2016 Prime Minister's Literary Awards now open

Australian authors, poets, illustrators and historians could share in a total of $600,000 in tax-free prize money in the 2016 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards which is accepting entries.

Entries must have been published in 2015 and journals, magazines, websites and multimedia works are encouraged to enter in the Australian history category.

Experts from the literary sector will judge the entries and make recommendations to the Prime Minister.

The winner of each category — fiction, non-fiction, Australian history, poetry, young adult fiction and children's fiction — is awarded $80,000, with shortlisted entries each awarded $5,000.

Entries for the 2016 Prime Minister’s Literary Award close on 20 May 2016.