Waikato Writers - Branch of NZSA

20/06/2026

Don’t miss out on Waikato’s National Flash Fiction Day New Zealand event this Monday at the University of Wiakato!

We have an awesome line up of readers from Peter Dornauf , Dadon Rowell, Hayden Pyke, Hāwea Apiata Mark Prisco & Cassandra Barnett.
We are also celebrating the NFFD competition regional winners in both the adult category & junior category including two ten year olds.

Take a break from winter & come along for an evening of Joy. Kia & Good people☀️

09/06/2026

A play not to miss!… make sure to grab your ticket 💕

One Question Theatre are proud to debut our sixth production: Passionfruits, by Liam Hinton.

📅August 20th-22nd, 7:30pm
🎟️$30 General Admission, $25 Concession
🔗Tickets: https://themeteor.co.nz/event/passionfruits/

WINNER of the 2026 ADAM NZ PRIZE for BEST PLAY, Passionfruits is a searing family drama, hailed by competition judges as ‘a New Zealand answer to The Cherry Orchard & Long Day’s Journey into Night’.

We’re extremely excited to be debuting this production locally, in Kirikiriroa, on The Meteor Stage.

By arrangement with Playmarket & with support from the Creative Communities scheme.

Photo credit: Chris Davis.

20/05/2026

Congratulations to all these amazing writers! We are even lucky enough to have some of these talented writers as part of our local Waikato branch 🥂

The 2026 recipients of the NZSA Ngā Kaituhi Māori Mentorship & Kupu Kaitiaki Programmes have been announced, with six emerging Māori writers selected! Four writers receive six-month mentorship from acclaimed Māori authors to develop a publishable manuscript; two receive manuscript assessment support.

Mentorship recipients:

Marni Adlam who will be mentored by Steph Matuku
Renee Karena who will be mentored by Atakohu Middleton
Kitty Moran who will be mentored by Shelley Burne-Field
Rosemary Putaranui who will be mentored by Emma Hislop

Kupu Kaitiaki recipients:

Thérèse Cargo
Kerry Lee Marsden

Judge Cassie Hart says: “...so much passion, creativity, innovation ... the future of Māori writing is exciting.”

Read all about it here: https://authors.org.nz/151791-2/

19/05/2026

Don’t miss out on this wonderful event taking place at Hamilton City Libraries at Te Kete Aronui - Rototuna Library this upcoming Sunday.

13/05/2026

Congratulations to Ingrid Horrocks! This book does an amazing job look at women across generations 💕

Let's hear it for the Ockhams 2026 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction winner Ingrid Horrocks! A first book of fiction for Ingrid, who is better known as a poet, travel writer and essayist. Fiction category convenor of judges Craig Cliff says Ingrid Horrocks crushes her first foray into fiction.

“Across nine elegant, probing stories that range from the late eighteenth century to the unsettled present, from rural Wairarapa to icy Norwegian ports and rave culture Berlin, All Her Lives explores the shifting expectations and constraints of womanhood. Sparks from one story and one generation ignite elsewhere in the book, illustrating how material conditions, freedoms and ideologies can be shaped, for better or worse, by our forebears.

“Emotionally intelligent and historically alert, All Her Lives is an outrageously good addition to the top shelf of New Zealand fiction.”
Te Herenga Waka University Press Ingrid Horrocks

13/05/2026

Congratulations Nafanua! Black Sugarcane is a powerful collection 💕

Let's hear it for Nafanua Purcell Kersel (Satupa‘itea, Faleālupo, Aleipata, Tuaefu), poet, performer and winner of the Ockhams 2026 Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry - her first collection! Poetry category convenor of judges Daren Kamali says Black Sugarcane is a work of rare linguistic grace and emotional precision.

“Each poem pulses with clarity, restraint, and quiet power, revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary. The collection’s careful architecture and tonal control mark it as a deeply considered achievement for debut author Nafanua Purcell Kersel.

“Black Sugarcane not only enriches contemporary poetry but also expands its possibilities, offering readers a resonant, enduring contribution to the literary landscape today.”

Te Herenga Waka University Press

13/05/2026

Congratulations Sophie 🥂- the collection made me fall in love with sonnets all over again 💕

Sophie van Waardenberg wins the Matatuhi Foundation Best First Book of Poetry for her debut collection No Good! “Sophie van Waardenberg’s honed ability to hold the reader’s focus is impossible to ignore. No Good is a stupefying kiss. The poet shares her insights on grief, love and friendship with generosity. She makes the work of editing look effortless. The ‘Cremation Sonnets’ sequence is particularly impressive for the confidence with which this debut poet tackles the inexpressible, non-literary realities of bereavement,” say the Poetry category judges.

Auckland University Press

01/05/2026

Time to take action & use your craft to take a stand✍️

14/04/2026

For all my fellow writers…

Want to be a Penguin author?
From 14 to 21 April our submissions inbox for adult titles is OPEN!

We’re accepting fiction and non-fiction manuscripts in all genres.
But we’re not publishing poetry, short stories or academic texts (Those areas are well looked after by other local publishers!)

Send your best, edited work. If you have multiple manuscripts on the go, choose your favourite. If you’re not quite ready, look out for our next submission window later this year.

Include a short cover letter. Help us understand your project!
- What is the general outline?
- Who are your intended readers?
- What titles would be next to it in a bookshop?

Send your manuscript to [email protected], or visit penguin.co.nz/getting-published for further tips & details.

20/03/2026

This months prompt 🍂🍁