The 2025 Richell Prize for Emerging is currently open for submissions, presented in partnership by Emerging Writers’ Festival and Hachette Australia. The evergreen advice of previous winners is perfect for those looking to submit their work.
Check out their prize-winning advice below!
‘Take every part of the submission seriously. Title. Synopsis. Chapter breakdown. 20,000 words. Write it, edit it, rewrite it. Get a writing/editing friend to criticise it. Then write it again.’
Susannah Begbie, 2022 Richell Prize winner and author of The Deed.
‘What an unbelievable opportunity… Not only the financial support for a precarious profession but also the opportunity to be mentored by experts in the field. I have always had hope for this novel, but to have that hope validated by the judges is a powerful thing.’
Alex Sawyer, 2023 Richell Prize winner on the rewarding experience of trusting yourself enough to enter the Prize.
‘The contest was the first time I wrote something significant in such a short time (I saw promotions one month before the deadline and crammed my entry into those four weeks). Going on to win was one of those rare moments I felt seen, and I’ll never forget it.’
Simone Jordan, 2021 Richell Prize winner and author of Tell Her She’s Dreamin’ on submitting her Prize-winning three chapters.
Entries to the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers are open to unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction. Writers do not need to have a full manuscript at the time of submission, though they must intend to complete one. The Prize will be judged on the first three chapters of the submitted work, along with a synopsis outlining the direction of the proposed work and detail about how the author’s writing career would benefit from winning the Prize.
The winner will receive $10,000 in prize money, to be donated by Hachette Australia, and a year’s mentoring with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers. Hachette Australia will work with the winning writer to develop their manuscript with first option to consider the finished work, and the shortlisted entries, for publication.
For full details and the submission portal, click below!
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