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History of the Young Writers Award
The Young Writers Award celebrated young writers from across Queensland by awarding prizes and publication opportunities for outstanding short stories.
The award ran from 1998 to 2025 and helped emerging authors start their careers, with winners and finalists going on to publish books and win major national awards. Past winners include Tara June Winch, Shastra Deo and Benjamin Law, among many others.
Thank you to all the young Queensland writers who sent us their short stories. Thanks to the judges and publishing partners who helped us shape the literary life of our state.
'Offerings' by Sam Quyên Huỳnh, published by WQ.
'Lamb' by Tali Lum Wan
'Fair and Lovely' by Hasara Ekanayake
'Cleaning Up, Dragging Under' by Iris Monod
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'How the Light Sits' by Eve Tramacchi O'Keeffe
'Roses' by Sana J Shah
'A Story of Two People' by Becca Wang
'Swallowing Stolen Time' by Lillian White
'Orange Folders' by Luke Gavin
'Birdbone' by Ash Shirvington, published by Kill Your Darlings.
'Salt' by Sara Allan-Park
'Goodie' by AJ Pope
'Worth It' by Quinn Stennett
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'Bones' by Lara Kenny
'The World According To Us' by Lachlan Tang
'Cicada Shells' by Emily Bowman
'Downhill' by Jodey Brand
'Forgetting Is So Long' by Iris Monod
'Dog House' by Grace Hammond - published by Griffith Review.
'Feed it to the dog' by Ash Shirvington
'Candles' by Svetlana Sterlin
'Propagation' by Constance Allan
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'The Best of Times' by Ulric Nieminen
'Raised Amongst the Spinifex' by Madlyn Grant
'Dolorosa and the Saint' by Pancho Symes
'Until You Are Warm and Dead' by Mitchell Grant
'Lantana' by Emily Winter
Once/Now by Callum Brockett, published by Griffith Review
Back Burning by Ellie Kaddatz
Six by Sasha Vucicevic
The Sea Behind My Eyelids by Maxwell Freedman
Sun Queens by Ellen Vickerman, published by Griffith Review
Friday by Zarin Nuzhat
Precious Cargo by Ellie Kaddatz
Halcyon by Eden Annesley
Unit K13 by Ellen Vickerman, published by Griffith Review
Dogs by Thomas Alan
Bunya Pine by Callum Brockett
This is not a happy story by Emily Humphreys
Paper Lands by Winner Tristan Hurree, published by Griffith Review
Teacups by Runner up Zarin Nuzhat
From 2001 to 2011 the Maureen Donahoe Encouragement Award was given in memory of the late Maureen Donahoe, a promising young writer who was the first runner up in the Young Writers Award 1998.