2019 Woollahra Digital Literary Award shortlist announced

Published: 10 May 2019

Outstanding digital writing by Australian authors has been recognised in the selection for the 2019 Woollahra Digital Literary Award shortlist.

The Award was founded by Woollahra Council to support innovation in Australian literature and in recognition of a shift towards ‘digital-first’ writing in Australia, which is a world leader in eBook adoption.

Now in its third year, the Award, which has seen an exponential increase in submissions since its inception, last year saw Eloise Grills’ Diary of a Post-Teenage Girl, Stephen Wright’s A Second Life and Jane Rawson’s Lake recognised for outstanding digital writing.

The Award offers prizes in three categories - Fiction, Non-fiction and Poetry - and a prize pool of $7,000. It is open to Australian residents aged 16 and over. To be eligible, entrants’ work must have been published online in the first instance in the last two years.

Fiction judge Stephen Pham says the “compelling” selection on this year's fiction shortlist differentiated themselves with a strong sense of place, voice, and narrative tension.

“Their skill in shining a new light on things we take for granted are vital reminders of what role fiction has in society today,” he says.

Non-Fiction judge Sam Twyford-Moore praised the “innovation and inventiveness” in the category, while Poetry judge Pip Smith says the shortlisted poems, “Toy with the digital medium in daring and innovative ways.”

The winners in each category will be announced at a special awards evening at Woollahra Library at Double Bay on Thursday 30 May.

Fiction Shortlist

Rachel Ang, Toot, Going Down SwingingAlexander Bennetts, Osaka, Short Australian StoriesAshley Kalagian Blunt, My Name is Revenge, Spineless WondersRivqa Rafael, The Day Girl, Escape ArtistsJonno Revanche, Step on Me, Seizure

Non Fiction Shortlist

Evelyn Araluen, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie in the Ghost Gum, Sydney Review of BooksRebecca Giggs, The Leech Barometer, GrantaEda Gunaydin, Gothic Body, in Two Parts, VoiceworksDan Hogan, Shitposting the Pain Away (Or All the Cars I Have Owned), MeanjinFiona McGregor, The Hot Desk: Working Hot by Mary Fallon, Sydney Review of BooksKate Osana Simonian, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Stalker, Shenandoah

Poetry Shortlist

Toby Fitch, Vague, Or I can’t Explain it Any Other Way, OverlandRoss Gibson and Chris Abrahams, Holding Pattern, Cordite Poetry ReviewJason Nelson, Nine Billion Branches, HyperrhizBarnaby Smith, Instructional: A baited poem, Nokturno.fiChristy Tan, Origami, Cordite Poetry Review

Read more about the Woollahra Digital Literary Award or contact Woollahra Libraries on: [email protected] or 9391 7994.

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