The International Writers Workshop is a recipient of a generous bequest from
The Jocelyn Grattan Charitable Trust for an award in honour of Jocelyn's mother Kathleen. Due to the bequest some IWW competitions may offer monetary prizes (note: prize monies will be shared in tied placings) and currently no entry fee applies.
We offer the following competitions in 2022 (up to June, more will follow soon). The programme is provisional at this stage, and some dates and judges may change.
The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems
Other monthly competitions, which include a mix of poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
Competitions are open to financial and honorary members of IWW who normally live in New Zealand.
New members are welcome to join. Find out how to join here.
New members become eligible to enter competitions after their application has been tabled at a committee meeting and then approved in writing (usually via email).
The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems
The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems has been our premier competition of the year since 2009. It is for a cycle or sequence of poems that has a common link or theme - no limit to length.
Details of the 2022 competition will be announced later in the year.
Monthly competitions
These competitions are for IWW members and further clarification, if any, should be in the newsletter. If you need more information, please email IWW.
All competitions close on a Tuesday workshop day. If you see a date that is not a Tuesday, please contact the webmaster for clarification.
All entries must be accompanied by the official IWW Cover Sheet, which must be attached to your competition entry. Please also adhere to the monthly competition rules below.
2022 IWW Competition Calendar
Please note, these competitons follow a workshop on the theme. A summary of the workshop will appear in the newsletter prior to the competition closing date. An outline of the workshop leading up the competition will be on our meetings page.
| Genre/Topic |
Word Count |
Due date |
Flash Fiction
Judge: Paul Clark
Results: At the meeting on 19th April 2022 |
300 words |
Closed |
Poetry
Judge: Trixi Rosa
Results: At the meeting on 19th July 2022 |
one Long and one Short poem |
Closed |
Longer Writing
Judge: Scott Butler
Results: At the meeting on 16th August 2022 |
3000 words |
5th July |
Travel Writing
Judge: Yvonne van Dongen
Results: At the meeting on 20th September 2022 |
1500 words |
2nd August |
Play Writing
Judge: Gary Henderson
Results: At the meeting on 18th October 2022 |
TBA |
20th September |
Rules for the Monthly Competitions
-
Competitions are open to all financial and honorary life members
of IWW.
-
There is a maximum of one entry per member per
competition.
-
Entries to be at least one-and-a-half line spacing for prose (fiction / non-fiction). Single spacing is permitted for poetry. Font to be at least 12-point, preferably Times New Roman.
-
Entries to be on one side of the paper only.
-
Illustrations are not permitted.
-
Entries are to meet or not exceed the word count
or time limit as set out in the competition schedule for the
entry topic.
-
A completed cover sheet with entry category,
title, maximum length as set out in the competition schedule,
the actual length of your entry and your pen-name, is to be
attached to the entry with either a paper clip or a staple.
Click here to
download a cover sheet.
-
Your own name must not appear on your
entry piece, although your pen-name may appear.
-
Your real name and pen-name
must be completed in the space provided at the bottom of the cover sheet.
-
No writing that has been previously published
may be entered.
-
No writing that has won a competition may be entered.
-
No writing that has previously won 1st,
2nd or 3rd place in an IWW competition may be re-entered.
-
Entries are to reach the competition secretary
by the deadline, either handed in at the meeting or to arrive in the post
that day. Late entries will not be accepted.
-
Postal entries are to be sent to International Writer's Workshop,
PO Box 36652, Northcote, Auckland, 0748.
-
If you wish your entry to be returned by post, please also
include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
-
Entries may be emailed in certain circumstances
by arrangement with the Competition Secretary.
These rules are also available as a PDF - click here
Competition Results
Click here to view
the results of some of our recent competitions.