Money, celebrity and a huge audience await six writers who will each win a place in the 2008 Six Pack, NZ Book Month's annual collection of new Kiwi writing. NZ Book Month has announced a call for entries for the 2008 Six Pack competition, which is open to all New Zealanders. The six winners each receive $5000 and also take part in an intensive national promotional campaign during NZ Book Month in September.

Image: Six Pack Two contributor Elizabeth Smither.Project Director Phil Twyford said the Six Pack competition had great appeal for both mid-career writers and complete unknowns. Previous winners include former Te Mata Estate poet laureates Brian Turner and Elizabeth Smither, and award-winning novelist Charlotte Grimshaw.

The contest had also given emerging talent a huge new audience and undreamed-of exposure, he said.

The Six Pack, six pieces of writing for six dollars, is published by NZ Book Month to celebrate Kiwi writers. For the last two years the Six Pack sold over 12,000 copies and topped the bestseller list. Thirty thousand copies are printed and with assistance from Lion Foundation half the print run is distributed free of charge to schools, libraries, and non-profit organisations.

The competition is open to all New Zealanders and Project Director Phil Twyford hopes a broad spectrum of published and unpublished authors will enter.

"This year we especially urge writers of essays, travel writing, and biography to enter. We feel non-fiction has been neglected and we'd love to show case some great examples in the next Six Pack. The competition is also open to short stories, excerpts from novels and poetry."

The deadline for submissions is 26 March 2008.

To download entry forms and criteria visit www.nzbookmonth.co.nz.

17/12/07