Writing on Climate-Change leads to $25,000 Award

Writing on Climate-Change leads to $25,000 Award

Neville Peat, wildlife photographer and author of over 40 books, was presented with the new CLNZ Writer’s Award at the inaugural National Writers Forum, held in Auckland on 17 September. Neville receives $25,000, one of the highest non-fiction prizes in New Zealand literature, towards his project “The Invading Sea”. The book will cover the highly topical subject of climate-change science, focused on sea-level rise and what New Zealand can do to prepare for it. Neville specialises in writing on geography, biography, natural history and the environment.

Paula Browning, CEO of CLNZ, said, “the awards and grants the CLNZ Cultural Fund provides contribute to the New Zealand publishing industry by giving writers time to write and by investing in other projects that support New Zealand writing and publishing. We’re delighted that this award is going to a New Zealand writer who will be able to bring a complex subject to both New Zealand and overseas readers”.

74 applications were received for the award this year, covering a wide range of topics and subjects. Amongst a very strong field of candidates, the judges revealed the final decision was not an easy one to make. However, those that stood out were applications that paid close attention to the awards criteria, had engaging writing samples, and who were from applicants actively engaged with a prospective publisher.

Funding for the Award comes from CLNZ’s Cultural Fund which derives revenue from CLNZ’s licensing activity in New Zealand. The licensed copying of copyright material is helping to fund the creation of new work.

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