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Scoop
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
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Applications Are OPEN For NZSA Shaw Writer's Award 2025
An award for a New Zealand writer of fiction - $5,000 The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa(PEN NZ Inc) announce the 2025 opening of this award, which supports the completion and/or publication of new fiction by a mid-career fiction writer from New Zealand. The NZSA Shaw Writer's Award was established by novelist Tina Shaw to encourage the development of great novels by mid-career fiction writers who are working on a new project. All applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Want to Apply? This grant is aimed at mid-career fiction writers who have published at least two standalone novels. While a broad range of fiction and publication models will be considered, please check the guidelines carefully before applying. First: Read the Terms and Conditions for the NZSA Shaw Writer's Award - Then: Fill in the NZSA Shaw Writer's Award application form - An award for a New Zealand writer of fiction - $5,000 The NZSA Shaw Writer's Award opens for applications 16 May 2025, and will close at midnight Sunday 13 July 2025. Submissions must be made online. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised before recipients are announced. Successful recipients will be contacted directly, and we will also publish the announcement on the NZSA websites and social media platforms. 2024 Winner The inaugural winner of the NZSA Shaw Writer's Award was Steph Matuku who said: 'Being awarded the inaugural NZSA Shaw Writer's Award was such a thrill. The prize-money was used to buy time – time to write without having to worry about the day-to-day tedium of paying bills! Being a debut author is a heady thing; people fuss over you a lot. And then you head into 'mid-career' and suddenly you're a bit boring. For me, the Shaw award was a tangible validation of my work thus far, and that the judges were confident I could produce something cool in the future. I've been working on my first magical realism historical novel, and it's going very well! Many thanks to the NZSA Shaw Writer's Award for helping me get some solid work done.' About the Award Tina Shaw says of her award, 'It's true that our New Zealand writers frequently express the feeling that their mid-career progress is slower than that of new writers, who can more readily garner media interest for their publications,' says Shaw. As a result, the newly created award is intended not only to offer the recipient the freedom that money brings but also to increase the chances of a mid-career writer being recognised as a 'good business' prospect to be welcomed by publishers. Applicants will be shortlisted by a judging panel, with the final winner selected by Tina Shaw in consultation with and advised by the shortlist judging panel. The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) administers the prize. Entries for the NZSA Shaw Writer's Award must be made on the New Zealand Society of Author's website ( by the advertised deadline, with the winner announced after judging has been completed.
Scoop
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Congratulations To The Talented Student Writers Awarded NZSA Youth Mentorships In 2025!
Four secondary school students selected for mentorships will each be matched with a professional writer/mentor in their genre, as part of the NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) 2025 Youth Mentorship Programme. The young writers will hone their writing skills and develop their craft through the year, working on their chosen writing project. We congratulate them on their success. 2025 Youth Mentorships have been awarded to: Jayden Cox - Rutherford College (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland) Madison Heta - Aparima College (Otautau) Isabella Jones - St Catherines (Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington) Eleazar Kenese - McAuley High School (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland) Award-winning writer Tina Shaw, who convened the judging panel along with writer Cristina Schumacher, said that: ' It was very difficult to choose a shortlist this year from so many talented young writers. The projects ranged from fantasy and dystopic fiction to political poetry, and showed that young writers are thinking seriously about their writing.' Congratulations also to the highly commended student writers: Samuela Dsouza from Auckland Girls' Grammar School (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland) and Eassin Wang from St Cuthbert's College, (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland). The NZSA Youth Mentorship Programme was established in 2010 to foster and develop emerging writing talent around Aotearoa New Zealand with the support of established authors. NZSA Chief Executive Jenny Nagle says " Over the last 30 years NZSA's mentor programmes have proven themselves to be a valuable development pipeline for emerging writers. We wish these writers well with their projects this year." Youth Mentorship is one of The New Zealand Society of Authors successful mentoring programmes for writers and is made possible with the support by Creative New Zealand.
