The Next Chapter
Take your story to The Next Chapter, The Wheeler Centre’s landmark writing program.
Applications for The Next Chapter 2026 are now open and will close at 5pm AEST on Friday 8 August 2025.
The Next Chapter program elevates Australian stories that aren’t being told and nurtures a new wave of writers to tell them.
In 2025, The Next Chapter will select a group of ten writers and provide each of them with a stipend of $15,000, a handpicked mentor to work closely with them on bringing their writing to life and opportunities to connect with peers, agents, publishers and readers.
Participants will also receive the opportunity to attend a residency at Varuna, The National Writers’ House, and attend an end-of-year publishing intensive at The Wheeler Centre.
Of the ten writers selected, there will be one fellowship place dedicated specifically to a humour writer, The John Clarke Fellowship, and one fellowship place dedicated to a poet, The Malcolm Robertson Fellowship.
Meet the Judges
Robert Skinner
Anne-Marie Te Whiu
Sisonke Msimang
Bebe Oliver
Leah Jing McIntosh
The Next Chapter - Judging Timeline
Tuesday 10 June 2025 - Submissions open
Friday 8 August 2025 - Submissions close
Tuesday 18 November 2025 - The 2026 Next Chapter Fellows announced
If you have questions about applying to The Next Chapter, please refer to our application and frequently asked questions pages.
You are also welcome to call reception or email inquiries to thenextchapter@wheelercentre.com.
Presented by The Wheeler Centre with support from Creative Australia, the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the Koshland Innovation Extension Fund, a sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation, the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Arts and the Victorian State Government.
