Applications Open for The Richell Prize 2025

BE BRAVE, BE BOLD AND SUBMIT YOUR WORK!

Hachette Australia, along with Hannah Richell, is honoured to launch the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for 2025, in partnership with the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF).

Louise Stark, Hachette Australia CEO says: ‘The Richell Prize has firmly established itself in the Australian literary landscape as a unique opportunity for emerging writers. Created to honour former Hachette CEO Matt Richell, the Prize is designed to celebrate and support unpublished writers and in the last ten years we are so proud that it has done exactly that. It is dedicated to removing barriers for unpublished writers, has no age limit and requires only three finished chapters at the time of submission.’

The Richell Prize is free to enter for unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction and offers the winner a rare one-year mentorship with a Hachette publisher and $10,000 in prize money. Since its infancy, the Prize has attracted thousands of entries across adult fiction and non-fiction and Hachette has published or contracted twelve authors who have been discovered through this annual Prize, including Sally Abbott (2015 winner), Brodie Lancaster (2015 shortlist), Susie Greenhill (2016), Sam Coley (2017 winner), Julie Keys (2017 shortlist), Ruth McIver (2018 winner), Mandy Beaumont (2018 shortlist), Zaheda Ghani (2018 shortlist), Allee Richards (2019 shortlist), Aisling Smith (2020 winner), Simone Amelia Jordan (2021 winner), Susannah Begbie (2022 winner) and Alex Sawyer (2023 winner).

Hannah Richell, bestselling author says: ‘I, along with Matt’s family, couldn’t be more proud to see the Richell Prize go from strength to strength. It’s a brilliant legacy for a much-missed man and speaks to Matt’s love of discovering great writing across many different genres, regardless of a writer’s age, background or experience. We are grateful to everyone involved for their continued dedication to the Prize, in awe of the talent already discovered, and excited to see what 2025 brings. Good luck to the writers!’

Jess Zanoni, Artistic Director & Co-CEO of the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) says: ‘The Emerging Writers' Festival is honoured every year to facilitate the esteemed and unique Richell Prize in partnership with Hachette Australia, a prize that instills enormous belief and support in so many talented writers across the country. Matt Richell's legacy is an extraordinary one, and EWF is grateful to play a part in it. We can't wait to discover fresh, exciting voices in 2025. By simply submitting to the prize, you are deeming your writing a worthwhile pursuit — the EWF commends you!’

Myles McGuire, 2024 Richell Prize winner says: ‘Winning the Richell Prize completely changed my approach to writing, ameliorating a lot of the doubt I feel when I'm hunched over my computer, talking to people who don't exist. The support from Vanessa and the team at Hachette has helped me to trust myself while I develop the manuscript, and to think more clearly about the sort of book 'Stroke' will be once published – I'm a bit like Gollum with the Ring when it comes to writing, so it's nice to actually share it with people, and think about who'll read it. It's been a genuinely life-changing opportunity, and I really can't recommend entering the Richell Prize highly enough; I did with no expectation of even longlisting, and I'm so glad I did.’

To enter the Prize, writers are not required to have a full manuscript at submission, though they must intend to complete one. The winner will receive $10,000 in prize money donated by the Richell family, and a year’s mentoring with a Hachette publisher.

Prize opens 29 April 2025

Prize closes 13 July 2025

Longlist announcement 11 September 2025

Shortlist announcement 16 October 2025

Winner announcement 5 November 2025

Applications will be judged on three main criteria:

• The writing – make sure that you are telling an original story that you have a burning desire to share;
• The synopsis – give us a brief summary of the plot, major characters, themes and settings in the book and a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of the rest of the book;
• Why you want it – tell us how winning the Prize will help you further your writing career.

Hachette Australia recommends that all entrants read the Terms and Conditions carefully on the EWF website  (https://emergingwritersfestival.org.au/the-richell-prize-for-emerging-writers-2025/) to ensure your work is eligible.

Hachette Australia and Hannah Richell would like to thank the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) for partnering with them to make this Prize a reality. The EWF would also like to thank Simpsons Solicitors for assisting them financially with the administration of the Prize. This Prize brings together a group of people who know the huge amount of support that Matt Richell gave to emerging writers. Without the writers, there would be no Prize – so be brave and submit your work.