Enter the Boroondara Literary Awards

Free writing workshops

Would you like some inspiration to help you write your 2024 entry to the Literary Awards?

Join us at the upcoming Writing for Children workshop, led by children’s author Anna Ciddor, on Wednesday 24 April at Balwyn Library.

Find out more and register on the Writing for Children Workshop with Anna Ciddor page.

2024 award categories and prizes

1. Young Writers Competition

This is a prose and poetry competition for young people who live, work or study in Boroondara.

All entrants should ensure that their document does not contain borders, colours, images, or any identifying details such as your name. There are no requirements for fonts, sizing, or spacing for your entry.

Criteria	Prize
Junior Category Open to young people in school Years 5 and 6 Prose length between 300 and 500 words Poetry length must be less than 100 lines One entry per category is permitted: one for prose and one for poetry	Prose First place: $300 Second place: $200 Third place: $100 Poetry First place: $300 Second place: $200 Third place: $100 Highly commended Up to 3 vouchers, $30 each
Middle Category Open to young people in school Years 7, 8 and 9 Prose length between 500 and 900 words Poetry length must be less than 200 lines One entry per category is permitted: one for prose and one for poetry	Prose First place: $450 Second place: $300 Third place: $150 Poetry First place: $450 Second place: $300 Third place: $150 Highly commended Up to 3 vouchers, $30 each
Senior Category Open to young people in school Years 10, 11 and 12. Also open to young people not in secondary school, aged 15 to 18 years old as of 1 January 2024. Prose length between 900 and 1,300 words. Poetry length must be less than 200 lines One entry per category is permitted: one for prose and one for poetry	Prose First place: $600 Second place: $400 Third place: $200 Poetry First place: $600 Second place: $400 Third place: $200 Highly commended Up to 3 vouchers, $30 each

Criteria

Prize

Junior Category

Open to young people in school Years 5 and 6
Prose length between 300 and 500 words
Poetry length must be less than 100 lines
One entry per category is permitted: one for prose and one for poetry

Prose

First place: $300
Second place: $200
Third place: $100

Poetry

First place: $300
Second place: $200
Third place: $100

Highly commended

Up to 3 vouchers, $30 each

Middle Category

Open to young people in school Years 7, 8 and 9
Prose length between 500 and 900 words
Poetry length must be less than 200 lines
One entry per category is permitted: one for prose and one for poetry

Prose

First place: $450
Second place: $300
Third place: $150

Poetry

First place: $450
Second place: $300
Third place: $150

Highly commended

Up to 3 vouchers, $30 each

Senior Category

Open to young people in school Years 10, 11 and 12.
Also open to young people not in secondary school, aged 15 to 18 years old as of 1 January 2024.
Prose length between 900 and 1,300 words.
Poetry length must be less than 200 lines
One entry per category is permitted: one for prose and one for poetry

Prose

First place: $600
Second place: $400
Third place: $200

Poetry

First place: $600
Second place: $400
Third place: $200

Highly commended

Up to 3 vouchers, $30 each

Enter the Young Writers competition

2. Open Short Story Competition

The Open Short Story Competition is open to all Victorian residents.

Criteria	Prize
Word length between 1,500 and 3,000 words One entry per person Entrants must live in Victoria to be eligible	First place: $1500 Second place: $1000 Third place: $500 The Keith Carroll Award of $500 is given to the best entry from a Boroondara resident. Highly commended Up to 3 vouchers, $50 each

Criteria

Prize

Word length between 1,500 and 3,000 words

One entry per person

Entrants must live in Victoria to be eligible

First place: $1500
Second place: $1000
Third place: $500

The Keith Carroll Award of $500 is given to the best entry from a Boroondara resident.

Highly commended

Up to 3 vouchers, $50 each

Enter the Open Short Story Competition

Terms and conditions

You must accept the terms and conditions of this competition to participate in it.

Download

Literary Awards Terms and Conditions 2024 158 KB [PDF] 1 March 2024

Enter the Boroondara Literary Awards

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Free writing workshops

2024 award categories and prizes

1. Young Writers Competition

2. Open Short Story Competition

Terms and conditions

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