The Stringybark Open Award 2025
is now closed.
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be notified when the next competition opens. Check out
our bookshop to see what the judges look for in a winning story.
FUTURE COMPETITIONS
The Stringybark Short Story Awards exist to promote and develop short story writing in Australia. Checkout our current competitions here. Future competitions are listed below.
STRINGYBARK TIMES PAST AWARD 2020
Owing to popular demand, the Stringybark Stories Times Past Award will be back in 2020! We have always had a bit of a bent for Australian historical fiction but our competitions go a little further. Our Times Past Awards ask our writers to take a particular historical incident and weave a story around it. This has led to some fabulous historical fiction writing. We recommend that you read some previous competitions winning stories to get a sense of what we love. Have a read of Marngrook, Yellow Pearl, Stew and Sinkers or Longing for Solitude. You can obtain copies by clicking here.
Opens: Monday 3 August 2020
Closes: Sunday 27 September 2020
Length: ≤1500 words
STRINGYBARK SHORT STORY AWARD 2020
Our annual open-themed short story award produces wonderful tales and there is little doubt the 2020 competition will do the same. It's always worth reading what the judges are looking for so pick up a copy of Timber!, A Nice Boy, Standing By, No Tea Tomorrow or Side by Side. You can obtain copies by clicking here.
Opens: Monday 16 November 2020
Closes: Sunday 31 January 2021
Length: ≤1500 words
STRINGYBARK SEX AND GENDER AWARD 2021
Stringybark Publishing is proud to sponsor the Stringybark Sex and Gender Short Story Award 2021. We are looking for great short stories that address any issues relating to human relationships from a sex or gender perspective. Subjects that could be explored in a fictional context include: romance, sexual violence, love, lust, harassment, bullying, LGBTIQ+, equality, respect, disrespect, consent, care, empathy, empowerment, redemption, discrimination etc. We want stories that illuminate these issues but also that give us hope for a better future.
Opens: Wednesday 28 April 2021
Closes: Wednesday 28 July 2021
Length: ≤1500 words
