Writing competitions + development programs
National manuscript, career and professional development programs and competitions for emerging and established writers.
Jump to:
Stageable – Make a Scene
Scriptable – Script Mentorship Program
Pitchable – The Art of the Great Idea
Publishable – Manuscript Development Program
Adaptable – Turning the Page to Screen
Printable – Author Branding Program
Printable – Author Branding Program
Bookings open
Annual program. 2025 bookings open until: Tuesday 11 November
Program day: Saturday 22 November
Queensland Writers Centre’s Printable program will get you and your author brand ready for the marketplace.
Whether you’re looking to give an upcoming publication a boost, build a community of readers and writers around your work, or ensure your author brand appeals to prospective publishers, this program will help you nail down the fundamentals of marketing yourself as a writer.
What’s included
Printable Workbook –
Provided in November
An exclusive resource developed by the QWC team. This practical workbook will give you the tools to think about yourself as a writer and your author brand before we meet on Program day.
Program day
In-person & online, Sat 22 Nov
A practical, hands-on course with industry experts and staff, where you'll learn about finding your audience and begin laying the foundations for your author brand, including social media strategy, graphics, marketing tips and more.
Professional Author Headshot
In-person on Program day (add-on)
Stand out from the crowd on your socials and get a professional author headshot (or two) snapped at Printable's program day.
Stageable – Play Development Program
Applications closed
Annual program. 2025 applications open: Monday 25 August – Tuesday 7 October (6 weeks).
Queensland Writers Centre’s Stageable program focusses on the development of emerging playwrights and theatre writing. Open nationally, the Program accepts submissions of all forms of unpublished and unproduced plays and writing intended for the stage.
Successful (shortlisted) applicants to the program will receive consultation with Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) staff and one-on-one mentorship with a matched industry professional, with the aim of sparking ongoing creative and professional connections.
Make a scene! View the application guidelines and application form.
Program stages
All applicants receive:
complimentary development workshop (valued at $70), to be delivered online
opportunity to book Feedback Session (paid add-on) to receive reader feedback and advice
Shortlisted writers receive:
5-hrs mentorship with a matched theatre industry professional, including reading, feedback and meetings
consultation on script and career development with QWC staff
industry networking opportunity, TBD during the Program
One Year Membership with Queensland Writers Centre
Scriptable – Script/Screenplay Development Program
Applications closed
Annual program. 2025 applications open: Monday 25 August – Tuesday 7 October (6 weeks).
Queensland Writers Centre’s annual national Scriptable program is an opportunity for emerging screenwriters to develop their scripts and careers. Applications of unproduced scripts are accepted across a broad range of genres and formats, including feature screenplays, television and web series, short films and short film collections.
Successful (shortlisted) applicants to the program receive consultation with QWC staff, reader feedback, and one-on-one mentorship with a matched industry professional, with the aim of sparking ongoing creative and professional connections in the local screen industry.
View the application guidelines and application form.
Program stages
All applicants receive:
a complimentary development workshop (valued at $70), to be delivered online
opportunity to book Feedback Session (paid add-on) to receive reader feedback and advice
Shortlisted writers receive:
5-hrs mentorship with a matched screen industry professional, including reading, feedback and meetings
consultation on script and career development with QWC staff
industry networking opportunity, TBD during the Program
One Year Membership with Queensland Writers Centre
Pitchable – The Art of the Great Idea
Shortlist announced
Annual program. 2025 entries (now closed): Monday 30 June – Tuesday 5 August
Market Day: Friday 24 October
Queensland Writers Centre's Pitchable program is all about great ideas – and what to do with them.
To enter, all you need is an idea or concept... and a short synopsis, elevator pitch or overview. Pitches for any kind of story, and in any genre or style, are welcomed — whether it be for a novel, non-fiction book, video game, film, TV series, stageplay... almost anything you can write. The possibilities are endless!
Entries are open to all Australian writers, unpublished and emerging through to published and established. (You don't need a manuscript or full-length work, but if you have one it needs to be original, uncontracted, unpublished and unproduced.)
Shortlisted writers will prepare to make their pitch to a diverse panel of creative industry professionals in real-time, at an industry Market Day and networking event in Brisbane. One winner will ultimately be selected for an incubator program, including mentorship with a professional writer, to begin developing the idea into a fully-realised work.
One-on-one Pitch Practice Sessions with QWC staff (regardless of the outcome of your entry), are available as an add-on for entrants.
Publishable – Manuscript Development Program
Shortlist announced
Annual program. 2025 applications (now closed): 17 March – 20 May 2025
Publishable is Queensland Writers Centre's annual national manuscript development program for emerging writers. The Program accepts submissions of completed, unpublished manuscripts across a broad range of genres and formats.
Longlisted applicants take part in a tailored manuscript development program, designed to strengthen, refine and polish a completed manuscript. Writers work with professional authors, QWC’s team, and industry experts, applying that knowledge to their own manuscripts to take them closer to publication.
Shortlisted writers, selected following the development phase, receive mentorship with an industry professional, and are given the opportunity to attend pitch interviews with specially matched agents and publishers.
All applicants receive
a complimentary development workshop (valued at $70), to be delivered online
opportunity to book Feedback Session (paid add-on) to receive reader feedback and advice
Longlist – up to 25 writers selected
Longlisted writers enter a personalised development program including:
consultation on manuscript development with QWC staff
craft and industry workshop/s and/or seminar/s with writing professionals
Shortlist – up to 10 writers selected
Shortlisted writers receive:
mentorship with an industry professional, including reading and meetings
opportunity to pitch to a matched agent or publisher
One Year Membership with QWC
2025 Pitch Partners
Adaptable – Turning the Page to Screen
Returning later in 2025
Annual program. 2025 applications (now closed): 18 November 2024 – 21 January 2025.
Since 2018, Queensland Writers Centre’s Adaptable: Turning the Page to Screen has been forging creative connections between the literary and screen communities. The Program seeks material for film or television adaptation, and accepts submissions of manuscripts of any genre, fiction or non-fiction, published and unpublished.
Successful applicants to the Program are given the opportunity to pitch works with potential for screen adaptation to producers, showrunners, screenwriters and industry professionals.
View the program guidelines and application form.
Program Stages
All applicants receive
a relevant complimentary development workshop (valued at $70+), to be delivered online
opportunity to book Feedback Session (paid add-on) to receive reader feedback and advice
Longlist – up to 40 writers selected
One Year Membership with Queensland Writers Centre
Selected synopses provided to screen industry partners for consideration
Shortlist – up to 25 writers selected
Professional pitch practice with QWC staff
Opportunity to pitch work to screenwriters, producers and industry professionals at a Market Day event
Venue Partner
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