There is immense power in storytelling and original creation. More than ever, the words that we share matter.
As a community for creative minds, we’re calling out for Australian writers who identify as women or as from an under-recognised group to join the conversation by entering our 2026 Literary Showcase. This is your chance to have your work recognised by some of the leading voices in Australian publishing.
In Australia, around two-thirds of published authors are women. Unfortunately, many of these writers earn less than the poverty line from their work. On average, they make about $18,200 from their creative efforts, which often means they need to rely on a partner’s income to make ends meet.
These authors are paid far too little for work that is culturally indispensable. Our society and culture – perhaps now more than ever – depend on the historical and creative contributions of these writers, yet only a small number receive the recognition or financial support their contributions merit.
In 2026, RUSSH is proud to present the third annual RUSSH Literary Showcase – an initiative celebrating both emerging and established writers who identify as women or as from an under-recognised group. Through this platform, we aim to amplify under-represented voices and create meaningful opportunities for Australia’s next generation of literary talent.
We are calling out for aspiring and emerging writers from these groups to enter a piece of their work to be considered by a panel of published authors. A shortlist of 20 finalists will be selected by our judges and featured on RUSSH.com. From these, three winners will be selected:
- a Judges' Choice winner, selected by our judges
- a Readers' Choice winner, selected via popular vote by our readers
- a Editor's Commendation winner, selected by RUSSH Editor-in-Chief Jess Blanch.
Each of these three winners will have their work featured in print in the May issue of RUSSH Magazine.
If you – or someone you know – is an emerging writer from an under-recognised group, below you'll find the information about how to enter our Literary Showcase 2026.
Enter your submission
Please make sure your work is submitted in PDF form. You can submit your work on our submissions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can submit?
The RUSSH Literary Showcase is open to emerging and established Australian writers of all ages who identify as women, or as belonging to an under-recognised group.
How many times can you submit?
Entrants are allowed no more than two submissions per person. If you submit more than two entries, only your first two entries will be considered.
What is the competition process?
After the four-week entry period, our judges will select their top 20 finalists. These finalists will be published on our Readers' Voting page. Readers' will have two weeks to vote for their favourite work, while our judges and our Editor-in-Chief select their chosen pieces. The winners will be announced in line with the publication of our May 2026 issue of RUSSH Magazine. A special event of industry professionals, including publishers, authors and other creative minds will be held to celebrate the winning pieces.
When do submissions open and close?
Submissions opened on Monday 2 February 2026, and will close on 2 March 2026, strictly at midday AEDT. T&Cs apply.
When will finalists be selected?
Judging will commence on Monday 2 March 2026 from midday, and the 20 selected finalists who are eligible for the Readers' Choice will be announced on RUSSH.com on 31st March 2026. T&Cs apply.
How will voting work for Reader's Choice?
Voting by the general public on finalist submissions will open on 31st March 2026 and close on 14 April strictly at midnight AEST. T&Cs apply.
When and where will winners be announced?
Our Judges' Choice winner, Reader's Choice winner and Editor's Commendation winner will be announced in our May issue of RUSSH Magazine.
Each of the three winners will be contacted by RUSSH individually before publication in print, and will also receive a profile on RUSSH.com after publication. The competition results are confidential until the magazine is released, only the winners will be notified before the on-sale date.
What kind of writing can I submit?
Entrants can submit a short fiction, screenplays, poetry, essay or feature in accordance with the following word counts:
- Essays, features and narratives of at least 1,500 words and no more than 3,000
- Poetry: 800–1200 words
- Screenplays: 1,000–3,000 words.
This work needs to be wholly original and you must have full rights to this work. It cannot have been previously published before, this includes platforms like Substack.
What will entries be judged on?
Entries will be judged on:
- their originality in concept and story
- their use of form and style
- their creativity, tone and how engaging the piece is.
What are the prizes?
The following prizes will be awarded:
Judges' Choice winner:
- winning entry published in the May 2026 issue of RUSSH Magazine
- a feature and writer's profile published on RUSSH.com
- a writer's residency (location to be confirmed)
- a RUSSH writers fellowship for remainder of 2025 , which includes at least $5,000 of paid writing commissions at RUSSH.
Readers' Choice winner:
- winning entry published in the May 2026 issue of RUSSH Magazine
- a feature and writer's profile on RUSSH.com
- a mentorship with a published author and advocate.
Editor's Commendation winner:
- winning entry published in the May 2026 issue of RUSSH Magazine
- a feature and writer's profile on RUSSH.com
- a mentorship with a published author and advocate.
I made a mistake on my submission, what can I do?
We kindly ask that all works be carefully reviewed before being submitted. We will do our best to accomodate changes if we are able.
Have you got further questions?
If you have further questions about the submission process or competition details, email [email protected].
