The 2023 competition dates are:

• Closes: 11th April 2023 – Last email by midnight AEST.

• Shortlisted entries will be notified by 20th June 2023.

• Winners of the competitions will be announced at the conference on 8th July 2023.

• The first prizes of an editor session will be done via video conferencing. Cash prizes will be made via bank transfer

Entry fees (including GST)

• Hatchlings Writing & Illustrating Categories - FREE

• Unpublished Writing & Illustrating Categories - $25.00

• Published Writing Categories - $45.00

• Published Illustrating Categories - $25.00

Since 2007 everyone has received their score sheets back, to give some feedback and to help improve their entries for the next competition they choose to enter, or submissions to publishing houses. These will be returned by 31 August. CYA will announce when the sheets are sent out via our newsletter and social media.

Published authors

p01) Picture book (text only)

p02) YA/middle grade

p10) Writing for the adult genres

Aspiring authors

a01) Picture book - preschool-aged children (text only)

a02) Picture book - primary-aged children (text only)

a03) Picture book - non-fiction - primary-aged children (text only)

a04) Chapter book - younger primary-aged children (text only)

a05) Chapter book - older-aged children (text only)

a06) Fiction writing for young adults

a10) Writing for the adult genres

Hatchling authors

h01) Picture books - preschool or primary-aged children (text only)

h02) Chapter book (includes Text only for younger primary-aged children, middle-grade children, and young adults)

h10) Writing for the adult genres

Illustrators

Submit a colour illustration suitable for a book, based on the theme DREAMLAND

i01) Hatchling

i02) Aspiring

i03) Published