Voiceless is a new short story and non-fiction writing competition designed to raise awareness about the value of animals and why mistreatment, cruelty and unethical animal keeping practices are damaging to society. The competition is sponsored by Australian Ethical Investments, and supported by Allen & Unwin and the Sydney Morning Herald.
The competition is for Australian citizens over 18 years old and is open to fiction and non-fiction pieces of 5,000 – 10,000 words. The winning story will earn the author $15,000. A people’s choice round will win the most popular story’s author $5,000. Not only that, but a selection of the best stories will be published by Allen & Unwin as a book and an ebook. Every published author will receive $500.
Entries must not have been previously published. Entries should focus on relationships between humans and animals, the ethical treatment of animals, and advancing public understanding of animal sentience.
The competition will be judged by an impressive line-up of literary talent. Nobel Laureate and two-time Man Booker Prize winner, J. M. Coetzee, is chair of the judging panel. He will be joined on the judging panel by Voiceless managing director Ondine Sherman, Literary Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald Susan Wyndham, and Dr Wendy Were, a past director of the Sydney Writers’ Festival.
Entries close 16 March 2012. You can find more information here.
“There is a rich world of literature which takes animals – their feelings, wishes and desires – seriously. As of this year, Voiceless will be awarding a prize to recognise the best Australian short fiction and non-fiction that has at its heart the place of animals in the world we have made.” – J. M. Coetzee
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Posted on: 8 February 2012
