News

• Michael Gifkins Prize for an Unpublished Novel 2020 – enter now

  13-09-2019

  This prize is open to writers holding New Zealand citizenship or who are permanent residents of New Zealand, and, thanks to a generous financial commitment from the late Michael Gifkins’ family, the winner will receive a contract for world rights from Text, and an advance of NZ$10,000. Deadline: Midnight, 31 October. The prize is administered by the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc). Entry forms and terms and conditions.

• VUW/CNZ Emerging Māori Writer in Residence 2020 – applications open

  12-09-2019

  Jointly funded by Victoria University of Wellington and Creative New Zealand this residency aims to foster Māori writing by providing the appointee with the opportunity to write full-time within a creative institution for the period of tenure. Applications are invited from Māori writers in all areas of literary activity, including drama, fiction and poetry (page and performance), devised performance, creative non-fiction, graphic novels, etc. The appointment will be for three months, with NZ$15,000 (no accommodation). Applications close 25 November 2019. See here for more details. Further enquiries may be made to Katie Hardwick-Smith, International Institute of Modern Letters, Ph: 04 4636854 or email modernletters@vuw.ac.nz 

• Spring Writing Workshops at University of Auckland

  12-09-2019

  Join Paula Morris for an intensive craft-focused day working on fiction and creative nonfiction. The workshops include exercises, handouts and discussions, to help you start or re-start  your projects, and invigorate your own creative practice. Come for a morning boot camp or stay all day for full immersion. Saturday 28th September, 10am-12.15pm and/or 1.15pm -3.30pm. Limited to 18 people. Contact p.morris@auckland.ac.nz for more details and to reserve your place.

• NZSA Peter & Dianne Beatson Fellowship 2019 announced!

  07-09-2019

  Christchurch writer Frankie McMillan is the recipient of the NZSA Peter & Dianne Beatson Fellowship 2019. This annual fellowship is awarded to a mid-career or senior writer and NZ Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) member to work on a project that shows a high level of literary merit and national significance. The fellowship is $10,000. Frankie intends to put the grant towards the completion of a novella set in 1950s New Zealand. The project explores the lives of children and workers in a church run Children’s Home. Congratulations Frankie!

• Entries Open for the 2020 Grimshaw Sargeson Fellowship

  05-09-2019

  The Fellowship, now in its 33rd year, is a national literary award offering published New Zealand writers, based both locally and internationally, the opportunity to focus on their craft full-time by providing an annual stipend of $20,000 and tenure at the Sargeson Centre in Auckland. Entries are now open and close on Friday 27 September 2019, with the tenure due to start on 1 April 2019. Download the application form here  or contact Elizabeth Bennie, General Manager.

• Commonwealth Short Story Prize – entries are open

  05-09-2019

  The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–5,000 words) in the Commonwealth regions of 1. Africa, 2. Asia, 3. Canada and Europe, 4. Caribbean and 5. Pacific. The overall winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize will receive £5,000 and the remaining four regional winners £2,500. The online form is available from the opening date: 1 September 2019 – 1 November 2019. For further information see here.

• Auckland Surrey Hotel Residency closes soon – enter now!

  28-08-2019

  Nominations for the 2019 Surrey Hotel Writer’s Residency Award in association with Newsroom are open now, and close soon – the deadline is September 3 at 5pm. There are three prizes. The grand first prize merits the winner seven nights free accommodation at the Surrey, with breakfast, wifi, and the hotel’s famous Sunday roast thrown in. Second prize is four nights and third prize is three nights, each with breakfast and wifi but sorry no roast. All winners receive that precious commodity: privacy, to write. Email entries to Steven Braunias stephen11@xtra.co.nz with the subject line THE SURREY HOTEL RESIDENCY, with a brief covering letter outlining the project you have in mind, and a few pages of the work in progress. More info here.

• Book Launch: Witi Ihimaera’s ‘Native Son’

  26-08-2019

  E ngā rau rangatira mā, Nau mai haere mai. Going West, Witi Ihimaera and Penguin Random House invite you to celebrate the launch of Native Son: the writer’s memoir at the Going West Writers Festival, Saturday 7 September 5pm, Titirangi War Memorial Hall, 500 South Titirangi Rd. PLEASE RSVP TO EMAIL w.ihimaera@auckland.ac.nz

• David Eggleton our new Poet Laureate

  23-08-2019

  The award of Poet Laureate celebrates outstanding contributions to New Zealand poetry. For a two-year period, the Laureate is supported by the National Library to create new work and promote poetry throughout the country. The Laureate is an accomplished and highly regarded poet who can speak on behalf of New Zealand poetry, and to its readers. Dunedin poet, writer, reviewer and former Burns Fellow David Eggleton has been appointed as the latest New Zealand Poet Laureate. Congratulations David!

• The Coalition for Books: new organisation for New Zealand literature announced

  11-08-2019

  A dynamic collaborative organisation has formed to make a tangible difference to the literary landscape of Aotearoa, supported by seed funding from Creative New Zealand (CNZ).

  During its initial year, the Coalition will be a collaborative venture beneath the umbrella of the Auckland Writers Festival. Other significant founding organisations include the Booksellers Association, the Society of Authors, the Publishers Association, Tautai Pacific Arts Trust, the New Zealand Book Awards Trust, the Michael King Writers Centre and the Academy of New Zealand Literature.

  The Coalition for Books has a clear mandate: to complement the work of existing organisations, identify gaps in activities and develop initiatives that serve authors, publishers, booksellers and festivals. Through strategic activity and by mobilising the literary sector, it will enhance the visibility, sales and overall opportunities for New Zealand books and their writers.

  Interim Chair Melanie Laville-Moore says, “A year in the making, the Coalition for Books feels like a watershed moment. It’s the very first time that so many representatives from across the literary sector have come to the same table to initiate important change. The potential to enable greater success for all of our organisations is huge. We’re immensely grateful to Creative New Zealand for believing in our vision and allowing us the opportunity to put plans into action.”

  Auckland Writers Festival Director Anne O’Brien says the Coalition is a critical step in enhancing the health of the sector in challenging times. “The Festival shares the Coalition’s kaupapa of supporting and strengthening engagement for and with New Zealand writers and readers, and looks forward to working with sector colleagues to make a real difference to this country’s literary well-being.”

  The inaugural meeting of the Coalition for Books will be held later this month during the Booksellers Association Conference to be held in Auckland. A new incorporated society will be established immediately afterwards.

• NZSA / CLNZ Writers’ Award 2019 Open Now

  05-08-2019

  The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) and Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) encourage non-fiction writers to apply for this $25,000 award, one of the highest non-fiction prizes in New Zealand literature. The NZSA/CLNZ Wrtiter’s Award provides financial support for writers wishing to devote time to a specific project and to cover reasonable research expenses relating to it. It is the clear intention of the Writers’ Award that a book will be published as a result of winning the award. Applications for the full range of non-fiction genre are welcome, including education works. Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents and writers of proven merit. Applications must be completed online by 4pm on Friday 6 September 2019. The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa is proud to be administering this award in 2019.

• Entries Open for 2020 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards

  05-08-2019

  The New Zealand Book Awards Trust is now inviting submissions for these prestigious awards which promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best books for adult readers published annually in New Zealand. Titles with release dates between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019 will be considered for the 2020 awards. Submissions for titles published between 1 January 2019 -31 August 2019 are now open and will close 5pm on Monday, 9 September. Online entries for titles published 1 September 2019 -31 December 2019 open on Tuesday 10 September and close 5pm on Wednesday 23 October 2019. The judges of the 2020 Ockham New Zealand Book awards will be named later this month. Click here for eligibility criteria and a Call for Entries information pack, then enter online here. For any further enquiries, please email Awards Administrator Chris Chan at awards@nzbookawards.org.nz.

• Water Globe – David Howard in Ljubljana UNESCO City of Literature

  30-07-2019

  David Howard, who is on his way to Ulyanovsk to take up a City of Literature residency there, is currently in Ljubljana UNESCO City of Literature to discuss his libretto for the chamber opera Water Globe with the composer Brina Jez. The libretta will be performed 2nd & 3rd December 2019 at Ljubljana Town Hall, Slovenia. For more details see here.

• Michael Gifkins Prize for an Unpublished Novel 2020 – open for applications

  23-07-2019

  Text Publishing and the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) are pleased to announce that submissions for the 2020 Michael Gifkins Prize for an Unpublished Novel are now open. The prize is open to writers holding New Zealand citizenship or who are permanent residents of New Zealand, and, thanks to a generous financial commitment from the late Michael Gifkins’ family, the winner will receive a contract for world rights from Text, and an advance of NZ$10,000. Submissions to the 2020 prize will close at midnight NZST on Thursday 31 October 2019. The shortlist will be announced in April 2020 and the winner in May 2020. The prize will be administered by the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc). Entry forms and terms and conditions can be found on its website.

• Poet Laureate Award – send in your nominations

  07-06-2019

  The National Library is seeking nominations for the next Poet Laureate. Nomination forms together with information about the Poet Laureate Award are available on the National Library website. Nominations close on 24 July and the new Laureate will be announced on Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day, 23 August 2019.