Buzz Words Short Story Prize

For those of us who write for children, it will come as no surprise that there are no awards in Australia for short stories written for children. To remedy this, Buzz Words has decided to take the initiative and launch the inaugural Buzz Words Short Story Prize. As we have been unable to find a funding organisation prepared to make a grant possible, Buzz Words founder and compiler, author Dianne (Di) Bates is sponsoring the competition which will be launched today, 1 September 2018.

There will be two prizes: first is $1,000 and second is $500. The three short-listing judges are Cathie Tasker, who has worked with Australia’s leading trade and children’s book publishers — HarperCollins Publishers, Scholastic Australia and Koala Books and who currently runs a very successful writing course, Short Story Essentials for the Australian Writers Centre, author Bill Condon, winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Youth Literature and three times winner of the CBCA Honour Book of the Year, and author Dianne Bates, recipient of the Lady Cutler Award for distinguished services for children’s literature. 

Finalist judge is author Jackie French AM, former Australian Children’s Laureate and winner of many state and national awards for children’s literature.

Entrants are invited to send up to three entries, each accompanied by an official entry form with a fee of $10 per entry. 

The story should be for children 8 to 11 years and no longer than 1,500 words.  Closing date for receipt of entries in 31 December 2018. 

The short list of 10 will be announced in the 1 February 2019 issue of Buzz Words and the winners in the 15 February 2019 issue 

Buzz Words will also publish the winning entries on www.buzzwordsmagazine.com on a date yet to be decided.

Full Terms and Conditions and Entry Form here.