Entry requirements

General eligibility

The Aurealis Awards are for published works of original Australian speculative fiction. Works first published (and/or scheduled for publication) between 1 January 2026 and 30 November 2026 are eligible for the current Awards.

Note that the following Aurealis Awards eligibility period will be for works first published between 1 December 2026 – 30 November 2027 (with winners presented in February 2028) and follow this pattern in future.

Requirements

• Entrants should submit their own original work and hold all relevant rights to submit.

• Entrants should be Australian citizens or reside in Australia.

• Entrants under 18 years are eligible but need permission from a guardian (contact QWC).

• Traditionally published, independently published and self-published works (including works published on online platforms), whether available via purchase or freely available, are eligible. Unpublished work is not eligible.

• Multiple entries are permitted. Please note category-specific entry requirements if submitting works in multiple categories.

• Entries may be made by agents or authors’ representatives on behalf of and with the written consent of the entrant. Co-authored works are eligible – one nominated author or editor should submit on behalf of the authors.

• Where there is Indigenous content or participation in the work, writers are required to comply with Creative Australia’s Protocols for using First Nations Intellectual and Cultural Property (ICIP).

Entries are accepted via the online Entry Form. By making an entry, entrants acknowledge to have read and understood these Guidelines.

For assistance with the entry process, including where QWC can support entrants with access requirements, please contact QWC at admin@qldwriters.org.au or call (07) 3842 9922.

Categories, Fees & Charges

Fees contribute toward prizes (trophies) and Awards administration and delivery expenses. (QWC is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.)

Sci-fi Categories

• Best science fiction short story

• Best science fiction novella

• Best science fiction novel

Fantasy Categories

• Best fantasy short story

• Best fantasy novella

• Best fantasy novel

Horror Categories

• Best horror short story

• Best horror novella

• Best horror novel

Young Adult Categories

• Best young adult short story

• Best young adult novella

• Best young adult novel

Other Categories

• Best children's fiction

• Best collection

• Best anthology

• Best graphic novel/illustrated book

• The Convenors’ Award for Excellence

• The Sara Douglass Book Series Award

Fees payable per entry as noted below:

• $15 per work for all longer works including novels, graphic novels, collections and anthologies. (One fee per work)

• Novellas – (1) free with $10 entry fee for additional submissions (One fee per work)

• Short stories - (3) free with a fee of $5 for all other submissions (One fee per work)

• The Convenors’ Award for Excellence – $10 per entry.

• The Sara Douglass Book Series Award - $15 per book in series, entered in the year the award is held.

Works should generally be submitted in the category that best matches the publisher and/or distributor’s category or genre designation, or if self-published, the sale category.

Subsidies via the Fellowship and Access Fund may be available to support entries made by QWC members and the Aurealis community from diverse backgrounds and/or disadvantaged situations – contact the Centre for more information. The Fellowship and Access Fund is provided by donations from QWC members and the QWC Management Committee.

Refunds are not available for ineligible entries and/or entries withdrawn outside of the entry period.

Category-specific eligibility

• Short story categories

  • Enter works up to 7,499 words

  • Short stories may have been published as part of an anthology, collection, or individually (including print and online)

• Novella categories

  • Enter works between 7,500–40,000 words

• Novel categories

  • Enter works over 40,000 words

• Children's fiction category

  • Enter work aimed at readers aged 12 and under

• Best collection category

  • Enter collections comprising of at least three (3) works (short stories and/or poems) by a single author

• Best anthology category

  • For anthologies comprising of at least three (3) works by multiple authors, where at least 30% of authors or at least one (1) editor meets the General eligibility criteria

  • Individual issues of magazines and journals may be eligible where they meet the above criteria

  • Anthologies should be nominated by the editor where possible

• Best graphic novel/illustrated book

  • Enter works containing both written content and illustration/artwork, where the visual content contributes significantly to the storytelling

  • Either the author or illustrator (or both) should meet the General eligibility criteria.

• The Convenors’ Award for Excellence

  • Awarded by the convenors for a particular achievement in speculative fiction or related areas in the year for work that is not otherwise eligible in any of the existing categories for the Aurealis Awards due to the nature of the material. Entries to this category can be for non-fiction, artwork, film, television, electronic or multimedia work, or other Australian speculative fiction related work which brings credit or attention to the speculative fiction genres.

• The Sara Douglass Book Series Award (Opens 2027)

  • Enter book “series”, defined as a continuing ongoing story told through two or more books, ending (in original publication) in a three year period prior to the judging year. The Sara Douglass Book Series Award does not replace or depose individual books being entered in the usual categories in the year they are first published – it is a supplementary Award. This award is not running in 2026.

Key Dates

• Eligibility period – works published between: Thurs 1 Jan – Mon 30 Nov 2026 (inclusive)

• Entries open: Mon 29 Jun 2026

• Entries close: Tues 10 Nov 2026

• Shortlist announced: Jan 2027

• Awards Ceremony: Sat 20 Feb 2027 (at GenreCon, Brisbane)

Shortlisted entrants will be personally notified of the outcome of their entry. Shortlisted entrants will be publicly announced in the Pen & Pixel email newsletter and on the Aurealis Awards Webpage. Winners will be announced at GenreCon in Brisbane in February 2027 and publicly announced shortly thereafter.

What to submit

The Aurealis Awards accept submissions in electronic format. Submit the complete manuscript alongside author and publication details as requested in the online Entry Form.

Accepted file formats:

• Word (.docx)

• PDF

• EPUB.

To discuss options for making a hardcopy submission please contact QWC.

To submit in EPUB format please complete the Entry Form then forward your file to aurealis@qldwriters.org.au.

Works are accepted in publishers’ formatting/typesetting if available, otherwise as per standard formatting (12pt Times New Roman, double line spacing, 1” margins on an A4 page, page numbered).

Process

Entries will be collated by QWC staff and forwarded to community volunteer judging panels for consideration. A minimum of three judges, including a ‘judging convener’ are appointed per category. QWC volunteer readers will only be engaged in the event of a shortfall in community sourced judges, lack of judge engagement, or if the situation arises that a category may not run otherwise. Any judging deadlocks will first be arbitrated by the panel convenor. In any instance where this does not resolve the issue, QWC as the award administrator will reserve the right to call on a minimum of two other convenors to make a final decision in consultation with the category convenor.

Judging criteria may include but is not limited to:

• Literary merit

• Creativity and originality

• Contribution to the genre.

Judges will select up to five (5) shortlisted entrants and one (1) winner per category.

Judges’ and Readers’ feedback cannot be provided to unsuccessful Entrants; no correspondence may be entered into, including with Readers or Judges.

Winners are invited to attend the Aurealis Awards presentation and accept their Award, the Ceremony is held as part of GenreCon in Brisbane, February 2027 and is available to the public and GenreCon ticketholders.

Judges are ineligible to enter the Awards in any category for which they are nominated as a Judge (but may be eligible to enter in other categories). This includes edited work.

Additional terms

The Aurealis Awards are licensed by Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) from Chimaera Publications and independently administered by QWC.

Entrants and representatives entering works on behalf of entrants will be added to Queensland Writers Centre's Pen & Pixel email newsletter (from which you can unsubscribe at any time) for ongoing Awards program and entry updates.

The awarding of a Winner and/or Shortlist (and number of shortlisted works) may depend on the quality and number of submissions received.

Readers and Judges are not required to read the complete manuscript submitted.

QWC reserves no rights over work submitted to the Awards and does not take a percentage of any future royalties, option or sale of submitted work. All rights and intellectual property remain with the original authors and are protected under copyright.

Submission materials (manuscripts and other creative IP) will be stored securely by QWC and disposed of per standard protocols. QWC may record and keep other information, including contact details, provided on the entry form as necessary. Judges are permitted to keep one (1) digital copy of submitted works but this may be withdrawn at any time upon written request.

Shortlisted authors and Winners are encouraged to promote and support the Awards program, QWC and GenreCon.

These Entry Guidelines were developed for the Aurealis Awards. Updated 26 August.

Queensland Writers Centre reserves the right to amend Program guidelines for this and future Programs.