Tim Winton Award for Young Writers

The City of Subiaco presents the twenty eighth annual Tim Winton Award for Young Writers. This creative writing award is open to Western Australian school students and encourages imagination, innovation and creativity. 

Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation the 2020 Tim Winton Award for Young Writers will be held later in the year than usual. Please see important dates below for more information. 
 
Entries for the Tim Winton Awards open at 9.30am on Monday 20 July. To enter, register and submit your artwork online before 5.30pm on Friday 14 August.

To stay up to date with the latest information for the 2020 awards, sign up to our mailing list.

Award information 

Entry requirements

Tim Winton Award is open to Western Australian school students in years one to twelve. Stories submitted must be an original piece of prose writing, no more than 2000 words in length. Entries must be the sole work of the entrant.Entries may be accepted from individuals or from teachers on behalf of their students. Entry is limited to one per person. 

Judging

The award is judged by a panel of local authors, educators and librarians. Entries are judged individually in the following school year categories:

Lower primary – school years one and two 
Middle primary – school years three and four 
Upper primary – school years five and six 
Lower secondary – school years seven, eight and nine
Upper secondary – school years ten, eleven and twelve
 
This is a creative writing competition and entries are judged on the originality of the themes, the development of the story and the quality (not quantity) of the writing. 
 
Please note: due to the high number of entries received for this award each year, individual feedback cannot be provided. 

Frequently asked questions

For further award information, download the frequently asked questions (PDF 152KB) document.

How to enter

The online entry form will be available from 9.30am on Monday 20 July. All entries must be registered online and stories submitted either online, or to Subiaco Library. Entries close at 5.30pm on Friday 14 August.

To submit your story electronically, upload your entry at the time of registration. To submit a physical copy of your story, print and attached your registration confirmation, and submit with your story to Subiaco Library or via post to:

Tim Winton Award
City of Subiaco
PO Box 270
SUBIACO WA 6904

All submissions must be received by 5.30pm on Friday 14 August. Late entries cannot be accepted. 
Please note: due to the high number of entries received for this award each year, stories cannot be returned. Please ensure you keep a copy of your entry.

Terms and conditions of entry

Public use of entries

By entering this award you acknowledge that your entry may be used in City of Subiaco publications and for future promotion of the award. Entries may also be displayed at Subiaco Library and other venues around the city and published on the city’s website. The title of the entry and author’s name will always be acknowledged with the entry when it is used. 

Prizes

Prizes are donated from the City of Subiaco and award sponsors and are presented to the top three entries in each category. The Tim Winton Award for Outstanding Achievement will be awarded to the best overall story across all categories. Winning stories will be on display for one month at Subiaco Library and published online.

Award history

Read the award winning stories for 2019 online

To read a copy of the finalists' stories download the stories online in our 2019 Tim Winton Awards Anthology (3.87 MB).

About Tim Winton

Tim was born in Western Australia, where he still resides, and is the author of over twenty-nine books, including novels, short stories, non-fiction and books for children. Tim decided he wanted to be a writer at the age of ten. Today a world-class author, he is a fine example and inspiration for all young writers.

Most of his novels have been adapted for stage and screen, and the movie version of his number one bestseller Breath, directed by Simon Baker, was recently released in 2018. Listed as a Living Treasure by the National Trust, Tim has long been active in the environmental and social justice spaces. 

Tim's latest novel, The Shepherd's Hut was released in March of this year.

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