The SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition is back for 2022, seeking to uncover bold new voices that reflect the diversity of contemporary Australia.
Entries open on Aug. 16 and close on Sep. 13.
The theme of this year’s competition is ‘Emergence’, and entrants are invited to interpret this theme as they choose.
Entries will be judged by acclaimed Australian writers Alice Pung and Christos Tsiolkas (pictured above).
The winning submission will be awarded a $5,000 prize to support further development of the writer’s skills and knowledge. Second place will receive $3,000 and a further two entries will get $1,000 each.
All winners and runners up will have their works published on the SBS Voices website.
In addition, all entries will be considered for inclusion in an official anthology of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition, published by Hardie Grant in 2023. The anthology will include approximately 30 entries from this year’s competition.
The anthology containing entries from the 2021 competition comes out on Aug. 3 this year.
Judge Tsiolkas urged entrants to have the courage to come forward and tell their unique stories.
“It’s a brave thing to commit your thoughts, ideas [and] passion to the page,” he said. “Someone entering this competition is maybe someone who wants to do what I’m doing, which is write for the rest of my life. But there may also be people who have a story to tell and it’s important that they get that story out.”
Fellow judge Pang said she is looking for good storytelling over perfect English, noting that her mother, a Cambodian migrant, was illiterate.
“One thing Christos and I have in common is we understand what it’s like to live every day with illiteracy. We are not looking for the most finely polished pieces,” she said.
“I read last year’s winning entries and they’re all so wonderful. They were so diverse. I’m excited to find the diversity of voices that will emerge this year.”
John Godfrey, head of SBS Unscripted, said the competition plays an important role in contributing to the diversity of Australian storytelling.
“We’re thrilled the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition is returning for its third year. Last year, we received more than 4,000 compelling stories from across Australia, exploring family, loss, love, culture and country told with plenty of heart and a fresh perspective. We look forward to discovering new talent and championing diverse voices with the return of the competition in 2022.”
More information on the 2022 SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition can be found here.