Coming of age: Celebrating Queensland’s best and brightest emerging writers

From the age of 18-25 we make the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is a time when the scope of future possibilities is limitless, a time of unbounded potential and exciting uncertainty, more so than at any other age. 

It is this age group that State Library invites to submit their stories, both real and imaginative, to their annual Young Writers Award. As one of Queensland’s longest-running short story prizes, since 1998 the award has long provided a place for young voices to be heard, recognised, and celebrated.

Describing this year’s entries as “full of striking talent and ambitious imagination” the judges acknowledged that “no two authors were alike, other than in the strength of their voices and the uncompromising vision of their stories”.  

So what do these young writers have to say? And why should we listen? 

By drawing on their unique perspectives and experiences, these writers explore what it means to be a young person in the modern world. Their stories transcend the conventions of the bildungsroman. These young writers unite various genres to deftly navigate the complexities of relationships, self-discovery, and explorations of identity.

“The degree of literary skill on display surprised the judges”, who found it difficult to select finalists from an extensive list. The full winner’s announcement can be found here, where you can read an excerpt from Grace Hammond’s winning story ‘Dog House’ (now published by Griffith Review), as well as the winning stories by our runners-up, Ash Shirvington, Svetlana Sterlin, and Constance Allan. 

‘Dog House’, Grace’s winning story, centers around a group of schoolboys who attempt to infiltrate a local heritage-listed mansion. With a strong emphasis on dialogue and internal monologue, relationships between the adolescent characters are put to the test in a heightened situation. 

The judges commended Grace for creating a “true sense of momentum and believable tension that can elude even seasoned writers,” claiming that ‘Dog House’ “stood out as one of the most engrossing stories they had the pleasure of reading this year”. 

The writing of Patrick Ness, Maggie Stiefvater, Neil Gaiman, and more locally Rihannon Wilde, influence Grace’s work, which uses genre to animate themes of family, nature, and identity. Grace acknowledges that while her writing tends to skip haphazardly across genres, it’s unlikely she’ll ever write something that isn’t a little bit creepy.  

Ash Shirvington also cites Patrick Ness as an influence on his work, alongside Benjamin Alire Sáenz for their insights into identity, masculinity, love, and the complexities of the human condition. These themes are present in Ash’s story ‘Feed it to the dog’, which the judges awarded first runner-up. 

For the judges, ‘Feed it to the dog’ is a “story that thrived in its concepts; a compelling, often shocking exploration of identity, humanity and possession, punctuated by moments of convincing violence”. 

Proudly drawing on his identity as a trans man, Ash aims to push the boundaries of gender and sexuality in his work; exploring concepts of identity, radical self-love, masculinity and boyhood. In his own words, Ash describes ‘Feed it to the dog’ as an exploration of identity, humanity and the powerlessness of adolescence, through the lens of a gentle boy struggling with violent tendencies. 

Svetlana Sterlin’s story ‘Candles’, awarded as second runner-up by the judges, also examines identity through the frame of adolescence. In her own words, Svetlana describes ‘Candles’ as a “fractured coming-of-age story told from the perspective of a girl whose immigrant father has (not for the first time) lost his job”. 

The judges praised the “control of form – a vignette structure that was employed deftly without being intrusive, and a voice that revealed its strength immediately”.  

The writers that influence Svetlana’s work change based on what she is reading, watching, or listening to at any given time. However she is in awe of multi-disciplinary writers and admires the careers of Alice Oseman, Sally Rooney, Ocean Vuong, and Gabrielle Zevin. 

Sally Rooney’s work is also influential on Constance Allan, who was awarded third runner-up for her story ‘Propagation’. Constance’s dexterous, tightly crafted story invites readers to consider how casualness and seemingly indifferent behaviour can breed unease. For the judges, ‘Propagation’ “carried a palpable sense of yearning, managing to feel at once emotionally expansive while remaining convincingly understated”.  

Constance loves subtlety, vulnerability, and everyday life made interesting both in her work and the work of others. One of her favourite books is Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, joined on her bookshelf by Small Joys of Real Life by Allee Richards, Sunbathing by Isobel Beech, and Love & Virtue by Diana Reid.  

‘Propagation’ uses dialogue as a device to explore the relationship between two young characters on their own journeys of self-discovery and growth.  

Ultimately, explorations of identity are at the heart of these stories, brought to life amidst the backdrop of the revelations, trials, and tribulations that are inevitable when coming of age. Themes of adventure, misadventure, growing-up, innocence, self-discovery, and adolescent relationships speak to some of the complex realities young people face in our modern world.  

State Library will run the Young Writers Award again in 2024, and encourage young writers aged 18-25 to share their short stories.  Find out more about the award here.