$25,000 Writers' Award OPENS

The CLNZ | NZSA Writers' Award of $25,000 is one of the highest non-fiction prizes in New Zealand literature, and is now open for applications.

He $25,000 te nui o te Karāti Kaituhi o te CLNZ me te NZSA, te karāti mātua mo ngā pakimaero-pono o ngā momo-tuhinga o Aotearoa. Ka taea e ngā Kaituhi te tuku tono mō tēnei karāti.

• a $25,000 award to a New Zealand writer
• one of the highest prizes awarded to non-fiction in New Zealand literature
• open now

The award was established to provide financial support for writers wishing to devote time to a specific project, and to cover reasonable research expenses relating to it. Writers with work in a broad range of non-fiction genres, including educational works, can apply.

The Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) and the New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (NZSA) Writers' Award supported the creation of Rebecca Macfie's book Helen Kelly: Her Life (Awa Press), a biography of one of New Zealand’s political legends; Nic Low 's book Uprising: Walking the Southern Alps of New Zealand (Text); the creation of Nick Bollinger 's Ockham award-winning book Jumping Sundays: The Rise and Fall of the Counterculture in Aotearoa / New Zealand (AUP), and to Jade Kake towards her project on the legacy of Professor Rewi Thompson.

Last year, Ōtepoti Writer and Poet Iona Winter was the award recipient for her creative non-fiction project, 'A counter of moons'.

A year on from receiving the Award Iona Winter says: 'Being the 2022 CLNZ/NZSA Writers' Award recipient acknowledged the importance of speaking to my lived experience of suicide bereavement in Aotearoa, while enabling me to completely focus on bringing the project to fruition'.

Want to Apply?

First: Read the CLNZ | NZSA Writers' Award Guidelines

Then: Fill in the CLNZ | NZSA Writers' Award Application Form

Also: Consider reading this ‘Award Alchemy’ article from NZ Author Magazine (pdf) or listening to Tracy Farr in the NZSA Live! podcast episode 'Panel Discussion on the Business of Being a Writer' (starting minute 1.50) on putting together the best application you can.

We encourage non-fiction writers to consider applying for this award. Applications over the full range of non-fiction genres are welcome. Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. It is the clear intention of the CLNZ | NZSA Writers' Award that a book will be published as a result of being a recipient of the award.

Applications must be completed online by 4pm on Thursday 29 June 2023.

Unsuccessful applicants will be advised before recipients are announced. Successful recipients will be contacted directly and we will also publish the announcement on the CLNZ and NZSA websites and Facebook pages.

The CLNZ | NZSA Writers’ Award is made possible through Copyright Licensing New Zealand’s Cultural Fund. The Cultural Fund’s objectives are to protect writers and publishers’ ability to earn revenue from their works; support the creation and production of new works and assist the commercial success of New Zealand works; and grow the number of works created and skills in the industry.

NZSA is proud to be administering the awards in 2023.

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