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      • 2022 Summer micro grants_Mary McMillan >
        • 2022 Summer micro grants_Kerry Moran
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      • 2022 Thunderbolt Prize winning submissions
      • 2022 Thunderbolt Prize Judges Reports
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      • Thunderbolt Prize 2021 Judges Reports
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      • 2021 Summer micro grants_Trish >
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New England Writers' Centre
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Welcome to the New England Writers' Centre!

Your NEWC team are genuinely excited about the year we have lined up for you with a ton of writing and illustration workshops, competitions and festivals.  Just scroll down for more info and links.

The results from previous year's competitions have been moved into archive as we prepare to publish this year's lineup.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions,  or jump on over to the Membership page to sign up and enjoy discounts for all our events.  ​See you soon!  ​ 
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New to the NEWC's website?  Look for the navigation icon:  three horizontal lines.  ​Click to open menu options. 


2024 WORKSHOPS & COMPETITIONS

February

Writing for the Primary School Education Market
Online - Saturday 24 February     2pm-3.30pm via Zoom
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Click the image for details
Join award winning children's author, George Ivanoff, for an introduction to the world of writing for the primary school education market.

​Discover your entry point into educational writing, and craft content that engages young readers and aligns with the Australian curriculum.

Find out more or click the button below to book your place now.
CLOSED

March - April

Short story to short film script (6 week) course
Armidale - Saturdays: March 23, 30  & April 6, 13, 20, 27
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Click image to find out more
Create a script from your short story idea.

Learn how to turn your fiction into a short film script with acclaimed independent filmmaker, writer, producer and director, Richard Jones.

Over six consecutive weekends in March and April, Dr Jones will guide you through the process of transforming your narrative into a visual story. 

This is a small group course.  Please have a short story idea ready.

​Visit the Story to Script page for further details or click the button below to secure your place. 
FULLY BOOKED

May

Writing & Illustrating for Children
Armidale - Saturday 4 May  2024
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Click image to find out more.
Would you like to try your hand at writing & illustrating a children's picture book?

Join celebrated author and illustrator, Cheryl Orsini, for this practical,  in-person workshop on writing and illustrating for the children's picture book market, focusing on the use of storyboarding to build your narrative.

This is a small group workshop and limited seats are available. 

Click here to find out more, or go straight to the button below and secure your place while you can!
CLOSED

June | November

The Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing 
Celebrate the 2024 Winners & Commended
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The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing is one of Australia's premier short fiction awards for crime writing, with six categories of prizes. 

Join us in celebrating this year's winners of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and under-18s categories.

To see the winners, judges' feedback and winning entries  click here.

July | November

The New England Illustration Prize 
Celebrate the 2024 Winners and Commended
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The Illustration Prize for Children's Picture Book Publishing is a nationally recognised prize that attracts entries from all over Australia and garners a great deal of attention from publishers.

2024 marks the eighth year of this prize. This year's theme is "Reading is Magic." 

Congratulations to our prize winners and commended illustrators!

To see their entries, and meet this year's judges, click here.

July + August

Pitch to the publisher
The submission window has now closed. 
Pitch event (for selected submissions) 26 - 29 August
Exclusive to writers and illustrators currently resident in New England, NSW.
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The NEWC has partnered with Riveted Press to bring you a unique opportunity. Local creatives are invited to submit a sample of their completed manuscript and/or portfolio.
​Submission is free, but there is no guarantee of a pitch slot. 
ONE application per person.
​NEWC's judges will undertake a review of all submissions to select applicants on the basis of the presentation of their summary & sample, to meet online, via Zoom, with Rowena Beresford of Riveted Press.
Submission window opens on 1 July and closes 2 August.
Click here for more information.
Varuna-NEWC Fellowship 
NOTE:  due to funding cuts, the Varuna-NEWC Fellowship has been deferred until 2025
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The Varuna-NEWC Fellowship offers a week's inspirational writing residency in the beautiful surroundings of Varuna, in the Blue Mountains.

The Fellowship includes full board and accommodation at Varuna, funds towards travel, a one-on-one consultation with a Varuna expert and more. 

The Fellowship is open to all writers, at any stage of their career, either currently living in the New England region, or who have previously lived there for at least five years.

September
Grow Big Little Seed: writing & submitting children's picture books
Armidale  - Saturday 14 September
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​Join New England writer, Bec Nanayakkara, as she shares her experience as a debut picture book author - with her first two publications being released in 2024 - with more in the pipeline!

This small group workshop is an opportunity to connect with Bec and share in the insights and experience that she has gained in learning her craft, and pursuing and securing contracts with major picture book publishers.

Click here to find out more, or go straight to the button below and secure your place while you can!
FULLY BOOKED

October

Crafting Memoir
Online - Saturday 12 October  2pm-3.30pm via Zoom
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Click here for details
Join author Ashley Kalagian Blunt for a workshop filled with strategies for getting the first draft of a memoir written and approaches for tackling the serious task of revision.

You’ll learn new insights into the craft of memoir, and receive a variety of tools and resources to support you.


Find out more or click the button below to book your place now.

CLOSED

..and more

Available from your local bookstore or direct from the publishers
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An essential resource for anyone interested, or planning a career, in the children's publishing industry, with insights and advice from professional publishers, agents, editors, writers, illustrators and content creators from across Australia.
​
Proudly produced in the New England by the United Publishers of Armidale.
I'll be happily recommending it to any new writers and illustrators.
Shaun Tan

Crime writers & readers, if you're looking for a tribe we have just the place for you.  Visit Sisters in Crime (brothers are welcome!), for a host of amazing resources and competitions, including the Scarlet Stiletto and The Davitt Awards. 

See our YouTube channel for our latest videos including the "By the Book" video playlist of tips and advice from local writers, and the  Stories Connect series.

​And don't forget to become a member  or renew your membership to receive discounts on all workshop bookings!
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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which the New England Writers' Centre is situated and pay our respects to Aboriginal Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Home
  • Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing
  • Illustration Prize for Children's Picture Book Publishing
  • Varuna-NEWC Fellowship
  • About
    • SPARK
    • Our Board
    • Our Sponsors
  • Membership
  • Contact Us
  • 2024 Archive
    • 2024 Illustration Prize for Children's Picture Book Publishing
    • 2024 Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing >
      • 2024 Thunderbolt Judges
      • 2024 Thunderbolt Winning submissions
    • Writing for the Primary Education Market
    • Story to Script Course
    • Writing and Illustrating for Children
    • Riveted Press Pitch Sessions
    • Grow Big Little Seed
    • Crafting Memoir
  • 2023 Archive
    • 2023 Thunderbolt winners >
      • 2023 Thunderbolt Judges
      • 2023 Thunderbolt winning submissions
    • 2023 Illustration Prize for children's picture book publishing
    • Varuna Fellowship 2023
  • 2022 Archive
    • 2022 Summer Micro Grants >
      • 2022 Summer micro grants_Mary McMillan >
        • 2022 Summer micro grants_Kerry Moran
    • 2022 Illustration Prize for children's picture book illustration
    • 2022 Thunderbolt winners >
      • 2022 Thunderbolt Prize winning submissions
      • 2022 Thunderbolt Prize Judges Reports
    • 2022 Varuna-NEWC Fellowship
  • 2021 Archive
    • 2021 Illustration Prize Winners
    • Varuna Fellowship 2021
    • Thunderbolt Prize 2021 >
      • Thunderbolt Prize 2021 Judges Reports
    • 2021 Summer Micro Grants >
      • 2021 Summer micro grants_Trish >
        • Beetle Hunt Stories
      • 2021 Summer micro grants_James
      • 2021 Summer Micro Grants_Fiona
  • 2020 Archive
    • Thunderbolt Prize 2020 >
      • Thunderbolt Prize 2020 Judges Reports
      • Thunderbolt Prize 2020_Winning submissions
    • Illustration Prize 2020 Winners
    • Varuna Fellowship 2020
    • 2020 Historical Novel Prize
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Inside Story Book
    • By The Book video series
    • Stories Connect