SPENCIL WRITERS PRIZE 2026

Terms & Conditions

1. Competition Overview

The Spencil Writers Prize ("Competition") is conducted by Spencil Pty Ltd ("Spencil", "we", "our", or "us").

By submitting an entry, entrants and their parent/guardian (where applicable) agree to these Terms and Conditions.

2. Eligibility

  • The Competition is open to Australian residents aged 5–18 years.
  • Entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, teacher, or with parental/guardian consent.
  • Employees of Spencil and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter.

3. Entry Period

Entries open on June 26th 2026 and close at 11:59pm AEST on July 24th.

Entries received after the closing date will not be considered.

4. How to Enter

To enter, participants must:

  • Complete the online entry form.
  • Submit an original written story.
  • Provide all requested contact information.
  • Accept these Terms and Conditions.

There is no cost to enter.

5. Story Requirements

All entries must:

  • Be the entrant's original work.
  • Not have been generated by artificial intelligence.
  • Not infringe any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property rights.
  • Be suitable for children and family audiences.
  • Meet any word count requirements outlined on the Competition website.

Spencil reserves the right to disqualify entries that contain offensive, inappropriate, plagiarised, or AI-generated content.

6. Judging

Entries will be judged by an independent judging panel selected by Spencil.

Judging criteria may include:

  • Creativity and imagination
  • Originality
  • Storytelling ability
  • Writing quality
  • Age appropriateness

The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

7. Prize

The winner(s) will receive the prize(s) outlined on the Competition website.

Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash.

Spencil reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if necessary.

8. Winner Notification

Winners will be contacted using the details provided during entry.

If a winner cannot be contacted within 14 days, Spencil reserves the right to select an alternative winner.

9. Intellectual Property

Entrants retain ownership of their story.

By entering the Competition, entrants grant Spencil a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free licence to:

  • Publish the story online.
  • Include the story in promotional materials.
  • Feature excerpts in marketing, social media, websites, newsletters, and future Writers Prize promotions.
  • Display the entrant's first name, age, school (if applicable), and state.

Spencil will always endeavour to credit authors where practical.

10. Photography, Video and Promotion

Winners may be invited to participate in promotional activities, including:

  • Reading their story on video.
  • Photography sessions.
  • Interviews.
  • Social media content.

Participation is voluntary and subject to parent/guardian consent.

11. Privacy

Personal information collected as part of the Competition will only be used to administer the Competition and communicate with entrants.

Information will be handled in accordance with Spencil's Privacy Policy.

12. General

Spencil reserves the right to:

  • Verify the validity of entries.
  • Disqualify entrants who breach these Terms and Conditions.
  • Modify, suspend, or cancel the Competition if circumstances arise beyond its reasonable control.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Spencil will not be liable for any loss, damage, or injury arising from participation in the Competition.

13. Contact

For questions regarding the Spencil Writers Prize, please contact:

Email: hello@spencil.com.au

Website: www.spencil.com.au

Last Updated: 24 June 2026