Australians may be geographically isolated, but thanks to the internet we no longer feel it. Through my blog, I’ve connected with amazing people from all around the world. And to celebrate our home-grown blogosphere, the Australian Writers’ Centre has created the Best Australian Blogs Competition. It’s our chance to show our country – and the world! – what we can do.
A close friend and fellow blogger urged me to enter. Thanks Stella (yes, that’s her name too!) the writer of the sparkling new Crafty Theatre blog.
After reading so many great Aussie blogs, I realised I didn’t have much chance – but that’s never stopped me before. And when I looked at the prizes … well, I couldn’t resist having a go. The competition is sponsored by Trafalgar Tours and Random House Books. I think you can see where this is going …
Prizes to die for
The winner receives a 7-day tour of Turkey! I’ve always wanted to go. My parents are Greek, but their families originate from Asia Minor – present day Turkey. (Tarakson used to be Taraktzoglou, until Dad migrated and Anglicised it.) If by some chance I win, Stella, you’re coming with me 🙂 Her family originates from there too.
Other amazing prizes include writing courses with the Australian Writers’ Centre, or cash, books, and a mentoring session with Random House Australia. Some bloggers might even end up signing a book deal with this thriving publishing house. This is a wonderful opportunity for local bloggers and not to be missed.
Categories you can enter
There’s a comprehensive range of categories to enter:
• food
• commentary
• lifestyle / hobby
• personal and parenting
• business
• words and writing.
I entered the latter. Entering is quick and easy. It’s worth a try. Visit the writers’ centre website for details: http://www.writerscentre.com.au/community/best-australian-blogs-comp/ You have to hurry, though. Entries close this Thursday, April 3. You can follow the competition on Twitter #bestblogs14.
Good luck to us all!
Stella Tarakson 
Good luck, Stella! I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Thanks, Susi!
Bonne chance, Stella.
Merci, mon amie!
Stella, I love your blog. You are a very giving teacher and mentor. These qualities are reflected in your blog. I wanted to nominate you but saw that, strangely enough, nominations are not called for in the entry criteria. The Australian Writer’s Centre may be following protocol for writing competitions but there is an essential difference between unpublished writing and a blog. One has a very limited audience that is controlled by the unpublished writer and the other is the 21st Century’s answer to the old soap box in the Domain – but the writer can never really know exactly who is listening in. They should take this into consideration when writing the parameters of their competition. Even as a people’s choice vote, we can only cast our preference for sites that are already nominated.
Thank, Stella. I think ultimately the point of the competition is to give exposure to Australian bloggers, and hopefully turn some of them into published authors. No complaints here!
It is a good thing they are doing. i didn’t mean to criticize them. I would love to be able to nominate bloggers whose posts I look forward to like yours.
I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to reblog this in the hope that others who may not know about it may enter.
Thank you for the plug of my fledgling blog, :-)))
I’m delighted for you to reblog. My understanding is you can nominate people, but they need to confirm it. You should enter too, your blog is fascinating and I think there’s a new blogs category you can enter. Go on – it only takes a few minutes!
Reblogged this on crafty theatre and commented:
I’m very new to the blogging world. Over the years I had subscribed to follow only two bloggers, Stephanie Hopkins Hughes, “Politicworm” and Hank Wittemore’s blog. Both are adherents of the view that the Earl of Oxford wrote the works of “Shake-speare”. Their thoughts are challenging at times but edifying. Until I discovered the WordPress reader, very recently,
I didn’t realise what a rich experience I was missing. I’m reblogging one of my favourite bloggers who is entered in the Australian Writer’s Centre, Best Australian Blogs competition. There is a couple more I follow who I would love to see entered. I’m hoping that you will read this before the 3rd April and nominate your blogs. I would nominate you myself but it seems self nomination is the go with this comp.
Cheers,
Crafty
Thanks for reblogging! Have you entered too?
No, I’m too new to this. It will be something that I’ll aspire to.
All the best!
Thank you!