Scribe Publications Varuna Fellowship
An author writing literary fiction that plays with genre tropes - such as crime, spec fic, fantasy or sci fi - will receive a two-week fellowship to develop their manuscript, with two editorial meetings with Scribe Publications.
Applications close: midnight AEST 15 May 2026
Residency dates: Between September 2026 - September 2027, arranged directly with Varuna based on availability
Places: One writer will be selected, as part of the Varuna Residential Fellowships program
Who should apply: Writers with an unpublished manuscript that plays with genre fiction tropes. Novels, novellas and short story are welcome.
FAQs: Please read the FAQs before you apply.
The Scribe Publications Varuna Fellowship 2027 will be awarded to an unpublished writer with a complete literary fiction manuscript that plays with genre tropes, such as crime fiction, speculative fiction, science fiction or fantasy. If you don’t have a complete manuscript, but you have a thorough outline, clear vision and clear questions for feedback, you may also apply.
This fellowship is for fiction writers, and includes those writing novellas or short stories.
The recipient will receive:
A two-week residential fellowship at Varuna, with uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio. All food is provided, with an evening meal prepared by our cook, Dionne, to be enjoyed with the companionship of your fellow writers.
A one-hour consultation with a Varuna mentor, Carol Major, Mary Anne Butler or Tegan Bennett-Daylight.
Two editorial meetings with members of the Scribe Publications editorial team, one prior to your residency, and one after you’ve attended your residency
If you accept this fellowship, Scribe Publications will have first right of refusal on your manuscript when the first draft after the fellowship is completed. Scribe will have 90 days to make an offer to publish the work after submission to their editors, and the work may not be submitted to any other publishers during this period.
For more information about staying at Varuna, visit our Residencies page.
TESTIMONIALS
“The Scribe-Varuna Fellowship has been invaluable; thanks to this unique opportunity, two of my long-held writing dreams have been realised: to stay at Varuna - The Writers House, and to meet a publisher genuinely excited by the words and ideas I have to offer... I couldn’t have asked for more from this fellowship and residency - an abundance of space and time to write, and robust conversations about my work-in-progress. Thank you Scribe and Varuna!”
“I couldn’t be more grateful for my week at Varuna. The house is charming, clean and created a perfect environment for me to work on a project that had been untouched for over a year. What an absolute luxury to be looked after in these ways as I was writing. I cannot wait to come back. This was such a treat for my artistic self. I wrote far more than I ever could have expected and I am truly just filled with so much gratitude.”
HOW TO APPLY
The Scribe Publications Varuna Fellowship is awarded to an unpublished writer who applies for a Varuna Residential Fellowship. There is no separate application process.
For the purposes of this fellowship, ‘unpublished authors’ are those who have not published a book-length work with a publisher, and do not have a publishing contract for their work-in-progress. Applicants who have self-published, or who have had short works published in anthologies, journals and collections are eligible to apply.
Please refer to Varuna’s general submission guidelines for any questions on formatting your work.
UPCOMING FELLOWSHIPS, COURSES AND EVENTS
