Script Frenzy Write 100 Pages Month

Are you yearning to write a movie, play, short film, TV show, or graphic novel? Do you dream of becoming a published script writer but can't seem to muster the motivation. The answer to your writer's block might be to enter the worldwide Script Frenzy script writing competition.

National Novel Writing Month, famous for their write a novel in a month event in November also run an annual sister event called Script Frenzy. Sign up to the Script Frenzy competition is free and you will be joining thousands of would-be writers around the world who are taking up the challenge in April 2010 to write a 100 page script in just 1 month.

Participants of the Script Frenzy competition aren't rewarded with monetary prizes or publishing contracts. Satisfaction for entrants comes from setting a writing goal and achieving it. Plus at the end of the writing contest these scriptwriters have a 100 page draft of a script that they can later rework.

What Script Frenzy does offer is a community of other writers focused on producing a script. You can choose to go it alone or to be part of the group by hanging out in the forums or by joining with your fellow participants at optional write-ins in your area. To find out what's happening in New Zealand you will need to register and then access regional forums to link up with other local Frenziers.

If you are a person who likes recognition for all your hard work you can download your certificate in PDF format once you have uploaded your 100 page script. If you are wondering about the security of your work then relax as you write offline and only upload when you have passed the 100 page mark. The object of uploading your script is to verify the word count not to read your script and steal your ideas. If you are worried about the risks check out Script Frenzy FAQs page for more on how to securely upload your work.

The Script Frenzy website also contains a lot of useful writing resources to start you on your script writing journey. Be sure to check out Script Frenzy's writing resources page for screenwriting and playwriting tips and how to pages.

Now is the time to boost your creativity and write that script that will launch your scriptwriting career. Come 1 April 2010 will you be writing or still talking about it? As the Script Frenzy's slogan says Stop Watching and Start Writing. Are you in?

NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize Open to New Zealand Writers

A new writing award for 2010, the NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize worth $35,000 is up for grabs by New Zealand writers. The award which is sponsored by Pindar NZ, The New Zealand Herald, Whitcoulls and AstraPrint aims to recognize excellence in creative writing. It offers a New Zealand writer of fiction, non-fiction, short fiction and poetry the chance to submit an unpublished manuscript which will be taken through to published format and offered for sale nationwide. The winner of the NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize will have their work professionally edited, designed, printed and distributed.

Submissions for the NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize close on 30 March 2010. 5 shortlisted manuscripts will be announced a month later. As the winner will be decided through 40% reader input and 60% input from the judging panel online voting will be open throughout May. The overall winner will announced on 12 June 2010 in time for the book launch in August.

Maggie Tarver, Chief Executive of The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.) is excited about the new award which describes as "an amazing opportunity for any writer." She went on to say, “In a time when more and more manuscripts are being rejected by mainstream publishers we are confident that we will get some really exciting entries”.

The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.)
PO Box 7701
Wellesley Street
Auckland 1141
www.authors.org.nz


Submission Guidelines

• Entries are open to any unpublished manuscript of fiction, non-fiction, short fiction and poetry.
• Completed novel, non-fiction or short story manuscripts must be between 30,000 and 120,000 words in length.
• Poetry collections must be between 5,000 and 25,000 words.
• Applications must be in hard copy only.
  Closing Date: 30 March 2010
  Full entry details

NZ Post Children's Book Awards 2010 Writing Contest

Hey kids you could become a published writer. New Zealand Post has launched a new writing competition for kids aged 5 to 14 in conjunction with the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2010.

This year a commemorative collection of New Zealand Children's Stories is being published and your story could be amongst them. Brian Roche, Group Chief Executive, New Zealand Post said of the writing competition, "we want to recognise our next generation authors by publishing stories written by Kiwi kids, for Kiwi kids."




All the top 50 winning entrants will receive $50 in Booksellers Tokens and their very own copy of this professionally illustrated book. There is also $1000.00 worth of Booksellers Tokens for the school with the most entries. All entrants in this writing contest will also go into the lucky prize draw to win one of the finalist books from the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2010.

Closing Date: 30 April 2010

Submission Guidelines

• Story, poem or any kind of creative writing may be submitted.
• Entries must be 300 words or less

Further details about New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2010 writing competition

Albert Wendt Wins Regional Commonwealth Writers Prize

Leading New Zealand author Albert Wendt has won the prestigious regional Commonwealth Writers' prize for 2010 for his novel in verse The Adventures of Vela. Wendt won the award for best book in a competition which recognizes the best of Commonwealth fiction written in English. He now goes on to compete for the international Commonwealth Writers' Prize against three other regional winners. The overall winner will receive £10,000 and will be announced on 12 April 2010 in Delhi, India.

Samoan born Wendt, 70, is author of some 20 books. He scooped the South East Asia and Pacific region prize from 5 other strong finalists from across Australasia including New Zealand writer Charlotte Grimshaw. The judges described his epic verse novel The Adventures of Vela as "an exhilarating read". Blending traditional storytelling and song with contempory rock music and hip-hop the novel follows the journeys of Vela as he chronicles the life of the Samoan goddess of war.

Buy The Adventures of Vela
or
Search Fishpond for Other Books by Albert Wendt

Other shortlisted books for the Commonwealth Writers' regional prize for best book were:

Peter Carey - Parrot and Olivier in America
J.M. Coetzee - Summertime
Thomas Keneally The People's Train
Nada Awar Jarrar A Good Land
Charlotte Grimshaw - Singularity

Finalists for The Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book are:

From Africa: The Double Crown by Marié Heese.
From the Caribbean and Canada: Galore by Michael Crummey.
From South Asia & Europe: Solo by Rana Dasgupta.
From South East Asia and Pacific: The Adventures of Vela by Albert Wendt.

NZ Post Children's Book Awards 2010 Finalists

The New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2010 Finalists have been announced recently. The 20 finalist books were selected from more than 130 children’s books published in New Zealand in 2009. Included in the finalist line-up are two of New Zealand's best loved writers for children Margaret Mahy and Joy Cowley. Winners will be chosen in four categories: Picture Book, Non-fiction, Junior Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. The winning books for the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards for 2010 will be announced on Wednesday 19 May 2010.


Buy the The Wonky Donkey

For more details about the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards finalists for 2010

Fulbright-Creative NZ Pacific Writer's Residency

Applications are now being sought for the Fulbright Creative-New Zealand Pacific Writer's Residency Award. The award enables a New Zealand writer of Pacific heritage to work for three months on a creative writing project exploring Pacific identity, culture or history at the Centre of Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii. The residency will run from mid-August to mid-November 2010.

Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, you must:

• Be a New Zealand writer of Pacific heritage whose work explores Pacific identity, culture or history
• Have already had at least two works published, accepted for publication, performed or screened
• Have a specific project on which you propose to work on during the residency. The project may be in any genre, but priority is given to works that focus on developing New Zealand literature in the genres of fiction, poetry, drama, non-fiction (including biography, history, arts-related and cultural topics) and playwriting

Award Entitlement

• Travel costs of NZ$3,000 for a return economy airfare to Hawai’i
• Rental accommodation costs of NZ$3,000 per month
• Stipend of NZ$6,000 per month
• Basic health and accident insurance cover up to US$100,000

Closing Date: 1 April 2010

For further details about the Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer's Residency

Poets Submit Your Poems to Valley Micropress

Valley Micropress is an independent Upper Hutt-based monthly poetry magazine which is open for submissions from both New Zealand and international poets. The magazine seeks to encourage new writers and previously published poets. Valley Micropress also features a collection of around 12 poems from an established poet each issue. As Valley Micropress is mostly funded by subscriptions there is no payment for contributions.

Submission Guidelines

• No previously published work
• Poems should aim to be no more than 35 lines in length.
• Maximum of 6 poems
• All poetic forms including haiku, tanka etc are welcome.
• Submissions may be in hard copy, or on CD or email

For further submission details email tony.chad@clear.net.nz

Send submissions to:
165A Katherine Mansfield Drive, Whiteman’s Valley, Upper Hutt 5371, New Zealand

or email to: tony.chad@clear.net.nz

JAAM Calling for Writing About Dance

JAAM is calling for submissions from writers for Issue 28 of its literary magazine. JAAM is an independent literary journal published by a collective based in Wellington which focuses on showcasing the work of young and emerging writers while still promoting established New Zealand authors and overseas writers. JAAM prints fiction, poetry, essays and artwork (usually black and white). Submissions need to be received by no later than 31 March 2010 for publication in September 2010.

The 28th issue of JAAM (Just Another Art Movement) will be the DanceDanceDance issue and is to be edited by Clare Needham and Helen Rickerby. Any writing submitted must be on a dance theme. Short fiction, poetry and creative non fiction is being sought.


Closing date for submissions: 31 March 2010

Submissions can be emailed to jaammagazine@yahoo.co.nz
or posted to:

PO Box 25239
Panama Street
Wellington 6146
New Zealand

Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards 2010

Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards 2010 and Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book of the Year Award are holding a Gala Dinner Awards Presentation Evening on Tuesday, 23rd of March 2010. Travcom is a not-for-profit association of travel writers, photographers, broadcasters and travel-related communicators involved in promoting a high standard of travel writing, photography and publishing in New Zealand and internationally.


TRAVCOM invite you to
The Grand Tearoom
Heritage Auckland
35 Hobson Street
Auckland Central

Welcome bubbles and photography display at 6.30pm
Dinner: 7.00pm
MC Oliver Driver

Tickets are $75 (TRAVCOM members), $95 (for non-members)
Includes arrival drinks, a three course dinner, dinner wine, prizes and entertainment. The images entered in the awards will be on display on the night.

Invitation to this event

R.S.V.P. by Friday the 19th of March

Register and send cheques to: Helen Davies, Travcom Administrator 2b Pukehana Avenue, Epsom, Auckland
Ph: 09 624 5707
Email: helen.davies@clear.net.nz

Elsie Locke Writing Competition 2010

The Elsie Locke Writing Competition is again rewarding young writers for writing excellence. The writing competition which is in its second year is open to year 7 and year 8 school children. The award carries a prize of $400 in cash plus $100 in book tokens. The winning entry will also be published in a Part 4 School Journal. Find out more about Elsie Locke

Theme
For the 2010 competition, students need to:

Describe an incident or tell a story set in the 1930’s Depression. Events described may be real or fictitious.

Submission Guidelines

• The competition is open to all students in years 7 and 8.
  
• Entries may be of any length up to a maximum of 500–600 words
  
• Entries may be handwritten
  
• Entries must be the writer’s own work

Closing Date: Friday, 16 April 2010

Submit entries to:
Susan Paris
Editor, School Journal
Learning Media
Box 3293
Wellington 6140
Submission Guidelines

Get Poetry Published in New Zealand

Want to get published in a New Zealand poetry magazine, journal or publication then you will find this list of places in New Zealand to submit poetry to invaluable.

Bravado
Bravado takes poetry submissions from New Zealand poets for its three issues per year in March, May and November.

Submission Guidelines

• Submit up to 5 poems
• Include 50 word bio
• Post or email submissions

Post submissions to:

Poetry editor
Bravado
PO Box 13 533,
Tauranga 3141
New Zealand
Submission Guidelines


Landfall
Landfall is New Zealand's longest-running literary journal showcasing new fiction and poetry. Landfall is published twice a year - once in May and again in November.

Submission Guidelines

Open to work by New Zealand and Pacific writers

• Submit up to 10 poems
• Submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter
• Submissions must be provided in hard copy
• Include a self addressed envelope with return postage with entries

Post submissions to:

The Editor
Landfall
Otago University Press
Box 56
Dunedin
New Zealand
Email landfall@otago.ac.nz.
Facebook: Landfall Journal
Submission Guidelines


Takahe
Takahe is a literary magazine showcasing the work of emerging writers which is published in 3 volumes throughout the year in April, August and December.

Submission Guidelines

• All poems must be previously unpublished
• Poems need to be submitted in hard copy format along with an accompanying letter
• Poems can be of any length (from 10 lines to approximately two pages)
• Poems must be sent by mail. No email submissions are allowed.
• A self addressed envelope with return postage must be included with entries

Post submissions to:
Poetry Editor, Takahe, Box 13-335, Christchurch 8141, New Zealand
Submission Guidelines


Turbine
Turbine is the annual online journal of the International Institute of Modern Letters Victoria University.

Submission Guidelines

• All poems must be previously unpublished
• Submit up to 5 poems
• Deadline mid October for December issue
• Submissions can be emailed or sent by mail.
• A self addressed envelope with return postage must be included with entries

Post submissions to:
Turbine Submissions, IIML, Victoria University, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
Submission Guidelines

New Zealand Writing Competition $10000 Prize

Entries for the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Literature Awards in conjunction with the New Zealand Society of Authors are now being sought for 2010. The award which aims to recognize excellence in writing in the mind, body spirit (new age) genre offers New Zealand writers the chance to win two major prizes of $10,000 each - one for an unpublished manuscript and the other for a published work of fiction. The competition is open to all New Zealand citizens resident in New Zealand.

Submission Guidelines

• The deadline for unpublished manuscripts is 31 March 2010.
  
• Unpublished manuscripts must be between 20,000 and 100,000 words in length
  
• Published manuscripts can be up to 48 pages longer
  
• Published manuscripts must be submitted by 31 May 2010 and published between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.

Submission forms and entry details are available from:

The New Zealand Society of Authors
PO Box 7701, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141. phone: 09 379 4801
or by emailing: office@nzauthors.org.nz
Detailed Submission Guidlelines

2010 International Poetry Competition New Zealand

The Poetry Society of New Zealand is once again running its annual International Poetry Competition. The poetry competition which closes on 31 May 2010 is divided into 4 sections: Open, Junior, Haiku, Junior Haiku. The competition welcomes submissions from within New Zealand and from international poets.

Open Section
Poems must be in English and previously unpublished in New Zealand or elsewhere.
Entry Fee: $5.00 per poem or ($4 for NZPS members)
Prizes: $500, $250, and $100. Up to 20 poems may additionally receive commendation

Junior Open Section
Poems must be in English and previously unpublished in New Zealand or elsewhere. Entrants must age 17 years or under on the closing date
Entry Fee: $2.00 per poem
Prizes: $200, $100, and $50. Up to 20 poems may additionally receive commendation

Open Haiku Section
Poems must be in English and previously unpublished in New Zealand or elsewhere. For haiku writers and includes senryu
Entry Fee: $1.00 per haiku
Prizes: 5 prizes of $100 each. Overall winner will receive the Jeanette Stace Memorial Prize of $150. Up to 20 commendations.

Junior Haiku Section
Poems must be in English and previously unpublished in New Zealand or elsewhere. For haiku and senryu writers. Entrants must age 17 years or under on the closing date
Entry Fee: $1.00 per pair of haiku
Prizes: 3 prizes of $50 in each of 2 age groups (primary/intermediate and secondary). Best of the two First Prize winners receive the Jeanette Stace Memorial Prize of $100. Up to 20 commendations.

More entry details on the New Zealand Poetry Society's 2010 International Poetry Competition

Submissions for Going Down Swinging 30th Issue

Going Down Swinging is calling for new, unpublished works of poetry, haiku, short fiction and non fiction, flash, comic art and spoken word recordings for its 30th year issue. Going Down Swinging is an Australian literary anthology of short fiction, poetry, comic art and spoken word, published in a book/CD package. The magazine has no set theme and accepts work from international writers and artists. The annual magazine will be a bumper issue in celebration of its 30th anniversary and is due for release in August 2010.

Fees for all published work in Going Down Swinging Issue 30 are as follows:

• $75 per short poem/comic or graphic art
  
• $100 per poem, short story or comic over 4 pages
  
• $100 per spoken word track
  
• $10 per haiku

Deadline: 31 March 2010 (AEST)

Submission Guidelines
A maximum of 3 pieces per contributor is permitted
Full submission details

Send submissions to:
Going Down Swinging
PO Box 24
Clifton Hill 3068 Victoria
AUSTRALIA

or email to: submissions@goingdownswinging.org.au

NZ Post Writers and Readers Week 2010

The New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week will take place in Wellington over 6 days from 9 March to 13 March 2010. The writing festival features a smorgsbord of international and New Zealand writing. Three times Man Booker Prize nominee Sarah Waters and author of The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger are some of the big names likely to attract large crowds. The local talent line-up includes Bill Manhire, Briar Grace-Smith and Emily Perkins among others. Be it fiction, poetry, biography, memoir, drama you will find the best of contempory writing at this year's festival.

In all some 30 local and international writers will share their ideas, debate contemporary issues and read from their work during festival week. Guest writers include: Neil Gaiman, Sarah Waters, Simon Schama, Richard Dawkins, Geoff Dyer, Geoff Cochrane, Kevin Connolly, Charlotte Grimshaw , Ilija Trojanow, Kate Camp, Glyn Maxwell, Judith Binney, Gil Adamson, Susanna Moore, Briar Grace-Smith, Joan London, Emily Perkins, Charlotte Grimshaw, Neil Cross, Audrey Niffenegger, Peter Singer, Daniel Kehlmann, Kamila Shamsie, Chloe Hooper, Bill Manhire, Lisa Moore, James Belich, Margo Lanagan, Philip Hoare, Rod Oram, Derek Johns, Ian Wedde, Sam Elworthy, Laurie Chittenden, Michael Heyward, Fariba Hachtroudi, Anna Taylor.

When: 9-14 March 9.30am-7pm
Where: Embassy Theatre & Wellington Town Hall
Concession Tickets Available: Book at Ticketek

Review Writing Competition for School Kids

Write a review of any show or workshop attended during the 2010 New Zealand International Arts Festival held between February 26 - 21 March and win fantastic prizes. Winning reviews will be published in Tearaway magazine and on the New Zealand International Arts Festival website.

Categories and Awards
Junior students (yrs 3-8)
• 1st prize for winning entry
• 2nd prize for highly commended

Senior students (yrs 9-13)
• 1st prize for winning entry
• 2nd prize for highly commended

Further details about this Writing Competition