Entries are now open for the 2019 John Marsden & Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers, a creative writing developmental award open exclusively to Australian secondary school students across the nation.

The prize recognises writing excellence in three categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction and Poetry.

The Prize is named after and supported by international best-selling author John Marsden, sponsored by Hachette Australia and administered by Express Media, Australia’s peak youth literary organisation.

The John Marsden & Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers gives young writers the opportunity to hone their skills under the guidance of one some of Australia’s favourite authors. The Prize aims to ignite passion for creative writing and poetry in the minds of Australia’s secondary school students, and to encourage them to pursue writing and publishing opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.

Prize winners will receive $500 and a book pack of YA titles, courtesy of Hachette Australia, publication of their work on the Express Media website plus their names and an acknowledgement printed in Voiceworks, Australia’s premier youth literary journal. Fifteen shortlisted writers will also be invited to participate in a writing masterclass, and later have the chance to meet and chat with John Marsden himself.

Hannah Li, one of the shortlisted poets for 2018 said of the experience “it was amazing to have a chance to get information and tips from those within the writing industry, and to get to know other aspiring writers.”

The prize is judged by John Marsden, alongside representatives from Hachette Australia and Express Media.

The winners will be announced and presented at a special event at the 2019Melbourne Writers Festival on  Thursday 5th September 2019.

Entries are now closed .

To download the PDF media release, click here. 

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Jes Layton, Administration and Communications Coordinator | 03 9094 7889 | info@expressmedia.org.au