The Australian Fiction Prize is an annual prize for a book-length work of fiction, offered by Australia’s leading publisher, HarperCollins Australia. It is open to all Australian writers, regardless of age or publishing history, with the winner receiving a contract from HarperCollins to publish the work, along with an advance of $15,000.

The winning entry will take its place on bookshelves alongside novels by celebrated HarperCollins writers, including Trent Dalton, Dervla McTiernan, Meg Mason and Holly Ringland.

The 2024 winner was Katherine Johnson’s Every Wild Soul, which will be published in May 2026.  Read more about it here, and about the 2025 winner, River City by Troy Henderson, which will be published in 2027, here.

HarperCollins Australia Head of Fiction, Catherine Milne says, ‘HarperCollins has a long history of discovering and championing iconic Australian voices, from Banjo Paterson to Trent Dalton, so we couldn’t be more excited to open the Australian Fiction Prize portal for entries in its third year.  In 2025, we had 300 entries, from which we will be publishing two outstanding novels: River City by Troy Henderson, the winner, and a second exciting project which will be announced soon.  We couldn’t be more pleased with how the Australian Fiction Prize has been welcomed by Australian writers and look forward to discovering the next great Australian storyteller.’  

Please check the FAQ page if you have questions about entering The Australian Fiction Prize. View the Terms and Conditions. If you are under 18, you must complete and attach this form.