The Margaret Hazzard Short Story Award

The Margaret Hazzard Short Story Competition 2026.

Short stories of up to 2,000 words on an open theme. Closes: 3^rd May 2026

Judge: Melanie Cheng

Prizes: 1^st $350.00. 2^nd $200.00. 3^rd $100.00.

Fees: For SWW Victoria members: 1 story $10.00 or 3 stories $20.00

For non-members: 1 story $15.00 or 3 stories $30.00

Winning stories will be published in the Society’s anthology, Sparx.

Copyright remains with the author.

About our judge:

Melanie Cheng is a writer and general practitioner based in Naarm, Melbourne. Her short story collection, Australia Day, won the 2018 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for fiction. Her short stories have been featured in Meanjin, The Griffith Review, Kill Your Darlings, The Big Issue and World Literature Today, among many others. Her novel, Room for a Stranger was longlisted for the 2020 Miles Franklin award and her latest work, The Burrow, was shortlisted for numerous prizes including the Stella Prize, The Age Book for the Year and the Australian Book Industry Awards. She has been a judge for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards and the NSW Literary Awards. She is a guest lecturer for the Narrative Medicine Course at the University of Melbourne and a mentor with the Kill Your Darlings Mentors Program.

 Background to the award:

In 1970, Margaret Hazzard gathered together fourteen women – journalists, authors, playwrights, illustrators, contributors of articles paid for by newspapers or magazines, and TV and radio writers – to form a Victorian branch of the Society of Women Writers.

In recognition of Margaret’s commitment to women writers and support of SWWV, the Margaret Hazzard Short Story Award was established.

The competition runs biennially and women writers residing in Australia (or members residing overseas) are invited to submit short stories of up to 2,000 words on any theme.

2024      Gayle Beveridge

2022      Sumitra Singam

2020      Beverley Lello

2018      Mandy Nicol

2016      Megan Wallens

2014      Judith A Green

2012      Janice Williams

2010      Lindy Holmes

2006      Paula Wilson

2004      Laura Deria

2002      Lorraine McGuigan

2000      Lorraine McGuigan

1999      Yvonne Walus

1997      Yvonne Walus

1995      Janis Tait

1993      Ivy Johnston

1991      Melissa Fothergill

1989      Melissa Fothergill

1987      Nanice Leggas

1985      Meg Macalister, Sandra Moore

1983      Margery Mary Hurst

1981      Hilda K Wilson

1979      Robin Klein

1977      Wynne Brown

1976      Barbara Ball

The Margaret Hazzard award for 2026 is currently open. Please read all the requirements to this competition below. If you are a member, you will need to log in to get your member rate.

Terms and Conditions of Entry:

• The competition is open to all women writers within Australia and SWWV members worldwide.
• Entries must be unpublished, original work of the entrant. By entering, the author warrants that their story has not been published elsewhere including electronically and that they own the copyright to the story. The entrant warrants that the story was written without the assistance of AI, e.g. ChatGPT or similar.
• Entries must not be concurrently entered in another competition nor previously in receipt of an award.
• Each entrant may submit up to three stories of up to 2,000 words apiece.
• Fees: For SWW Victoria members: 1 story $10.00 or 3 stories $20.00
• For non-members: 1 story $15.00 or 3 stories $30.00
• Payment must be made via the SWWV website and entries emailed to swwvcompetitions@gmail.com

• Use ‘MH Entry’ and the story title in the subject line of the email. List the title of the story in the body of the email along with your name and your entry order number. Please use the same name as on your order. If you use a pen-name please add this, as this will be the name published on any winning lists. Your story must be in a Word Document named with the story title.
• For double/triple entries, use one email and one story title in the subject line and list the names of all your stories in the body of the email along with your name and your entry order number. Please use the same name as on your order. If you use a pen-name please add this, as this will be the name published on any winning lists. Each story must be in a separate Word Document named with the story title.
• Entries must be received by 11.59pm May 3^rd 2026 (AEST) to swwvcompetitions@gmail.com
• In order to gain the member discount, SWWV members must log in the members’ area on the website and place their order
• Entries that do not comply with the presentation requirements and conditions of entry will not be considered and no correspondence will be entered into.
• Once stories have been received and acknowledged, no changes may be submitted without a new order and fee. No entry refunds will be issued.
• Judging: No entrant may receive more than one prize. The judge’s decision is final; no correspondence will be entered into.
• The Society reserves the right to split the prize money if there are equally deserving winners.

Presentation:

1. Word Document (No PDFs)
2. Include title on first page of manuscript
3. Size 12 font Times New Roman or Arial
4. Font colour must be black
5. Page background colour must be white with standard margins (2.54.cm)
6. 1.5 line spaced
7. No headers or footers (page numbers are not required.)
8. No illustrations
9. Writers’ names are not to be on the manuscript or on the file name.