The Ampersand Prize

A project of Hardie Grant Publishing (see other related projects).

This project is on indefinite hiatus. Check their site to find out whether this is a submission and/or publication hiatus. (August 2025)

We list other projects with similar titles. Please check that you report any submissions under the correct listing.

About

The Ampersand Prize is Australia’s premier award for unpublished authors of children and young adult fiction. Since 2012, the Ampersand Prize has launched the careers of numerous bestselling, multi-award-winning and critically acclaimed authors, many of whom have gone on to publish their books around the world.

No Fees! This contest does not charge mandatory fees.

Country of Publication & Year Established

Australia

Established in 2012

Publication Medium & Contest Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: Awarded biennially (every other year)

Fiction On Hiatus

Audience:

Middle grades, Young adults.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General
Action-Adventure Open to all/most Subgenres
Mystery/Crime Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Novella: 20,000 to 40,000 words.
Novel: No specific word count limits known (our definition: more than 40000 words).

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Winner's Prize:

Unknown advance + Unknown royalties Unknown advance. Unknown royalties.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for The Ampersand Prize

Go to contest webpage

Report:
Correction/Update

The Ampersand Prize Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

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Pantera Press DNQ
The Spark Prize DNQ

Ultimo Press DNQ

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 28 Aug 2025