Writing Prizes

Are you able to write a good short story or a poem? Maybe both? If so the competitions below may interest you.

H Neil Smith Prize

Founded in 1972 by Mr H Neil Smith with a donation of $700.  Augmented from 1992 by an annual donation from the Townsville Bulletin.

The prize value is $500

The rules relating to the prize specify that:

1. Undergraduate students shall be eligible to compete for the prize.
2. The prize shall be awarded to the candidate who submits the short story of not more than 2000 words, judged to be the best submitted in the particular year.
3. Each candidate shall submit one short story accompanied by a statement of the candidate’s full name, a declaration that the short story is the candidate’s own work and a statement of the candidate’s standing in the University.
4. Each candidate may submit no more than one short story in any one year.
5. No person may be awarded the prize more than once.
6. If, in the opinion of the committee judging the entries, two or more short stories in any year are deemed to be of equal merit, it shall recommend that the prize be awarded to the youngest candidate.
7. Each short story submitted shall become the property of the University and may be retained by it and deposited in its Library.
8. The winning story may be published in the “Townsville Bulletin” and at the discretion of the “Townsville Bulletin” any other stories entered in the competition may be published

Mabel Innes Prize for Lyric Verse

Founded in 1962 by the late Mr A H Innes; funded initially by annual donations and subsequently by a donation of land which was sold to establish the fund.

The prize value is $500

The rules relating to the prize specify that:

1. Competition for the prize is limited to undergraduate students who enter on their studies at the University no more than six years prior to the date fixed in each year for the submission of entries.
2. The prize shall be awarded to the candidate who submits the lyric poem, which may be of any length, judged to be the best submitted in the particular year.
3. Each candidate for the prize shall submit one poem which shall be accompanied by a statement of the candidate’s own work together with a statement of the candidate’s standing in the University.
4. Each candidate may submit no more than one poem in any one year. No person may be awarded the prize more than once
5. If, in the opinion of the committee judging the entries, two or more poems in any one year are deemed to be of equal merit, it shall recommend that the prize be awarded to the youngest candidate.
6. Each poem submitted shall become the property of the University and may be retained by it and deposited in its Library.