Writers Victoria is delighted to announce the winners and runners-up of the 2026 Grace Marion Wilson Emerging Writers Competition.
Now in its 18th year, and following a brief hiatus, the prize supports and showcases emerging Victorian writers. Winners of the fiction and non-fiction categories received a $1000 cash prize, with second prizes of $500 awarded to a runner-up in each category. The regional prize also offers awards $500 to its winner.
Our judges for this year’s competition were Kylie Mirmohamadi and Paige Clarke (short story), Katia Ariel and Ernest Price (non-fiction) and Emma Andrews (Regional Award).
NONFICTION
WINNER: Rosa Cass, ‘Sisters In The Morning’
Of ‘Sisters In The Morning’ Katia and Ernest, said:
This piece was the unequivocal winner for both judges, impressing with its depth and agility. A story that is nominally about two sisters in fact touches on all the great themes of life: death, loss, family, the passage of time and the decay of natural things. The braiding of the front story with Jewish tradition and Greek mythology is deft and elegant, and the careful use of imagery leaves a gorgeous sensory imprint. A moving, deeply coherent weaving; dark and luminous in all the right places.
RUNNER-UP: Babi Rani Poudel, ‘Between Two Rivers’
Nonfiction judges Katia and Ernest said the following about Babi Rani Poudel’s submission:
‘Between Two Rivers’ is a lyrical, deeply felt story of origin and belonging. Told in visible, vivid language, the piece takes us into a small Nepali village and all that it holds dear. Somehow, in 3000 words, the author manages to convey not just a place but its cosmology – the rhythms and beliefs, elements, festivals, smells, seasons and songs. It is a story of motherhood and childhood, and of the interconnectedness of all things. Exquisite at a line level (‘As a child, I thought every person in the world began the day beneath golden mountains’; ‘The water tasted of stone, shade and the inside of a mountain’), every moment is so beautifully crafted.
FICTION
WINNER: Anjelica Rush, ‘Walkies’
Fiction judges Kylie Mirmohamadi and Paige Clarkell said the following about Anjelica’s submission:
Who would have guessed an absurd, thrilling and delightful tale of a centaur could actually be a searing critique of the anxieties, politics and narcissism of daily life in the inner north of Melbourne? Yet, despite these astute social critiques, ‘Walkies’ is exceptionally funny and had the judges ‘chyah’-ing throughout. This is not just a prize-winning story, but a story to recommend far and wide.
RUNNER-UP: Nomusa Mwale, ‘The Spare Key’
Paige and Kylie had these comments on Nomusa’s entry:
This story combines lyrical style with acute observation in its elicitation of gendered and intimate violence, and acts of female solidarity in the face of it. The writing is restrained and yet rich, and the piece achieves its moments of intensity by offering detail and information in measured quantities. The judges were particularly impressed by the evocative writing in the school fundraiser scene.
REGIONAL
WINNER: Janenne Willis, ‘Empathy Bleed’
Of the regional winner, Emma said:
‘Empathy Bleed’ is a work of engineering as much as writing. With an astonishing use of voice – four in rotation – built like music, the author creates a delightful puzzle for the reader to navigate. The writing is lyrical and brave. It is prose, poetry and essay at once, holding deep time, Country and grief together.
Our warm congratulations to Rosa, Babi Rani, Anjelica, Nomusa and Jenenne, and an indelible thanks to our judges: Kylie Mirmohamadi and Paige Clarke, Katia Ariel and Ernest Price and Emma Andrews.
Our thanks go to the Grace Marion Wilson Trust, whose support is integral to the existence of the Emerging Writers Competition and the opportunities it provides.
We also would like to thank everyone who entered the Emerging Writers Prize this year. As always, it’s a delight to receive and read your entries, and we want to encourage each and every one of you to continue writing, learning, and submitting your work, with over 150 entries this year. We appreciate your efforts and talents and hope to be reading more from you in the future.
To find out more about the Grace Marion Wilson Emerging Writers Competition, including past winners and details about applying when the competition is open, visit this page on our website.