£1.000 In Awards For Writers

New Zealand Listener, Volume 10, Issue 238, 14 January 1944, Page 6

£1.000 In Awards For Writers

A Chance For New Authors

[HE Australian Broadcasting Commission announces a writers’ competition, with awards totalling £1,000, for original literary work dealing with Australian life, history, or characters. The competition calls for novels, plays, documentary features, short stories, poems and discussions.

speaking countries are eligible to compete. Entries for the novel section of the competition will close on September 30, 1944. Entries for the other sections will close on June 30, 1944. Entry forms, with full conditions of the competition, can be obtained from the ABC office in each State. h F of all EnglishTHE PRIZES The following prizes will be awarded: NOVEL First Prize ste Ae ws. &150 Second Prize .... et Petes FP PLAY First Prize rahe Can a £100 Second Prize .... 408 wa: £70 Third Prize © .... ae a; EGO DOCUMENTARY FEATURE First Prize sid a 3° 60 Second Prize .... hi Sci. «see SHORT STORY © First Prize... sag . £50 Second Prize .... cine we £30 POEM . First Prize ; ia ie ESS Second Prize .... jae ~ E10 DISCUSSION First Prize a ES mic tet Second Prize ....° ... ty >» Ls SPECIAL BONUSES In addition to the above prizes, the _ Commission will award special bonuses.

A bonus of £100 will be awarded for the work (in any section) that is considered to be the outstanding contribution to broadcasting. To encourage new writers in radio, a bonus will be awarded for the best work purchased in each section (not a prize-winning entry) by a writer who has had none of his work either published or broadcast. These bonuses are as follows: Novel .... alas vas ani ee Short Story .... pore ice deaO Plays .... bita Sak oe ©6640 Poem ae ee OS Documentary Feature .... fia: Oe Discussion mee Sick wees 3: ae Announcing the competition, the general manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Charles Moses, said: "Entries must deal with Australian life, history or characters. The competition, however, is open to the nationals of all English-speaking countries, with the object of securing the best talent available for the projectior. of Australian subjects. There are many people abroad who were born in Australia, or who have visited this country, or have taken a keen interest in Australian history or some other aspect of Australian life. "The Commission’s object is to secure material of a quality that will be readily acceptable for broadcasting overseas, as well as in Australia, and that will give overseas listeners a greater interest in Australia and a better understanding of this country. "The Commission feels that Australians will welcome the opportunity of pitting their talent against that of overseas competitors, particularly on subjects relating to their own country, and that such competition is bound to attract many new writers. "Covering as it does novels, plays, documentary features, short stories, poems and discussions, the competition provides scope for almost all forms of radio writing, and should contribute towards the development and improvement of Australian radio standards, "In the past, many of our plays, although written by Australians, have not been about Australia. Even if the settings have been Australian, the plots have not developed from Australian character. The competition makes the projection of Australian character and material essential."