Cash prize for writers

BUDDING book writers could kickstart their career thanks to a $15,000 prize on offer by publisher HarperCollins Australia.

They launched The Banjo Prize last night, offering a publishing contract and the cash advance for fiction writing in a tribute to legendary Australian storyteller Banjo Paterson.

News Corp, publisher of the Gold Coast Bulletin, is an associate sponsor, and a regional runner-up will receive a written assessment of their manuscript by HarperCollins.

An extract from the regional finalist will be in line to be published in the Bulletin. Entries close on May 25.