ABC Fiction Award
Encyclopedia
The ABC Fiction Award was an Australia
n literary award presented annually to the best, original, unpublished, adult fiction manuscript, written by an Australian resident over the age of 18. It was launched in 2005. The aim of the award was "to encourage emerging writers, contribute to Australian literary culture, and fulfil the ABC's charter by reflecting the diversity of the Australian community and adding to a sense of national identity". The award was supported by ABC Local Radio
and ABC TV
.
The prize was a A$
10,000 advance and publication through ABC Books. The winning book was also broadcast on ABC Local Radio and published as an audio book by ABC Audio. The award had four judges, three of whom changed each year. It comprised ABC Books commissioning editor Jo Mackay, a fiction writer, a local ABC radio broadcaster, and someone involved in literary education or debate such as a newspaper literary editor.
Books publisher, Stuart Neal, and Jo Mackay, who were concerned about the falling sales of literary fiction.
Jo Mackay said that they took pride in the fact that the competition, unlike most other new manuscript competitions which are geared to young writers, has no age restrictions. Stuart Neal argued that such competitions are important. He said that "if competitions like this can unearth the next Tim Winton
, for example, then there's a major economic benefit, as well as the benefit to the literary world, of unknown writers getting a go. If you don't do things like this you don't find the next hot Australian fiction writer". However, he said that commercial potential was not a criterion used by the judges.
for Best Novel, the Ditmar Award
for Best Horror Novel and was shortlisted for the International Horror Guild Award
. There were some 900 entries in the first year, and 300-400 entries the next two years.
Early judges of the award included novelists Delia Falconer
and Luke Davies
, and literary editor of The Australian
Murray Waldren.
The award came to an end when ABC books was taken over by Harper Collins in 2009 ending fiction publishing.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n literary award presented annually to the best, original, unpublished, adult fiction manuscript, written by an Australian resident over the age of 18. It was launched in 2005. The aim of the award was "to encourage emerging writers, contribute to Australian literary culture, and fulfil the ABC's charter by reflecting the diversity of the Australian community and adding to a sense of national identity". The award was supported by ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
and ABC TV
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
.
The prize was a A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
10,000 advance and publication through ABC Books. The winning book was also broadcast on ABC Local Radio and published as an audio book by ABC Audio. The award had four judges, three of whom changed each year. It comprised ABC Books commissioning editor Jo Mackay, a fiction writer, a local ABC radio broadcaster, and someone involved in literary education or debate such as a newspaper literary editor.
Background
The award was the brainchild of the ABCAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Books publisher, Stuart Neal, and Jo Mackay, who were concerned about the falling sales of literary fiction.
Jo Mackay said that they took pride in the fact that the competition, unlike most other new manuscript competitions which are geared to young writers, has no age restrictions. Stuart Neal argued that such competitions are important. He said that "if competitions like this can unearth the next Tim Winton
Tim Winton
Timothy John "Tim" Winton , is an Australian novelist and short story writer.-Life:Winton was born in Perth, Western Australia, but moved at a young age to the regional city of Albany....
, for example, then there's a major economic benefit, as well as the benefit to the literary world, of unknown writers getting a go. If you don't do things like this you don't find the next hot Australian fiction writer". However, he said that commercial potential was not a criterion used by the judges.
History
The inaugural winner was The Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliott. It went on to win the Aurealis AwardAurealis Award
Aurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction is an annual literary award for Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction. Only Australians are eligible for the award.-History:...
for Best Novel, the Ditmar Award
Ditmar Award
The Ditmar Award has been awarded annually since 1969 at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom...
for Best Horror Novel and was shortlisted for the International Horror Guild Award
International Horror Guild Award
The International Horror Guild Award is a recognition presented by the International Horror Guild to recognize the achievements of those who create in the field of horror and dark fantasy. Nancy A. Collins, the founder of the award, felt there was a need for an award granted by a large,...
. There were some 900 entries in the first year, and 300-400 entries the next two years.
Early judges of the award included novelists Delia Falconer
Delia Falconer
Delia Falconer is the author of a novel, The Service of Clouds and a novella, The Lost Thoughts of Soldiers. She has been described by Australian critic Peter Craven, in Best Australian Stories 1999, as “the young Australian writer who has arguably done most to put her signature on the literature...
and Luke Davies
Luke Davies
Luke Davies is an Australian writer of novels, poetry and screenplays, born in Sydney in 1962.Davies' first poetry collection, Four Plots for Magnets, was published in 1982, when he was twenty....
, and literary editor of The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
Murray Waldren.
The award came to an end when ABC books was taken over by Harper Collins in 2009 ending fiction publishing.
Winners
- 2008: God for the Killing by Kain MassinKain Massin-Biography:Massin is based in Adelaide, South Australia where he is a high school maths and science teacher. He is also a member of the Blackwood Writers Group. Massin's first work was published in 1998 with his short story "Escape from Stalingrad" which was featured in fourth edition of Harbinger...
- 2007: Luck in the Greater West by Damian McDonald
- 2006: The Pilo Family CircusThe Pilo Family CircusThe Pilo Family Circus is a 2006 horror novel by Will Elliott. It follows the story of Jamie who after a random incident of nearly hitting a clown with his car finds himself being stalked by three sadistic clowns.-Background:...
by Will ElliottWill ElliottWill Elliott is an Australian literary horror fiction writer who lives in Brisbane, Queensland.His debut novel The Pilo Family Circus was published in Australia in 2006 after winning the inaugural ABC Fiction Award...