Every November, readers start planning their Australian Women Writers Challenge participation for the coming year. Some have done it annually since the challenge began in 2012. Others discover it fresh and wonder whether adding structure to their reading is helpful or just another thing to track.

I’ve participated on and off for years. Here’s what I’ve learned about making the challenge work for you.

What the Challenge Actually Is

The Australian Women Writers Challenge (AWW Challenge) encourages readers to read and review books by Australian women writers. That’s it. There are different participation levels based on how many books you commit to reading, but the core idea is simple: pay attention to Australian women’s writing.

The challenge exists because publishing has gender imbalances that persist even when we think we’re past them. Review coverage, prize attention, and reading group selections still skew male. The challenge counterbalances that by making Australian women’s writing visible and celebrated.

It’s not about reading exclusively women writers or abandoning other books. It’s about intentional reading of a category that often gets overlooked despite producing extraordinary work.

Why Bother with Reading Challenges

Reading challenges can feel artificially limiting. Why commit to reading certain types of books when you could just read whatever appeals in the moment?

Here’s the thing: most of us read within patterns we don’t fully notice. We return to familiar authors, genres, and publishers. We pick books our friends recommend or that get prominent coverage. These patterns aren’t bad, but they create blind spots.

A challenge like AWW deliberately disrupts those patterns. It sends you looking for books you might not otherwise find. It introduces you to writers working outside the literary mainstream or in genres you don’t usually read.

The structure also creates accountability. When you’ve publicly committed to reading and reviewing Australian women’s writing, you actually do it. The books don’t languish on your “someday” list.

How to Choose Your Commitment Level

The challenge offers several tiers, from “Franklin” (one book) to “Stella” (six books) to various higher levels. Choose based on your actual reading capacity, not aspirational goals.

If you typically read 20-30 books per year, committing to read 10 Australian women writers is probably fine. If you read 50+ books, you could aim higher. The point isn’t to strain yourself but to make space for intentional reading.

Consider your genre mix too. If you exclusively read literary fiction, you might commit to including some genre fiction by Australian women. If you’re a committed crime reader, this could be your year to try Australian literary fiction or non-fiction.

Where to Find Books

Independent bookshops usually have excellent Australian women writers sections. Staff at these shops can recommend books based on your interests and reading history. This is genuinely useful curation.

The AWW Challenge website maintains lists of eligible books, often categorised by genre. These lists are goldmines for discovery. You’ll find authors you’ve never heard of alongside established names.

Libraries are perfect for challenge participation. You can try books without financial commitment. If something doesn’t work for you, you haven’t spent money on it. If it does work, you can buy it to keep or recommend to others.

The Review Component

The challenge encourages participants to review what they read. This doesn’t mean writing academic criticism. It means sharing your response in some public form: a blog post, Goodreads review, social media thread, whatever works for you.

Reviewing serves multiple purposes. It helps other readers discover books. It contributes to the public conversation about Australian women’s writing. And it deepens your own reading by making you articulate what you thought and felt.

Don’t let review anxiety stop you from participating. Even brief, honest responses are valuable. “I loved this because…” or “This didn’t work for me but might appeal to readers who…” contributes to the ecosystem.

What Counts as Australian

The challenge counts books by Australian women writers, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic novels. The author needs to be Australian (citizen, permanent resident, or long-term resident). That’s the main criterion.

This is deliberately broad. It includes immigrant writers, Indigenous writers, and writers from diverse cultural backgrounds. It recognises that Australian writing isn’t monolithic and that Australian women writers encompass enormous variety.

Making It Social

The challenge works best when it’s social. Join the online communities where participants share what they’re reading. Recommend books to others. Ask for recommendations when you’re not sure what to read next.

Many reading groups build their annual reading lists around the challenge. This creates shared reading experiences and ensures discussion of Australian women’s writing throughout the year.

If your existing reading group isn’t interested, consider starting a parallel AWW-focused group. Even informal gatherings to discuss what you’ve been reading can enrich the experience.

Beyond the Numbers

The real value of the challenge isn’t hitting your numerical target. It’s the expansion of your reading world. You’ll discover writers you love and return to long after the challenge year ends. You’ll develop a more nuanced sense of what Australian women are writing about and how they’re approaching their craft.

You’ll also develop better reading antennae. Once you start paying attention to who gets published, reviewed, and celebrated, you notice patterns. You become a more informed reader and a better advocate for good writing that deserves attention.

Planning Your 2026 Reading

November is the perfect time to plan. Look at what’s being published in early 2026. Check prize longlists from 2025 for books you haven’t read yet. Ask for recommendations from people whose taste you trust.

Make a list of possibilities rather than a rigid reading schedule. You want flexibility to follow your reading mood while still maintaining focus on Australian women’s writing.

Consider mixing new releases with backlist titles. Not everything has to be from 2026. There are extraordinary Australian women writers whose earlier work deserves readership.

The 2026 AWW Challenge registrations will open soon. Whether you join formally or just use it as inspiration for intentional reading, it’s an opportunity to engage meaningfully with some of the best writing being produced in this country. Start planning your reading stack now.