GENERAL INFORMATION
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards were inaugurated by The Hon. John Cain, Premier of Victoria in 1985, to mark the centenary of the births of Vance and Nettie Palmer and to honour and reward literary achievement by Australian writers.
The awards have received bipartisan support since their inception. In 2012 the Awards have a total prize pool of $255,000. The Victorian government has established the following vision and aims for the Awards:
• to promote Victorian leadership by honouring Australian literature, ideas, innovation and learning;
• recognise excellence in Australian writing and in contributions to the development of Australian culture;
• advance the Victorian community’s appreciation of Australian literature and encourage commitment to reading;
• assist living authors in their careers and promote Victoria’s literary and publishing industries;
The Awards are administered by the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas on behalf of the Premier of Victoria.
The 2012 Awards include the Prize for Fiction, the Prize for Non-fiction, The Prize for Writing for Young Adults, the Prize for Poetry, the Prize for Drama, The Victorian Prize for Literature, The Prize for Indigenous Writing and The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer.
The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer $15,000 Offered for an unpublished fiction manuscript which may be a collection of stories or a novel.
In addition to the monetary award, Writers Victoria will provide professional assistance in the form of editing, mentorship or writer’s residence to the value of $1,000. The details of this support are to be negotiated between Writers Victoria and the winning author.
PANELS
The panel for The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer will comprise four judges.
Timeline: The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer 2012
- Launch of Award and call for entries: Wednesday 4th April
- Closing Date: Wednesday 2nd May
- Shortlist Announcement: Friday 25th May
- Awards Announcement: Friday 1st June (Emerging Writers’ Festival)
CONDITIONS AND GUIDELINES
GENERAL
1. All works must be in English. Bilingual editions where one of the languages used is English are also eligible.
2. All reasonable care will be taken with works submitted but no responsibility is accepted for loss or damage to books or other material received as nominations.
3. In all cases not covered by these conditions and guidelines, or where there may be scope for interpretation, the nominator should seek clarification from the Awards’ Project Officer on
03 9094 7822.
4. In all matters relating to conditions of entry, the decision of the organisers is final. In all matters relating to judging of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, the decision of the
judges is final.
5. Breach of the conditions of entry will render an entry invalid.
ELIGIBILITY
6. This prize is offered for an unpublished fiction manuscript which may be a collection of stories or a novel.
6.1 Only one entry per author will be accepted for this category in any one year.
6.2 Manuscripts previously entered for this prize, even if substantially reworked, will not be accepted.
6.3 An ‘Emerging Writer’ is defined as an author who has not previously had a fiction book published. For the purposes of this prize, an author who has been contracted by a publisher as at the closing date for entries is not eligible to enter this category.
6.4 The author must be a resident of Victoria for a period of one year up to and including the date of entry.
6.5 Four copies of the nominated work must be submitted in the following format:
-- title page listing the author’s name and name of the manuscript
-- typed on A4 paper in a plain font
-- page numbered
-- stapled or bound
AUTHORSHIP
7. Co-authorship is defined here as meaning joint responsibility by no more than two authors for the entire text. It is the responsibility of the nominator to correctly acknowledge joint authorship, where applicable.
7.1 Works of multiple authorship, including anthologies, are not eligible for nomination and may not be entered under the name of one of the authors, or of the editor.
7.2 The nominated work must be the author’s own work.
7.3 Oral histories are ineligible unless the author claims artistic responsibility for a substantial part of the text.
7.4 Works may not be entered in the name of a committee.
NOMINATION
8. Each entry must be accompanied by a completed and signed copy of the relevant nomination form. Works will not be returned.
8.1 Works may be submitted by writers or literary agents.
8.2 People or organisations nominating works on behalf of an author are deemed to be nominating with the author’s consent. It is the responsibility of the nominator to ensure and demonstrate that the author’s consent is obtained before nominating the work.
8.3 Without prejudice to the general conditions and guidelines, judges reserve the right to consider works that are eligible but have not been submitted.
8.4 Photocopies of the nomination form are acceptable.
8.5 Nomination forms and copies of the nominated titles must be received by the Project Officer by Wednesday 2nd May 2012.
NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED
9. Four copies of the nominated work must be submitted along with the nomination form. In the event of a work being shortlisted, an additional five copies may be required.
ENTRY FEE
10. There is no entry fee for the Unpublished Manuscript category of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award.
NOMINATION FORM
Please note: This form should be completed in accordance with the conditions and guidelines for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer Prize and submitted to the Project Officer by 2nd May 2012. Nominations that do not comply with the guidelines will be disqualified. A separate form must be used for each title nominated.
NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED
Four copies of the nominated work are required to be submitted along with the nomination from. Five additional copies may be required in the event of a work being shortlisted. Nominations submitted without a correctly completed nomination form may be deemed ineligible. Works will not be returned.
Download the nomination form here.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For submissions: mail to Lucy De Kretser, Project Officer,Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, The Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 OR hand deliver to Reception, The Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 (Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm)
Website: http://wheelercentre.com/
