TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. The manuscript must be a completed work of fiction or non-fiction that is suitable for a young adult or children’s readership. Graphic novels are eligible if they are intended for a readership aged eight years and over.
2. The manuscript must be written in English.
3. Submitted works must be between 20,000 and 100,000 words. Graphic novels are exempted from the word count requirement but they must have at least 100 pages.
4. The Text Prize is open to both published and unpublished writers. Self-published works that are available in print or as an ebook may be submitted, but they must be withdrawn from sale if the manuscript is shortlisted.
5. The Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers is open to those who opt in upon submission to the Text Prize and are under the age of 25 at the time of entry.
6. Your submitted work must not be on submission to or under contract/option with any other publisher. It is a condition of entry that Text Publishing has the exclusive right to make an offer for worldwide publication rights in any manuscript submitted to the competition, until the winner has been announced. In the case of the winner of the Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers, it is a condition of entry that Text Publishing has the exclusive right to make an offer for worldwide publication rights until six weeks after the completion of the mentorship.
7. Entrants must be living citizens or residents of Australia or New Zealand.
8. Writers previously published by or under contract with Text are ineligible.
9. In entering the competition you warrant that:
i. The entry is an original work.
ii. Publication of your manuscript by Text will in no way whatsoever infringe on any existing copyright or licence or any other right of any third person.
iii. The work contains no defamatory matter, or any matter which invades any individual’s right of privacy.
iv. All statements in the work purporting to be facts are true.
10. All entries must be submitted via the entry form on the Text Publishing website (www.textpublishing.com.au/text-prize) and accompanied by payment of the AU$25 entry fee by 4 pm on Monday 20 February 2023. There is no additional fee to enter the Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers.
11. Hard copy or emailed submissions will not be accepted. Text Publishing takes no responsibility for lost or misdirected entries.
12. It is preferable for manuscripts to be double spaced, to include the title and page number on every page, and to be in a simple, clear font.
13. The winner and shortlistees will be notified by phone and/or email. The winner will be announced at an event in mid-2023 and on the Text Publishing website.
14. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into either during or after the judging process.
15. Chance plays no part in determining the winner. Entries will be judged with regard to literary merit and commercial potential in today’s young adult or children’s book markets.
16. The winner of the Text Prize receives a prize of AU$10,000, which constitutes an advance against royalties from sales, and a contract to publish the winning book with Text Publishing. Only one prize will be awarded.
17. The winner of the Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers will be paired with a middle-grade or young-adult writer and will receive a 20-hour mentorship. It will take place over a period of 6–12 months, to be negotiated with the writer and mentor. Only one mentorship will be awarded. It will not be awarded to the winner of the Text Prize. The mentorship recipient will also receive a 12-month membership to Express Media and membership to their choice of the ACT Writers Centre, NT Writers’ Centre, Queensland Writers Centre, TasWriters, Writers SA, Writers Victoria or Writing NSW.
18. Text Publishing will acquire worldwide publications rights in the winning entry, under the terms of a publishing agreement, which shall be negotiated with the winner in good faith and in line with industry norms.
19. The prize is not transferable and not redeemable for any other goods or services. Text Publishing reserves the right not to offer a prize if in its reasonable opinion no entry is received which is of an acceptable standard to warrant publication.
20. By entering the Text Prize you accept the conditions of entry as prescribed and give your consent for your manuscript to be considered for the prize.
21. The promoter is Text Publishing, ABN 46 063 671 205, 287 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
