I strongly encourage all Almanac writers to consider sending an entry in. Give it a go. Entries close on Sunday April 30.
Cheers, JTH
2023 FURPHY LITERARY AWARD OPENED FOR ENTRIES ON FEBRUARY 1, 2023
February 1, 2023: The submission window for the 2023 Furphy Literary Award opened.
Now in its fourth year as a national competition, the Furphy Literary Award is attracting higher numbers of entries, and submissions from published authors, novelists and poets. The winner of the 2022 competition was prize-winning writer Cate Kennedy for her story ‘Art and Life’.
With a highly credentialled final judging panel – consisting of novelist and columnist Anson Cameron, writer and publisher John Harms, playwright and author Margaret Hickey, writer and publisher John Kerr, and journalist and author Thornton McCamish – who applaud the Furphy Literary Award as “a wonderful opportunity for all writers whether they’re first-timers, emerging, or established in their careers. It is free to enter, genuinely accessible and democratic.”
With some 650 stories submitted in 2022, all responding to the topic of Australian life in all its diversity, the Furphy Literary Award offers a first prize of $15,000. The winner also receives a residency at La Trobe University and pride of place in The Furphy Anthology 2023, a gorgeous hardback collection of the top 16 stories of the year, known for its striking cover which changes from year to year.
The Furphy Literary Award is named in honour of Australian writer Joseph Furphy, who wrote the classic Such is Life in 1903 under the pen name Tom Collins. In World War I Australian soldiers congregated at the back of Furphy water carts, manufactured by Joseph’s brother John, to trade speculative and wild rumours and stories, which became known as ‘furphies’. Jointly honouring the author of Such is Life, and ‘the furphy’ that was born from water cart tales, the Furphy Literary Award promotes and extends the tradition of storytelling that is embedded in Australian life.
Adam Furphy, a great, great, great nephew of Joseph Furphy and Co-Director of The Furphy Foundation which administers the Literary Award, said, “After three national competitions and associated publication of the Furphy Anthology showcasing each year’s top stories, we are thrilled to see the growing interest in the Furphy Literary Award and the growing acknowledgement of the richness of short stories – sourced from near and far and weaving together the diverse stories of Australia.”
The open competition runs from 1 February – 30 April 2023. Following the judging a shortlist will be announced on June 30, and the winners award ceremony to be held in late July 2023.
The Furphy Literary Award encourages Australian writers everywhere to ‘have a go’ and prepare their entry for this year’s competition by April 30, 2023.
For more information, please visit: https://www.furphystory.com.au/furphy-literary-award/open-short-story-competition/
Theme: Australian life in all its diversity
Maximum Length: 5,000 words
Entry Deadline: April 30, 2023
First Prize: $15,000, a La Trobe University Residency and publication in the 2023 Furphy Anthology
Second Prize: $3,000 plus publication in the 2023 Furphy Anthology
Third Prize: $2,000 plus publication in the 2023 Furphy Anthology
An additional 13 shortlisted stories are published in the annual Anthology.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT John Harms [email protected]
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