Ned Kelly Awards

ねっど・けりーしょう

Australia's oldest and most prestigious recognition honouring published crime fiction and true crime writing, affectionately known as 'The Neds'.

Best First NovelBest True CrimeBest NovelBest Teenage/Young AdultReaders VoteBest Non-FictionLifetime Achievement AwardsBest International CrimeBest Debut Crime NovelBest Crime Novel

Established: 1996
Organizer: Australian Crime Writers Association
Category: Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Selection Method: Open call
Target: Newcomer
Frequency: 1 per year
Announcement Period: around August–September
Status: Active

Description

The Ned Kelly Awards is a major literary award in the field of Australian crime literature (crime fiction and true crime), established in 1996 by the Crime Writers Association of Australia. It aims to recognize excellence in crime literature works within Australia, with multiple categories (debut award, best novel, true crime, etc.). Winning works are announced at official announcements and award ceremonies, and are affectionately known as "The Neddies" within the community.

Prize

Main Prize: Awards per category (honor and recognition). No publicly announced uniform prize amount is specified.

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Entry/Nomination	Entries from publishers or authors are accepted by the organizing body (managed by Crime Writers Association of Australia)	—	Individual notifications of entry receipt, etc., as needed.
First round (shortlist selection)	Judges appointed by the organizing body (multiple judges)	—	Shortlist is announced on the official website or press releases
Final selection and winner determination	Winners for each category determined by discussion and voting by the selection committee	—	Winners are announced at the award ceremony and on the official website

Entry/Nomination

Judges Entries from publishers or authors are accepted by the organizing body (managed by Crime Writers Association of Australia)

Announcement Individual notifications of entry receipt, etc., as needed.

First round (shortlist selection)

Judges Judges appointed by the organizing body (multiple judges)

Announcement Shortlist is announced on the official website or press releases

Final selection and winner determination

Judges Winners for each category determined by discussion and voting by the selection committee

Announcement Winners are announced at the award ceremony and on the official website

Criteria

Excellence as crime literature (style, structure, narrative)
Originality
Character portrayal and plot completeness
(Non-fiction category) Accuracy of research and reliability of sources
Relevance to Australia (considering author's nationality, work themes, etc.)

Application Tips

Dos

Check the official entry requirements and category descriptions thoroughly
Meet the deadline (follow official announcements)
Select the correct entry category (debut/general/true crime, etc.)
Attach required information such as publication details and ISBN accurately
Proofread the work and check for typos before submission
Clearly state any Australia-related requirements (author/publishing location, etc.) if applicable