Australian Competitions Club

https://www.newc.org.au/2024-thunderbolt-prize-for-crime-writing.html

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NEW ENGLAND THUNDERBOLT PRIZE
The Thunderbolt Prize is a prestigious, nationally recognised, literary award for crime writers resident in Australia. Includes major prizes and a youth category for writers under 18yrs.
OPENS FOR SUBMISSIONS  Monday 17 June 2024
SUBMISSION WINDOW CLOSES Friday 27 September 2024
From deep inside legendary bushranger territory, the New England Writers' Centre is urging you to stand and deliver your criminally awesome writing.

​All genres of crime writing are eligible, from hard-boiled to comic, to paranormal to rural, noir to cosy.

Entries welcome from anywhere in Australia.  
SUBMISSION PROCESS

Please read the guidelines.

Note wordcount limits: 2,500 words for Fiction & Non-Fiction. 60 Lines for poems.

Pay for your submission

You can pay via TryBooking and make sure to copy your receipt #
or pay by Direct Debit (see Payment Options below for account details.)

When you're ready to submit your manuscript, click on the form​ opposite and complete the online submission process.
   
Click here to pay online via TryBooking
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Looking for inspiration?  Visit our archive to see previous years' winners.
Take a look at 2023's winning submissions
Take a look at 2022's winning submissions
   
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The New England Thunderbolt Prize ​for Crime Fiction
For a story up to 2,500 words
First Prize: $500
Proudly sponsored by Armidale Central Rotary
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The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Non-fiction
for an article up to 2,500 words
First Prize: $500
Proudly sponsored by New England Brewing Co.,
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The New England Thunderbolt Prize ​for Crime Poetry
for a poem up to 60 lines
First Prize: $500
Proudly sponsored by  School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at the UNE
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The New England Award
The best entry in any category by a resident of New England , NSW.
​Prize: $250
Proudly sponsored by  Golden Orb Creative
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Emerging Authors Award (over 18 years)
The best entry in any category by a new, ​unpublished writer
​Prize: $250
Proudly sponsored by Armidale Central Rotary
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Youth Award (Under 18 years)
The best entry in any category
by writers aged under 18.
Prize: $150
Proudly sponsored by  ArtsNational Armidale
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ENTRY DETAILS
Opens:  17 June 2024
Closes:  27 September 2024
Results announced:  November 2024
Fee: $10 for adults, $5 for Youth
No limit on number of entries per entrant but a fee must be paid for each individual entry.

If you are paying by TRYBOOKING make note of the Receipt # to include on the online submission form.

​No hardcopy submissions will be accepted.

Questions? Email: ​nethunderboltprize@gmail.com
   
PAYMENT OPTIONS
PAY VIA TRYBOOKING
EFT: Deposit directly into our account
New England Writers’ Centre,
BSB: 932000
Account No: 618658.

Please make sure you include your name and NET prize as reference when you make an online deposit.

New England Writers’ Centre
PO Box 1219, Armidale  NSW 2350.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES | Terms & Conditions of Entry

Formatting your manuscript

Your manuscript should be formatted using 2.5cm margins, Times New Roman font at 12 point size, double-spaced lines, and paragraphs indented 1.25cm. DO NOT include your name on the manuscript. Make sure that the title on the submission form matches the title on the manuscript. File formats can be Word (.doc) or (.pdf).

 1. Entry is open to all Australian residents. Entry fee is $10 for writers 18 years and over | $5 under 18 years.
 2. The entry is an original work by a human and not generated through the use of artificial intelligence.
 3. All entries submitted must be unpublished commercially * whether in print or online, must not be on offer to any outlet or have won a prize or be currently entered in any other competition, and must be wholly the original work of the entrant. It is, however, permitted for work to have been published non-commercially on a blog or website.
 4. An Entry Fee and completed Submission Form (see above) must be submitted with each entry.
 5. As judging will be carried out anonymously, the author's name or other identifiers should not appear anywhere on the work itself. The title on the work must be identical to the title on the Entry Form.
 6. Entries must be emailed and received by 5pm (NSW time) on 27 September, 2024.
 7. No hard copy submissions will be accepted.
 8. Receipt of entries will be acknowledged by email. This will serve as an official receipt of the entry fee. No other receipt will be issued. Entry fees are non-refundable.
 9. Entry instructions including word and line limits and details of prizes form part of these Terms & Conditions.
10. Winning entries will also be published on the NEWC website. All copyright remains with the author.
11. Winners will be notified mid-November, and results announced on the NEWC website at the end of November.
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* An unpublished writer means not having had any of your work previously published in traditional form in a commercially produced book or anthology, or more than twice in commercial magazines, whether in print form or online. You may have had work self-published or in free online journals.
READY TO SUBMIT YOUR MANUSCRIPT?
(Make sure to have your TryBooking receipt #)
Good luck!