Thursday, April 22, 2010

Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2010

If you are lucky enough to be in Auckland in May you have the chance to attend the the annual Auckland Writers and Readers Festival 2010. The festival held between 12 - 16 May 2010, now into its 11th year, brings together acclaimed writers and thousands of readers and thinkers for 5 days and 70 events.

The festival offers the chance to hear a smorgsbord of writers, commentators and thinkers share stories about subjects as diverse as art, politics, food, history, war, religion, the novel, rugby, poetry, economics, and science.

Writers featured in this year's international line-up are Elizabeth Gilbert, John Carey, and Thomas Keneally. Other guests include Rick Gekoski, Jill Dawson, Su Tong and Anthony Loewenstein.

List of International Guests
Festival Programme
Buy Tickets

VENUES: Aotea Centre
With Special events held at St Matthew-in-the-City, Crowne Plaza Auckland, Soul Bar and Bistro, Monte Christo Room

TIME: 10am to 10pm daily 12-16 May 2010

Auckland Writing Writers and Readers Festival Website



Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Te Papa Tupu Writing Competition 2010

Want to write a bestseller? If you are a writer of Maori descent and living in New Zealand you are invited to submit pieces of writing to the Te Papa Tupu Writing Competition 2010.

Six talented Maori writers will be selected from the entrants to participate in a 6 month intensive writing programme. The chosen writers will be paid a basic living allowance of $385.00 per week throughout the 6 month period.

Any of the following forms of writing may be submitted to the competition:
  • Novel
  • Short story
  • Non-fiction
  • Children's novel or chapter book
  • Children's picture book



Each of the writers chosen will work closely with a mentor and will receive feedback about their writing on a regular basis. There is also an expectation that each winner will produce work once a month for an online journal.

The Te Papa Tupu Writing Competition 2010 is being run by the Māori Literature Trust, with the support of Creative New Zealand, Te Puni Kokiri and Huia Publishers. Entries must be received by Huia Publishers by 5pm, Friday 14 May 2010. The winners will be announced on Friday, 11 June 2010 and each must be ready to start on 20 June 2010.

Submission Guidelines
  • Submissions may be in either English or te reo Māori
  • Submitted work should be 5,000 - 50,000 words
  • Submissions may be a finished piece or a working manuscript
Closes 5pm, Friday 14 May 2010
Entry forms and full submission details


Related Articles
Other New Zealand Writing Competitions




Thursday, April 8, 2010

Prima Storia Wants Quality Short Fiction Writing

Prima Storia is looking for quality writing from both emerging and established writers. Prima Storia publishes short fiction and poetry online on an ongoing basis. The magazine aims to raise the standard of creative publishing online by providing a medium for writers to gain an online presence.

Works up to 3000 words may be submitted to Prima Storia. Excerpts and previews from larger works are also encouraged. Successful submissions are published online and a profile posted of the author. Copyright remains with the author. There is no payment for contributions.




Submission Guidelines

  • Submissions can be of varying length, up to 3,000 words
  • Submission should be formatted in plain text, or attached as a standard document format.

More Submission Details

Send submissions to: writers@primastoria.com

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Science-Fiction Writers for Semaphore Magazine

If your favourite genre is science fiction writing then you could get published in Semaphore, a New Zealand e-zine which publishes original creative writing and artwork with a science fiction theme.

Semaphore produces 4 issues a year of short fiction, poetry and creative essays in March, June, September and December. The e-zine also puts out an anthology every December of the best work published in the previous four issues as voted by readers.

Semaphore magazine offers a small payment to writers for successful submissions: short story NZ$10, poetry NZ$3, creative essay NZ$5, no payment for artwork. Individual royalties are paid to writers for writing chosen for the anthology.


Submission Guidelines
  • Submissions must be in a Word-compatible document along with a cover letter
  • Simultaneous submissions are not accepted
  • Short story word limit is 1000-7000 words
Send entries to: semaphoremagazine@gmail.com Marie Hodgkinson at Semaphore

Semaphore Submission Guidelines


Thursday, April 1, 2010

Landfall Essay Writing Competition 2010

Entries open on 1 May 2010 for the eighth Landfall Essay Competition sponsored by Otago University Press. The winner of the competition will receive $3000 and a year's subscription to Landfall. The winning entries will also be published in the November 2010 issue of Landfall.

The Landfall Essay Competition seeks to encourage New Zealand writers to think aloud about New Zealand culture. The aim is to revive and sustain the tradition of vivid, contentious and creative essay writing in New Zealand.

The Landfall Essay Competition which began in 1997 is open to all New Zealand writers. Essays must be unpublished and can be on any topic to a maximum of 6000 words.

Entries close: 5 pm, Friday 31 July 2010.

Submission Guidelines

Entries should be addressed to:

Landfall Essay Competition
Otago University Press
PO Box 56
Dunedin
New Zealand