from the Last Duchess
Commended - Lesley Neale for Amber the Dog
Commended - Ted Witham for The Odd Number
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Huge congratulations to you all!
Tom Collins Poetry Prize 2018
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Winner Busted Piano Man – Christopher Konrad
Second Prize Coming of Age – Kristen Lang
Third Prize Barney Embraces Technology - Peter Burke
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Highly Commended
The Life of Caves – Glen Phillips
Homage Marguerite – Julie Watts
strands of us – Kevin Gillam
Elk Rapids, Lake Michigan – Kim Waters
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Commended
Love-Locked – Gillian Telford
Dreamlands Hopscotch – Yvonne Patterson
In Somnolence – Scott-Patrick Mitchell
Lazarette on Peel Island – Damen O’Brien
Talking to my Father – Tony London
Stuart Hadow Short Story Prize 2018
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Winners:
1st: Chair - Peter Court
2nd: One Time My Sister - Melanie Napthine
3rd: Kind - Melanie Napthine
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Highly commended:
Salt of the Earth - Ryan Delaney
Behavioural Experiment - Tanya Vavilova
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Commended:
Forget it, Jake - Paulette Gittens
Tropical Cyclone - Tanya Vavilova
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Congratulations to all the winners and those who took part. For more information, please read the Judge's Report by Laurie Steed.
Tom Collins Poetry Prize 2017
Congratulations to the following:
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Winners:
1st: Rock the Baby - Andy Kissane
2nd: Orbit - Vanessa Proctor
3rd: On Route to the Iroquois Museum - Laura Shore
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Highly commended:
Tom's Story - Robert Lumsden
Mathinna - Vanessa Page
Tell Me You Are Here - Alex Ripper
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Commended:
Carpet - Colin Montfort
The Lie - Laura Shore
Open House, Palm Springs Modernism Week - Helen Thurloe
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The 2017 prize was judged by Judith Rodriguez, to read the full Judge's report click here.
Stuart Hadow Short Story Prize 2017
Congratulations to the following:
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Winners:
1st: Doors Closing - Dorothea Pffaf
2nd: Dead Ringer - Julie Woodland
3rd: Godsend - Jodie Kewley
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Highly commended:
The Good Earth - Roseanne Dingli
The A30 Woodsmen - Kit Peek
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Commended:
The Care Taker - Jemma Tyley-Miller
Pig - Philip Silvester
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The 2017 prize was judged by Elizabeth Tan, to read the full Judge's report click here.
Rees Prize for Young Writers
The Rees Prize for Young Writers has been created as a biannual competition by FAWWA to support young Australian writers, and honour WA writers Coralie and Leslie Rees. 2016 was the first year for this contest, open to writers up to 21 years of age at the time of the closing date.
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In 2016, the theme was 'Mars and Beyond'.
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The following list were the winners of the 2016 competition:
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Winners
1st: The Seven Travellers of 1184 - Jennifer Worgan (NSW)
2nd: The Price of Immortality - Alexandria Walker (QLD)
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Highly commended
18-21 age category
Salvation - Stephanie Liddlelow (WA)
We Were Once Immortals - Anne Feng (WA)
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15-17 age category
Saving Tomorrow - Katha Villanueva (VIC)
Silence - Radheya Jegatheva (WA)
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Under 15 age category
Escape from the Earthlings - Lydia Colla (NSW)
Those Stars of Mine - Sarah Petersen
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The 2016 Prize was judged by Emily Paull, click here for the judge's report.
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