TCA | NZSA Writers' Award
A $25,000 award for non-fiction writers of any genre, including education material. The award enables the successful applicant to devote time to a specific writing project.
Proudly brought to you by the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) and Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa.
How to apply
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History
Copyright Licensing New Zealand ran similar Writers’ Awards between 2002 and 2013 and from 2016 to now.
Recipients of these awards and the resulting published books are as follows:
2026: Matariki Williams (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Whakaue, Taranaki, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) for her untitled project on the life and art of Robyn Kahukiwa.
2025: Vincent O’Malley for his project, with the working title, ‘Whenua Maori Land Loss Since 1840,’
2024: Mark Derby for his project, with the working title, ‘Outlaw Prophet – Hakaraia Mahika and the Tauranga Wars,’
2023: Tom Doig for his project with the working title ‘We Are All Preppers Now: Kiwis Making Plans for the End of the World
2022: Iona Winter, for her creative non-fiction project, ‘A counter of moons’
2021: Jade Kake, Rewi: Āta haere, kia tere (Massey University Press)
2020: Nick Bollinger, Revolutions Per Minute: The Counterculture in New Zealand 1960-1975 (Auckland University Press)
2019: Rebecca Macfie, Helen Kelly: Her Life (Awa Press)
2018: Nic Low, Uprising: Walking the Southern Alps of New Zealand (Text Publishing)
2017: Ben Schrader, Won and Lost: Saving New Zealand’s Built Heritage 1885-2017 (unpublished)
2016: Neville Peat, The Invading Sea (Cuba Press)
2013: Margaret Pointer, Niue 1774 – 1974 (Otago University Press)
2013: Geoff Chapple, Terrain (Penguin)
2012: David Veart, Hello Girls and Boys! A New Zealand Toy Story (AUP)
2012: Hazel Petrie, Outcasts of the Gods? (AUP)
2011: Melissa Williams, Panguru and the City (BWB)
2011: Malcolm Mc Kinnon, The Broken Decade (Otago University Press)
2010: Dame Christine Cole Catley, unpublished
2010: Steve Braunias , Civilisation (Awa Press)
2009: Peter Wells, The Hungry Heart (Penguin)
2009: Damian Skinner , The Maori Meeting House (Te Papa Press)
2008: Philip Norman, unpublished
2008: Hazel Riseborough, Shear Hard Work (AUP)
2007: Martin Edmond, Zone of the Marvellous (AUP)
2007: Jeffrey Paparoa Holman, Best of Both Worlds
2006: Stevan Eldred-Grigg, Diggers, Hatters and Whores
2006: Judith Dell Panny, Plume of Bees
2005: Rowan Taylor, unpublished
2005: Jill Trevelyan, Rita Angus – An Artist’s Life
2004: David Eggleton, unpublished
2004: Lloyd Spencer Davis, Looking for Darwin
2003: Paul Millar, No Fretful Sleeper, A Life of Bill Pearson
2002: Dr Sarah Quigley, unpublished
2026 TCA | NZSA Writers’ Award winner Matariki Williams
