Poetry & Prose Submissions
- Meanjin accepts fiction and poetry submissions from Australian writers for its December 2026 edition.
- Ninth Heaven Literary Journal invites poetry, fiction, essays, visual art, and sound for Issue III: Creation & Festivity until 24 November 2026, reviewing on a rolling basis with a 4–6 week turnaround (Writers SA listing).
- Verge 2027 Anthology (Monash University Publishing) seeks previously unpublished short fiction, creative non-fiction, and hybrid work (up to 2,500 words) or poetry (up to 35 lines) from writers in Australia on the theme of “Ghosts” until 13 December 2026.
- Overland Literary Journal reads poetry submissions (up to 3 poems per quarter) and nonfiction essays (up to 3,000 words) via its Submittable portal, though fiction submissions are currently closed.
- Cordite Poetry Review welcomes unpublished poems, critical essays, and reviews from Australian and international contributors through its online submission manager.
- Kill Your Darlings (KYD) takes rolling monthly short fiction submissions from KYD members via KYD Submittable, paying a minimum of $1,000 AUD per published story.
- Susurrus Literary Arts Magazine invites poetry, flash fiction, short stories, and creative nonfiction for its Winter 2026 issue (Issue 16).
Literary Prizes & Competitions
| Competition / Prize | Closing Date | Form & Length | Entry Fee | Prize & Publication Details |
| Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction | 25 Oct 2026 | Flash fiction (up to 500 words; 3 prompts in 60 hours) | Tiered entry | Cash prizes and print anthology publication |
| SD Harvey Short Crime Story Award | 30 Oct 2026 | Crime fiction or non-fiction (2,000–5,000 words; AU residents) | $35 AUD | Ned Kelly Awards recognition and cash prize (details) |
| The Varnish Prize for Fiction | 30 Oct 2026 | Formally inventive unpublished short fiction (open globally) | See guidelines | Publication with Varnish Online; focus on emerging voices |
| The 2026 Hope Prize | 31 Oct 2026 | Short story or narrative nonfiction on hope/resilience (18+ globally) | See portal | $13,000 AUD prize pool; Simon & Schuster Australia anthology |
| Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize | 31 Oct 2026 | Poetry up to 40 lines on the theme “Night” (rules) | 35AUD(25 members) | $1,000 AUD first prize via Ballarat Writers |
| The Best of Times Short Story Competition #42 | 31 Oct 2026 | Humorous short stories up to 2,500 words | $12 AUD | Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place |
| National Poetry Competition 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | Unpublished poems up to 40 lines (18+ globally) | £9 first poem (£6 extra) | £5,000 first prize, £3,000 second, £2,000 third |
| The Bedford Competition 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | Short stories (to 3,000 words) & poetry (to 40 lines; 17+ globally) | £8.50 (or 3 for £17) | £2,000 first prize in each category (details) |
| Anthology Poetry Competition 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | Unpublished poems up to 40 lines (open internationally) | €18 | €1,000 first prize, publication, and Reedsy membership |
| Aurealis Awards 2026 | 10 Nov 2026 | Speculative fiction by Australians first published in 2026 (including indie/self-published) | Discounted for Writer Centre members | Australia’s premier sci-fi, fantasy, and horror awards across 16 categories |
| F(r)iction Fall 2026 Writing Contests | 13 Nov 2026 | Short story (1,001–7,500 words), flash (to 1,000 words), poetry (to 3 pages) | Via Submittable | $1,000 USD (short story), $300 USD (flash/poetry), plus editorial feedback for finalists |
| Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition | 30 Nov 2026 | Unpublished poems up to 40 lines (open internationally) | €7 (5 for €30; fee-free spots) | €2,000 first prize plus Cork International Poetry Festival reading and accommodation |
| KYD Creative Non-Fiction Prize | 30 Nov 2026 | Experimental essays (2,500–3,500 words) on any subject | KYD membership required | $2,500 AUD first prize, two $1,000 AUD runner-up prizes, and publication |
| Bath Children’s Novel Award 2026 | 30 Nov 2026 | First 5,000 words + 1-page synopsis for unpublished YA/children’s manuscripts | £33 (sponsored entries) | £5,000 prize open to international unagented/unpublished writers |
| Anthology Travel Writing Competition | 30 Nov 2026 | Articles up to 1,000 words on an authentic travel experience | €15 | €300 first prize and publication in Anthology |
| 2027 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize | 1 Dec 2026 | Unpublished commercial adult, YA, or non-fiction manuscripts (up to 80,000 words; Open & Own Voices) | Entry fee applies | Trade publishing contract plus a $3,500 AUD editing and coaching package |
(Note: While listed on several state calendars for 30 November, Perentie Press announced the postponement of the 2027 Perentie Prize, though their Graphic Folk pitch window for public-domain fairytale/folktale graphic novel adaptations opens for the first week of December 2026.)
Visual Art & Photography Calls
- Beyond Words Magazine closes its current submission round today, 24 October 2026, for photography, drawings, paintings, collages, and sculptures to pair with literary work in print (Submittable listing).
- Anthology Cover Art Competition 2026 invites visual artists, illustrators, and photographers worldwide to submit cover artwork by 31 October 2026 (€18 fee; €500 prize and front-cover publication).
- Elaine Bermingham National Watercolour Prize in Landscape Painting accepts entries from Australian artists until 8 November 2026 at 11:59 PM AEST (ArtsHub listing).
- Red Ogre Review accepts visual art, photography, and digital media alongside poetry for its December 2026 issue until 15 November 2026.
- Blue Mesa Review takes fall visual art and photography submissions through November 2026 for cover and interior features ($3 USD reading fee; Submittable discovery).
- Collie Art Prize 2027 (CAP27) accepts entries from Australian artists through 11 December 2026 for its biennial juried exhibition on the theme of “Identity”, featuring a $50,000 AUD acquisitive prize.
