http://textpublishing.com.au/about-text/the-text-prize
Entries for the 2012 Text Prize will be open from
30 April – 1 June, 2012. Download the entry form and submission details here.
The Text Prize is going from strength to strength, as the publisher continues to choose winners that push the boundaries of young adult fiction.—Junior Bookseller+Publisher
The Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing is an annual prize awarded to an outstanding unpublished manuscript. It aims to discover more wonderful new books for young readers, by Australian and New Zealand writers.
The Publisher at Text, Michael Heyward, hopes this award ‘will unearth some brilliant new writing for young readers, which we can take to the world as we have done for many adult writers on our list’.
Both published and unpublished writers of all ages are eligible to enter with works of fiction or non-fiction. Judged by a panel of editors from Text Publishing, the winner will receive a publishing contract with Text and a $10,000 advance against royalties.
Myke Bartlett was the winner in 2011 with his adventure novel Fire in the Sea (formerly known as The Relic), in which mythological creatures invade suburban Perth and threaten the world. It will be published in August 2012.
The winner of the 2010 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing was the post-apocalyptic action novel The Bridge by Jane Higgins. Watch the fantastic trailer and learn more about the book here.
The 2009 winner was Leanne Hall, for her distinctive novel This Is Shyness.
In 2008 the inaugural prize was won by Richard Newsome’s adventure caper, The Billionaire’s Curse.
TerMS and condiTionS
1 The manuscript must be a work of fiction or non-fiction of at
least 25,000 words, and must be written in English.
2 The manuscript submitted must be complete and must be
suitable for a young adult or children’s readership.
3 This prize is not open to illustrated books.
4 The competition is open to living writers, whether they have
been published before or not. However your submitted
work must not be on submission to or under contract/option
to any other publisher. It is a condition of entry that Text
Publishing has the right to acquire worldwide publication
rights in any manuscript submitted to the competition, until
the winner has been announced.
5 Entrants must be permanent residents of Australia or New
Zealand. In entering the competition you warrant that:
(i) The entry is an original work, which has not been
published or made available in any form anywhere
throughout the world.
(ii) That it is in no way whatever an infringement of any
existing copyright or licence or any other right of any
person.
(iii) That it contains no defamatory matter, or any matter
which invades any individual’s rights of privacy.
(iv) All statements in the work purporting to be facts are
true.
6 Each entry must be received by post, and must contain the
following:
(i) A completed entry form, available from the Text
Publishing website (
www.textpublishing.com.au).
(ii) The complete manuscript.
(iii) A synopsis of no more than 200 words.
(iv) An entry fee of AU$25.
7 Post your entry to The Text Prize, Level 10, 22 William Street,
Melbourne 3000. The Text Prize is open for submissions from
Monday 30 April 2012. All entries must be received by Text
Publishing no later than 4pm Friday 1 June 2012.
8 An author may submit more than one manuscript, but each
entry must be accompanied by an entry form and fee.
9 Electronic submissions will not be accepted, nor will hand
delivered submissions.
10 The winner will be notified by phone and/or email.
11 The winner will be announced at an event in Melbourne
on 17 July 2012, and on the Text Publishing website
(textpublishing.com.au).
12 The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be
entered into either during or after the judging process.
13 Chance plays no part in determining the winner. Entries
will be judged in regard to literary merit and commercial
potential in today’s young adult or children’s book markets.
14 Only one prize will be awarded.
15 Submitted manuscripts will not be returned. Do not submit
any creative materials apart from your written entry, as no
material can or will be returned. Do not submit any original
documents and keep a copy of your entry for your reference.
16 Text Publishing takes no responsibility for lost or misdirected
entries.
17 The winner receives a prize of AU$10,000 which constitutes
an advance against royalties from sales, and a contract to
publish the winning book with Text Publishing.
18 The winning entry shall be published by Text Publishing
under the terms of a publishing agreement, which shall be
negotiated in line with industry norms.
19 The prize is not transferable and not redeemable for any
other goods or services.
20 Text Publishing reserves the right not to offer a prize if in
its reasonable opinion no entry is received which is of an
acceptable standard to warrant publication.
21 By entering this competition you have opted-in to Text’s
marketing database and may receive marketing information
from us. The personal information you have provided to Text
is collected for the purpose of notifying the winner of the
competition and for Text’s direct marketing. It will not be
disclosed to any other organisation. You may opt out of our
marketing database at any time.
22 By entering the competition you accept the conditions
of entry as prescribed and give your consent for your
manuscript to be considered for the prize.
23 The promoter is Text Publishing, ABN 46 063 671 205,
22 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
Australian Competitions Club
