Hardie Grant, RMIT announce new narrative nonfiction prize

Hardie Grant Books and RMIT Writing and Publishing have established a new biennial developmental prize for narrative nonfiction.

Open to published and unpublished Australian writers, the Spark Prize offers $2000 in prize money, a six-month editorial mentorship with Hardie Grant Books and a one-week residency at RMIT’s McCraith House on the Mornington Peninsula. The three shortlisted candidates will each receive a $250 book bundle and a two-hour editorial session with the publisher.

Hardie Grant Publishing managing director Julie Pinkham said the prize is ‘an accessible opportunity for aspiring authors to have their nonfiction project examined and developed—we want to encourage new voices and bring compelling projects to light and give them the best chance for publication’.

Applicants will be asked to submit a book proposal including a one-page synopsis, a chapter outline and 5000 words of the work in progress. Submissions will be reviewed by Hardie Grant Books as well as ‘a select team of RMIT publishing student readers’.

On 2 October RMIT will host an online workshop to discuss the new prize, featuring Hardie Grant Books publisher Arwen Summers, author Emily Clements, RMIT Master of Writing and Publishing program manager Tracy O’Shaughnessy and lecturer Zoe Dzunko.

Submissions open on 17 September and close midnight 16 October 2020, with the shortlist and winner to be announced in late November.

For more information see the Hardie Grant website.

Category: Awards Local news