Woollahra Young Writers' Award

1. Entries must be submitted by 11.59pm on Sunday 19 July 2026.
2. Entries may be submitted online via the webform as a PDF or Word document.
3. All entries must be the original work of the student and not generated using, or assisted by, Artificial Intelligence. Submissions will be screened using plagiarism and AI detection software. Any works found to contain plagiarism or AI-generated content will be disqualified.
4. Entries will be judged to select, in the opinion of the judges, the best entry in the following categories:
   1. Short Story (up to 1,500 words). Junior: Years 7–9 and Senior: Years 10–12.
   2. Poetry (up to 30 lines). Junior: Years 7–9 and Senior: Years 10–12.
5. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence or individual feedback will be provided. Due to the volume of submissions, only winning or shortlisted entrants may be contacted.
6. Entries containing content of a distressing nature (for example violence or sexual abuse) must include a trigger warning at the beginning of the work.
7. Please consider your audience when writing your work. Cultural appropriation, racism, sexism or derogatory language will not be tolerated.
8. Entrants must be students in Years 7–12, or aged between 12–18 years.
9. Entrants must live or attend school in the Woollahra Municipality or neighbouring areas (Waverley, Randwick or City of Sydney LGAs).
10. Entrants may submit multiple entries, provided each entry has a separate entry form. Only one entry per person will be eligible to be shortlisted or win in each category.
11. Entrants must provide parent, guardian or teacher consent. If there is content in your entry which causes concern for your welfare, your parent, guardian or teacher may be contacted.
12. Schools may be notified of students who are shortlisted or winners in their category.
13. By entering, entrants grant Woollahra Libraries permission to display, publish or reproduce their work in print or digital formats, including eBook collections, the Library website or social media. Copyright remains with the entrant.

Have a question about entering the Woollahra Young Writers’ Award? We've compiled answers to some of the most common queries below to help guide you through the submission process.

Who can enter the competition?

Young people currently attending secondary school or aged between 12–18 years who live or attend school in the Woollahra or neighbouring (Waverley, Randwick or City of Sydney) local government areas.

How do I enter?

Entries are submitted via our online entry form between Monday 20 April and Sunday 19 July 2026. Entries must be uploaded as either a PDF or Word document. When completing the form, you will be asked to provide your details, upload your work, agree to the conditions of entry and include parent, guardian or teacher consent.

Is there a cost to enter?

No, the competition is free to enter.

What can I write about?

You can write about any topic you like, as long as your work is completely original and suitable for a general audience. We encourage you to think about your audience when crafting your work. Please include a trigger warning at the beginning of your piece if there is any distressing content, and be mindful of the point of view you choose to take, particularly if it does not come from lived experience. We encourage creativity, imagination and personal voice.

Can I submit more than one entry?

Yes, provided each submission has a separate entry form. Please note only one entry per person will be eligible to be shortlisted or win in each category.

What file formats do you accept?

Please upload your entry as a PDF or Word document.

Do I keep the copyright to my work?

Yes, you keep full copyright. By entering, you grant the Library permission to publish your work if it is shortlisted or selected as a winner.

What are the prizes?

Winners of each category receive a cash prize of $300 and a one-hour mentoring session with the judge of their category. Shortlisted entrants will receive a literary prize pack.

Can teachers submit entries on behalf of students?

We encourage students to submit their own entries. Part of the award’s purpose is to help young writers build confidence in managing their own creative work from drafting to submission.

Teachers are very welcome to incorporate the award into their lesson plans to support students’ creative writing. If helpful, the submission process itself can be framed as a digital literacy activity, giving students practice in preparing and submitting work independently.

What if I need help submitting my entry?

We’re happy to help. Contact us at libraryevents@woollahra.nsw.gov.au if you have any questions.