News

The ASA has started a new video series called 3x3, in which experts give three tips in three minutes on subjects relevant to authors. Their first video is Fiona Inglis of Curtis Brown with three tips on submitting to literary agents. The video is accessible from their website.

The QWC/Hachette Manuscript Development Program offers places for up to 10 emerging fiction and non-fiction writers to work with editors from Hachette Australia to develop high-quality manuscripts. The program will run for four days in Brisbane, Queensland. In the first two days, participants will each have an individual consultation with editors from Hachette Australia to receive feedback on their manuscript. The program will run 15 - 19 November, 2013. This program has been created for emerging Australian authors of commercial adult and young adult fiction and non-fiction. Manuscripts for adult fiction and non-fiction must be between 55,000 and 120,000 words in length. Manuscripts for young adult fiction and non-fiction must be between 50,000 and 80,000 words in length. Applications close July 1.

After 18 years the Aurealis Awards, Australia's premier awards for speculative fiction, finally make it to the nation's capital. The owner of the Aurealis Awards, Chimaera Publications – the publishers of the Aurealis magazine and book imprint – have reached agreement for Conflux Inc to administer the Awards for the next two years.

Conflux Inc President Nicole Murphy said Canberra and the Aurealis Awards would be a great match. 'Conflux has always had the support and promotion of Australian writing as an important part of our charter, and we're delighted to be hosting Australia's premier speculative fiction awards,' she said. 'Canberra has a long history of involvement with science fiction and we're going to do everything we can to make the coming ceremonies match up to that history.'

Currently the awards are calling for expressions of interest from potential judges. Information can be found at the Aurealis Awards website. Judging is open to any Australian with a love for speculative fiction and a willingness to read and judge the best works published this year.

The Australian food blogsphere is a wonderful place full of an amazing array of talented and emerging food writers. As such, Food Bloggers Australia along with the SA Writers Centre is thrilled to announce a new, national food blogging writing competition to uncover the great food blog food writers this country has to offer. This is a fantastic opportunity for food bloggers to show off their writing skills and possibly win a great prize in the process. We're pleased to welcome Kitchenware Direct on board as our 2013 competition sponsor.
Competition Details
We have three fabulous prizes of $150 Kitchenware Direct vouchers to be awarded to one lucky winner under each of the three categories of Food or Food/Travel Narrative, Restaurant Review or Original Recipe. There will also be a voter's prize awarded randomly in the Original Recipe category. To be eligible to enter you must be either a member of the SA Writers Centre (not a member? Join here) or Food Bloggers Australia (not a member? Join here) and entries for the competition will be based on blog posts published within the last four (4) months, up to and including the closing date of 31 May 2013. All entries must be submitted by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it no later than 1700 hrs (CST) on Friday, 31 May 2013 and all winners will be announced on Friday, 21 June, 2013.
Competition Categories and Judging
Entrants can submit one blog post under one only of the following categories:

• Food or Food/Travel Narrative
• Restaurant Review
• Original Recipe

The Food or Food/Travel and Restaurant Review categories will be judged by food historian, author and Professor of the Graduate Program in Food Studies at the University of Adelaide, Barbara Santich and Michelle 'Prakky' Prak, Board Member of the SA Writers Centre and social media consultant. The Original Recipe category will be decided by popular vote. Voting will commence on Wednesday June 5 and a voting link will be published here, on the Food Bloggers Australia website.
Prizes
One winner from each category will be awarded a $150 voucher sponsored by Kitcheware Direct.

Competition Terms and Conditions
IMPORTANT – please make sure you read and note all of the terms and conditions of entry. The competition Terms and Conditions can be found here. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions will deem your entry ineligible.
Grab a Badge
Entered the competition? Why not grab a badge for your blog and display it in your sidebar. If you're a Mac user simply drag and drop; if you're on a PC please right click and copy.