The winners of the prize were announced last night at the Emerging Writers’ Festival Opening Night Gala by EWF Ambassador Chandani Lokuge.

"My writing community is diverse and widespread, straddling the length of the Great Ocean Road. Through monthly meetings and exchanges of writing online, we seek to overcome our isolation from Melbourne’s hub by encouraging our members to use the c...

"I think there is a deep similarity in the ways Australia and New Zealand exist in relation to their colonial history, like it’s some big ugly night we’d rather forget, but are unable to see through its hangover."

If we are true to our selves and our craft, if we are merciless and unflinching in our approach to new thoughts and ideas, if we stare down all the things that scare us into silence, it is the wider world that will come to fear the fire in words of i...

"I am a disgusting, despicable human being, and look, I’m not going to lie and deny this in this this sanctified space of the Emerging Writers Festival website."

"Here's the funny thing about Imposter Syndrome – it's generally the high achievers and the brightest bulbs that get it. Congratulations! You feel like shit because you rock. It's also typically prevalent in women. Congratulations! Fuck the patriar...

"I was consumed with a fear of darkness as a child that followed me throughout my life, and was teased by my own parents for using a nightlight while still in high school."

There'll be performances and readings from the of three sharpest lit-mags around, all centring on cult writing, be it about music, film or other left-of-centre obsessions.