The Scribbles Creative Writing Awards are awarded to creators of children’s literature across FIVE categories.
Please note: These awards are only open to members of the The Scribbles Academy.
The Dates
COMPETITION OPENS: OCTOBER 19th, 2020, 10am AEDT
COMPETITION CLOSES: OCTOBER 30th, 2020, 10pm AEDT
SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED: NOVEMBER 16th, 2020
WINNERS ANNOUNCED: DECEMBER 11th, 2020
MENTORSHIPS ANNOUNCED: DECEMBER 14th, 2020
We would like to thank HarperCollins Children’s Books Australia for their generosity in supporting these awards.
The Prizes
♦ First prize in each category receive:
A written manuscript assessment by Jen Storer and a track changes edit by Jen.
A beautifully designed Scribbles certificate, entry in the Hall of Fame and a virtual badge.
Judges comments.
A book package from HarperCollins Children’s Books.
♦ Highly Commended and Shortlisted in each category receive:
A beautifully designed Scribbles certificate, entry in the Hall of Fame and a virtual badge.
Judge’s comments.
This year sees the introduction of the Scribbles CWA Mentorships!
Two lucky contestants will each be awarded a five-week mentorship with Jen Storer.
Winners will be selected from across the entire shortlist.
Mentorships will take place in 2021. (April and May.)
The Categories
PB – Picture Book 500 words (maximum). Your manuscript should be paginated and include brief illustration notes if clarification is needed.
JF – Junior Fiction 2000 words (short story)
MG – Middle Grade 4000 words (opening chapters)
PB Storyboard – Illustrations/text presented in storyboard format (PDF) (500 words or less) To avoid disqualification, ensure the text can be clearly seen and read by our judges.
Poetry for Children – word count open but please use your discretion
NB: PB Storyboard is our most experimental category. In the spirit of Scribbles, we’re looking for originality, creativity and intelligence.
Please do not send us questions about this category, just send us something amazing!
The only restriction, your storyboard must be in multiples of eight ie 8 pages, 16 pages, 24 pages or 32 pages. Limited text!
Your storyboard will NOT be judged solely on the quality of the illustrations, but on the concept and its execution.
Please only provide roughs. Do not use final art. Use the storyboard to showcase your understanding of the link between images and text/ images and story.
Ensure the text is legible; that it can be clearly seen and read by our judges.
To everyone joining in, congratulations, good luck and
Let’s Get Scribbly!
The Dates
COMPETITION OPENS: OCTOBER 19th, 2020 AEDT
COMPETITION CLOSES: OCTOBER 30th, 2020, 10pm AEDT
SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED: NOVEMBER 16th, 2020
WINNERS ANNOUNCED: DECEMBER 11th, 2020
MENTORSHIPS ANNOUNCED: DECEMBER 14th, 2020
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SCRIBBLES ACADEMY?
How to enter the awards
Please pay your entry fee first because you’ll need your Big Cartel order number(s) to proceed!
CART OPENS – Monday October 19th 2020, 10am AEDT
Entry fee is $20.00 (plus GST) for each submission. Multiple submissions in each category are permitted.
Email your entry to girlandduck@gmail.com
In your email it is essential that you include the following:
- Your name
- Contact email
- Phone number
- Your BigCartel Order number(s)
- The title of your story/stories. (NB Multiple story submissions should be listed on the SAME email.)
- The category of your story (Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction)
- If you are submitting in PB, JF, Poetry or MG story, please submit as a Word document only.
- If you are submitting a Picture Book Storyboard, the document must be in PDF format.
Please ensure your name and identifying details do not appear on the manuscript itself.
By entering the competition, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of the Scribbles Creative Writing Awards, please read carefully.
The Judging
All decisions made by the judges are final. No correspondence will be entered into.
Entries will be judged blindly. Once again, please ensure your name and identifying details do not appear on the manuscript.
Terms and Conditions
- No contest entry fees will be returned.
- By submitting, you are agreeing to all contest rules.
- Contest rules are subject to change.
- Entry is open to adult creators in all locations, excepting those employed by Girl & Duck or the Scribbles Creative Writing Award Sponsors.
- The awards are only open to members of The Scribbles Academy hosted by Girl & Duck.
- Stories must be written in English
- Entry fee is $20.00 (plus GST) for each category submission.
- Multiple submissions are permitted in each category per person.
- Entries will be judged anonymously. The author’s name must not appear on the manuscript/submitted work.
- The judge’s decisions will be final. No correspondence will be entered in to.
- Entries are to be no more than prescribed word limits per category (exclusive of the title).
- Previously published or awarded work will not be accepted.
- Submissions under consideration by another competition or currently with a publisher, will be accepted. However, Girl & Duck must be notified immediately if the work is accepted elsewhere. In this case, your entry will be withdrawn without refund.
- Copyright for each submitted work remains with the author.
- The closing date is October 30th, 2020. Entries will be accepted up until 10pm AEDT.
- Late entries will not be accepted.
- Final results will be announced on December 11, 2020. Award winners will be notified by email.
- Work should be submitted in 12 point font with minimum 1.5 spacing.
- Please read our Privacy Policy.
Our Stellar Judges
Kristin Gill is the Publishing Manager – Young Readers, at Penguin Random House, working with the publishing, sales and marketing teams to find and make the most of opportunities for books and authors. She has worked in the publishing industry across Trade and Educational for over 30 years and in 2019, received the George Robertson Award for distinguished services to the publishing industry.
In her spare time, she helps out in her husband’s business, Northern Books /The Kids’ Bookshop, which gives her an added book industry perspective in terms of how books land in the hands of kids and consumers.
In a past life she taught music and English to secondary school students and spent four years as a board member and fundraiser for The Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The ILF is an organisation that is dear to her heart and she is currently their Ambassador Coordinator.
Kristin is a passionate advocate for books, stories and literacy and all the benefits these bring to our lives.
Judith Rossell is the multi-award-winning author-illustrator of the bestselling Stella Montgomery series (Withering-by-Sea, Wormwood Mire and Wakestone Hall). Before beginning her career in children’s books, Judith worked as a government scientist and also for a cotton-spinning company. Judith has written fifteen books and illustrated more than eighty. Her most recent books are Play with your Plate, a novelty board book for toddlers, and Pink! a picture book written by Margaret Wild.
Judith’s work has been published in the US and UK, and translated into more than twenty languages.
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Her books include Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas (chosen for National Simultaneous Storytime 2020), The Monty’s Island series written by Emily Rodda, and The Adventures of Princess Peony series by Nette Hilton – as well as The Fourteenth Summer of Angus Jack by Jen Storer, and the picture book Saved!!! written by Matilda’s goalkeeper Lydia Williams. Her latest book (as author and illustrator) is The Wolves of Greycoat Hall, a junior fiction novel published by Walker Books.
Danielle Binks is a Melbourne-based writer, reviewer, book blogger and literary agent with Jacinta di Mase Management. In 2017, she edited and contributed to Begin, End, Begin, an anthology of new Australian young adult writing inspired by the #LoveOzYA movement. In 2020 she released her debut middle-grade book, The Year the Maps Changed.
Felice Arena is one of Australia’s much-loved children’s writers. He is the author of many popular and award-winning children’s books for all ages, including the acclaimed middle-grade historical adventures The Boy and the Spy, Fearless Frederic and A Great Escape, the bestselling Specky Magee books, and the popular Andy Roid, Sporty Kids and The Besties junior series.
Jen Storer has written many acclaimed books for children, including the best-selling ‘Truly Tan’ series, illustrated by Claire Robertson, and the children’s fantasy novels, Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children; The Accidental Princess (illustrated by Lucia Masciullo) and The Fourteenth Summer of Angus Jack (illustrated by Lucinda Gifford). Her junior fiction series ‘Danny Best’ (illustrated by Mitch Vane), is available in paperback and audio. Jen is also a picture book creator. Her latest title is Wibble Wobble, illustrated by Lisa Stewart. Jen is published by HarperCollins and Penguin/Random House, and represented by Curtis Brown Literary Agents. She teaches creative writing online and in real life, and lives with her partner in Central Victoria.
