To coincide with their 30th anniversary in Australia this year, Walker Books Australia has announced the Walker Books Manuscript Prize.
Walker Books’ mission has long been to publish works that become firm favourites and formative reading. The aim of this new manuscript prize is to foster a new generation of Australian voices, who best represent Walker Books’ values of excellence, accessibility and inclusivity.
The Prize will be awarded biennially to an unpublished manuscript, from 5,000 to 70,000 words written for a readership of 8+ and suitable for formats of either junior fiction, middle grade fiction or young adult fiction. Submissions open 12th April 2023 and close 1st August 2023, with the winner announced on 26th October 2023.
Walker Books Australia Publisher Clare Hallifax said they were on the search for quality literature.
“Walker’s values – of quality of production, but most importantly quality of literature – are at the heart of everything we do. Those values are immutable, and this new prize is our chance to fling open a window, to invite fresh air, fresh stories, new storytellers to speak to our present and future readers. We are very excited to see what may come our way.”
The manuscript will be judged on literary merit, its originality, use of language, and on its representation of Walker’s values. The inaugural Prize shortlist will be judged by authors Sally Murphy OAM, Jared Thomas and Kate Foster.
The winner will be offered a publishing contract with an advance against royalties.
The award is open for the following categories:
- Junior fiction: for readers 5-8 years (5,000 to 20,000 words)
- Middle grade fiction: for readers aged 8-12 years (30,000 to 50,000 words)
- Young adult fiction: for readers 12+ (50,000 to 80,000 words)
Find out more about the competition at their website.
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