Queensland Writers Fellowships

About the award

Queensland Writers Fellowships are part of the Queensland Literary Awards and are awarded to Queensland authors to advance a writing project over 12 months. Fellowships awarded in 2025 are for projects in January – December 2026.

Eligibility

Queensland residents who can provide proof of their current Queensland address.
Writers born in Queensland living elsewhere who can demonstrate strong, continuing ties with the state.
Writers with a strong publication history, demonstrated by at least one or a combination of the following publication outcomes:
- one full-length published book (trade or self-published) in any genre, which is formally published in book form (print) with an ISBN or published electronically with an ISBN
- 7 short works of fiction or literary non-fiction (as a guide, a minimum of 1,000 words each) published in literary journals, anthologies, newspapers, or magazines
- 15 poems published in literary journals, anthologies, newspapers, or magazines, or a chapbook
- a full-length performance script (theatre or film) which has premiered in Australia.
Download the 2025 terms and conditions of entry document for full eligibility criteria.
Entry is free to this category.

Prize

Fellowships of $20,000 each, plus career development support to the value of $4,500.

Supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and State Library of Queensland. Administered by Queensland Writers Centre.

2025 Queensland Literary Awards Terms and Conditions of Entry

PDF · 267 KB

Entries to the 2025 Queensland Literary Awards have now closed. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on the 2026 program.

More information about the fellowships

Since 2013, three Queensland authors have been awarded a Queensland Writers Fellowship annually. This award is intended to provide these authors with the necessary resources to create new work and advance their careers. The fellowship offers a cash prize of $20,000, along with career development funds of up to $4,500. This program aims to provide targeted support for authors, enabling them to invest in their creative practice, write their next book, and reach new audiences.

Applicants to the Queensland Writers Fellowships submit a plan for a 12-month writing project to work on for a calendar year. Applicants must be Queensland residents, or born in Queensland and able to demonstrate continuing strong ties with the state. A submission will include a proposal and project plan that clearly identifies the key project outcomes across the 12-month Fellowship period. Project plans, budget and milestones are assessed by an experienced judging panel, as part of the Queensland Literary Awards. Applicants can be emerging or established writers in any genre.

Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) manages the professional development component, devising a plan with each author for the calendar year of their Fellowship. The goal is to map out professional development that enhances a writer's current work in a tangible way, helps them meet their project milestones, and enriches their overall practice.

Past Fellows have enlisted the help of QWC staff help to find one-on-one mentors, attend short courses, travel for research trips, attend writers' festivals, or take up writing residencies.