Rhiza Teen Author Development Prize
Kick-start your author career by entering Rhiza Books Teen Author Development Prize.
The basics:
- Submit a manuscript and a cover letter. The cover letter should outline what you hope to achieve as an author in Australia.
- Selected manuscripts will be shortlisted and will receive an appraisal.
- Up to two manuscripts each year will be taken through into a mentorship/development process.
- Those manuscripts will then be considered for our publishing list and hopefully published.
Open to:
- Authors aged 13 to 19 who are Australian citizens or residents.
- Teens truly interested in kick-starting their author career in Australia.
Publisher Rochelle Stephens at Wombat Books / Rhiza Edge loves helping to develop author careers with aspiring and emerging authors. To provide more opportunities for young writers, Wombat will run an award each year specifically for teen writers who want to kick-start their careers.
This will be open to teens who are up to 19 years old at the time of submission and who are serious about starting careers as an author. In Australia, becoming an author is a difficult task. Getting published and building a brand takes a lot of work and young people may find it overwhelming.
Most other competitions for children in Australia are for inclusion in anthologies or in short works online. The Rhiza Teen Author Prize is open to complete works of fiction — from picture books to YA novels. The winners will receive an editorial mentorship with publisher Rochelle Stephens with the intention of moving the story to publication.
Publication is not guaranteed but it is the hope of the mentorship to have a completed publication.
Entry fee: $25.00 per manuscript.
Prize: There will be a shortlist of manuscripts, which will all receive a full appraisal worth up to $400.
Up to two winners will be chosen out of the shortlist.
What to submit:
- Your manuscript. Please name your file: FirstName_LastName_ManuscriptTitle_Manuscript
- A resume detailing your interests and writing goals, as well as any writing experience you may have had. Please name your file: FirstName_LastName_ManuscriptTitle_Resume
- A cover letter saying what you hope to achieve as an author or illustrator in the Australian market. This should show your interests and what sort of books you like reading. Make sure to do your research, just like you would when applying for a job. While a first publication isn’t usually enough to launch a successful writing career, your cover letter should explain how your first book will help get you started and show your passion for the children’s literary industry. This prize is not just about your writing — it's an opportunity to help you grow professionally and take your first steps into the publishing market. Please name your file: FirstName_LastName_ManuscriptTitle_CoverLetter
- For teens aged 13 to 17 we require a letter from a parent or guardian supporting your entry. Please name your file: FirstName_LastName_ManuscriptTitle_ParentLetter
- Optional: A reference letter from a teacher or mentor about your interest in writing and ability to accept feedback. Please name your file: FirstName_LastName_ManuscriptTitle_Reference
- Pay the entry fee on our website. Quote your entry ticket in your entry when you complete the Google form below. Please name your file: FirstName_LastName_ManuscriptTitle_EntryTicket.
Manuscript suggestions:
No genre requirements. Although if you want to know the type of books Wombat normally publishes please look at our submission guidelines and general publication list.
Text length:
Picture books up to 500 words.
Junior Fiction: Up to 20000 words.
Middle Fiction: 10000 to 40000 words
Young Adult Fiction: 40000 to 75000 words
Watch our socials and blog for recommendations, video information sessions and we will share some templates during the submission period.
Promotional Posters for bookstores and libraries.
Information Session for teachers and librarians.
Ready to submit?
After paying the entry fee please enter here:
Click here to fill out our Google form and to load all files.