Western suburbs wordsmiths have a number of writing prizes they can enter courtesy of the Williamstown Literary Festival.
In 2025 the festival is once again convening the Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes named after one of Australia’s finest colonial era writers who lived in Williamstown.
Entries for the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize, Poetry Prize and The Young Adas are open now, with up to $500 on offer for the winners.
This biographical prose prize is open to all writers over 18 years of age who live in Victoria, with each writer able submit a single biographical story between 1000 and 3000 words. The entry fee is $15 and a prize of $500 is available to the winner.
The poetry prize has similar conditions, with each entrant able to submit two poems with a maximum length of 30 lines each.
The cost of entry and cash prize for the winner are the same as for the biographical prose prize.
Unlike the other two awards, the Young Adas are only open to junior writers aged 14 to 18 who must live, work or study in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Each writer can submit a single story that is no more than 1000 words in length, with a $250 cash prize awarded to the winner.
There is no entry fee.
Entries for the biographical and poetry prize close on March 7, while the Young Adas accept submissions until March 21.
To enter and view the terms and conditions, visit: https://shorturl.at/al7FW
