Write a Book in a Day opens for business on first day of Brain Cancer Awareness Month

Registrations for The Kids’ Cancer Project’s 'Write a Book in a Day’ 2025 are now OPEN, with schools and writing groups across the nation encouraged to team up and help raise funds for childhood cancer research. 

Write a Book in a Day is the ultimate twelve-hour test of teamwork with groups competing against their peers across the country. 

Groups of 5-10 writers (school or open teams), write, illustrate and publish a book in 12 hours, based on a stimulus of five parameters.  

These creations will then be judged by a panel comprising some of Australia’s best children’s authors and graded accordingly, with the winning teams announced in November. 

Acclaimed children’s author and illustrator, Mick Elliott, says he is delighted to be involved with Australia’s most inspiring writing competition once more.  

“I absolutely love Write a Book in a Day. Kids from across the country use their imagination, teamwork and creative skills to produce something compelling and completely their own, all while raising funds for kids with cancer!  

“Judging this competition is an honour and a privilege, and I’m delighted to be involved once again.” 

Write a Book in a Day has become a pivotal part of The Kids’ Cancer Project’s funding model, giving scientists the resources they need to pursue more effective and less invasive treatments for kids with cancer. 

Money raised from both entry fees and sponsorships will fund vital kids’ cancer research, with The Kids’ Cancer Project setting an ambitious fundraising target of $1 million after raising over $930,000 last year.  

“Write a Book in a Day is the perfect test of a student’s writing and creative skills, all while raising funds for vital kids’ cancer research,” says The Kids’ Cancer Project CEO, Owen Finegan. 

"We’re so excited about our $1 million target, and how it will benefit researchers who are tirelessly pursuing our dream of no child dying from cancer.” 

All completed books are then shared with children undergoing treatment in various hospitals across the country. 

Now that registrations have opened, the remaining key dates for Write a Book in a Day are listed below: 

• 1 June-30 September: Choose any day to write 
• 30 September: Last day to fundraise 

In order to be eligible for judging, teams are required to pay an entry fee of $77 (inc. GST) per team, plus raise a minimum of $240 in sponsorship. Prizes will be awarded to both national and state winners.