The John Marsden Story Prize
‘Young Voices. Remarkable Stories.’
Proudly presented by the Newstead Young Writers Festival and Newstead Writers group.
The John Marsden Story Prize is now open to school aged writers in years 7-12.
This new prize celebrates the legacy of best selling and much loved Australian author, the late John Marsden, whose writing, teaching and mentorship has influenced generations of Australians.
Scroll down for terms of entry, writing tips and some background on John Marsden.
Entries Close: Monday 31 August 2026 11.59pm AEST
Photograph courtesy of Dave May, ABC News
How to Enter the John Marsden Story Prize
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Who can enter?
Young writers of high-school age can enter in one of our three age categories:
Year 7 & Year 8
Year 9 & Year 10
Year 11 & Year 12
If you are not currently attending school, please enter the most appropriate category by age.
Entrants must reside in Australia.
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What can I write about?
This is a prize for fiction writing.
You can write about any topic you like.
The story should be in prose format, that is, a narrative that flows in sentences and paragraphs.
It must be your work. Artificial Intelligence must not be used to create any part of the work.
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Nitty Gritty
500 words maximum
One entry per person
It must be your own work and not previously published
We ask that you provide a representative to certify that it is your own work (such as your English teacher).
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How to enter?
Entry is FREE
Submit your entry using the online form below.
PDF or Word documents preferred.
Name your file clearly with the age category, your name, and story title (see T&C)
Entries close 11.59pm AEDT on Monday 31 August 2026
No late entries accepted.
Please read the full Terms and Conditions before entering
Entry Form
Entries close Monday 31 August 2026 at 11.59pm AEDT
Personal information collected here is confidential and will not be shared with others outside the festival admin team. We collect your details only in order to track entries and contact you if necessary. For example, if you are selected on the long-list, shortlist or winning entry. Your entry will also be de-identified before it is sent to the judging panel.If you receive festival newsletters and would prefer not to, please unsubscribe at any time.Free Entry
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Celebrating Young Writers
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NOW OPEN
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John Marsden Story Prize
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Closes 31 August 2026
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Free Entry · Celebrating Young Writers · NOW OPEN · John Marsden Story Prize · Closes 31 August 2026 ·
John Marsden - A closer look
John Marsden was an Australian writer and teacher. He wrote more than 40 books in his career, including Tomorrow, When the War Began, the first in a series of seven books. Selling over 3 million copies in Australia and translated into five languages, Tomorrow, When the War Began is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed series of novels aimed at young readers in Australian literary history. John had a special connection to Central Victoria, having spent many weekends writing in his cottage at Sandon, on the outskirts of Newstead.
In 2006, John reduced his writing to focus on teaching and founded Candlebark School for years Prep-7. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused Alice Miller School for years 7-12. Both schools are located in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria.
John generously returned to Newstead in 2024 to attend and headline the first ever Newstead Young Writers Festival. His workshops and talks were eagerly attended and his joy for writing and sharing his craft was infectious.
John will be dearly missed, but his passion for teaching and storytelling lives on through his work and everyone that knew him.
Photograph courtesy of River Ebony
Writing tips
Here are some useful tips about writing, how to start, getting help, editing and much more, with links to writers offering support
About Fiction
Your story is the work of your imagination. It is not based on facts, but your readers should find it believable. Invent characters and give them their own distinct voice and experiences. Put them in a setting, and make something happen. You will need to come up with problems for your characters, but also solutions that are credible. Name everything, i.e. be specific and provide details. John once said, don’t write "The car went down the street," but "The old green Ford Mustang drove down Nixon Avenue."
More resources to get started:
Stuck for an idea? Try these strategies from Thoughtful Learning
Advice for teenage writers from the Australian Writers Centre
Creative writing advice for young authors - ABC/MWF/CYL
“Be specific. Instead of ‘The car went down the street’
try ‘The old green Ford Mustang drove down Nixon Avenue’.
- John Marsden