Welcome to the Historical Novel Society Australasia
The Historical Novel Society Australasia is recognised as the home of the historical fiction genre in Australasia as the third arm of the international Historical Novel Society. The society considers the genre provides entertainment and education to readers while offering a valid perspective beyond the viewpoint of the historian. Both the imagination and dedication of historical novelists create authentic worlds which can enrich a reader’s understanding of real historical personages, eras and events.
The $150,000 ARA historical novel Prize
With prize monies worth $150,000, the ARA Historical Novel Prize is the richest literary award in Australia and New Zealand, thanks to our Foundation Partner, the ARA Group. The Prize incorporates a category for outstanding Children and Young Adult (CYA) literature, in addition to the Adult category. The Prize awards $100,000 to the Adult category winner, with an additional $5,000 awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors. In the CYA category, the winner receives $30,000, while the two short listers receive $5,000 each.
The winners of the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize have been announced.
Entries will open for the 2025 contest in April 2025.
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CONFERENCES & EVENTS
The HNSA promotes the writing, reading and publication of historical fiction, especially in Australia and New Zealand, through its biennial conferences held since 2015. Our events showcase the best literary talent and enable readers, writers and publishing professionals to celebrate the genre.
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LITERARY CONTESTS
The inauguration of the ARA Historical Novel Prize is the crown jewel in HNSA’s suite of literary contests.
HNSA also runs the HNSA First Pages Pitch Contest, the Colleen McCullough Residency and the Elizabeth Jane Corbett Mentorship for authors of Young Adult historical fiction.
LATEST NEWS & INTERVIEWS
WHAT IS YOUNG ADULT HISTORICAL FICTION?
In honour of historical novelist, Elizabeth Jane Corbett, the HNSA is delighted to be running the EJ Corbett Mentorship Contest which offers the chance for a previously unpublished author from Australia or New Zealand to receive a mentorship with Wendy J Dunn to develop an unpublished historical fiction manuscript for young adults. The contest is
EJ CORBETT MENTORSHIP CONTEST FOR YOUNG ADULT HISTORICAL FICTION
Have you written the next The Book Thief or Sacred Hearts but need help polishing it? In honour of historical novelist, Elizabeth Jane Corbett, the HNSA is offering the chance for a previously unpublished author from Australia or New Zealand to receive a mentorship with Wendy J Dunn to develop a completed first draft of
Imagining the Past: In conversation with Alison D. Stegert
In the next episode of Imagining the Past, the inaugural winner of the 2020 Elizabeth Jane Corbett Mentorship, Alison Stegert.
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