Welcome to the official application portal for Fresh Off The Books: The Pasifika Australian Literary Initiative!

This exciting new initiative will culminate into an anthology of Pasifika-Australian writing — marking the first collection by Australian writers of Tongan, Samoan, Fijian, Māori, Hawaiian, Torres Strait Islander and many other South Pacific cultures. The initiative seeks to introduce Australian readers to the beauty, complexities, realities and diversity of contemporary Pasifika-Australian life.

Under the direction of Tongan-Australian author, editor and arts worker, Winnie Dunn, Fresh Off The Books will invite twelve successful applicants to participate in Pasifika-led mentoring, workshops and publication outputs.

The fellowship will include:

• Online writing workshops delivered from May 2025 to May 2026.

• An honorarium of $1000 for participating in the workshops and developing an original work of fiction/non-fiction.

• Ongoing mentoring that will include online and in-person editorial support.

• Publishing, editing, networking and creative industry support from Sweatshop Literacy Movement, NewSouth Publishing and Diversity Arts Australia.

• Opportunities to participate in media, book launches, performance readings and panel presentations to promote and celebrate the release of the anthology.

 
Eligibility

• Applicant must identify as Pasifika living in Australia.

• Applicant must be over the age of 18.

• Applicant must be available for the duration of the fellowship, as well as any subsequent opportunities.

• Recipients must be able to respectfully and effectively collaborate with the mentor and publisher throughout the fellowship, which includes accepting critical feedback and structural edits.

Important Dates

• Deadline for submissions is 11:59pm AEST, Friday 28 February 2025.

• Successful applicants will be notified on Friday 28 March 2025.

• Online workshops will take place between May 2025 and May 2026.

• The Pasifika Australian anthology will be published by NewSouth Publishing in 2026.

 
About the Editor
​Winnie Dunn is a Tongan-Australian author from Mount Druitt. She is the general manager of Sweatshop Literacy Movement and the editor of several critically acclaimed anthologies, including Sweatshop Women (2019) and Another Australia (2022). Winnie's debut novel is Dirt Poor Islanders (2024).

About NewSouth Publishing

NewSouth is the publishing arm of UNSW Press, a not-for-profit with a strong commitment to publishing Australian research and stories defining Australian life. Whether a book emerges from peer-reviewed university-funded research, lived experience, literary mastery, or all three, UNSW Press strives to bring stories to readers in Australia and around the world.

Sweatshop Literacy Movement
Sweatshop is a nationally recognised grass-roots organisation that is devoted to empowering First Nations and culturally diverse communities through reading, writing and critical thinking. Over the past decade, Sweatshop has mentored thousands of young writers across Australia and published a renowned catalogue of anthologies and single-authored works in prose, poetry and non-fiction.

Acknowledgements
This initiative is presented by NewSouth Publishing in partnership with Sweatshop Literacy Movement. Proudly supported by Diversity Arts Australia and the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
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Application
Please complete this short application form to express your interest in the Pasifika Australian Literary Initiative.