The winners of the $50,000 Whiting Awards, sponsored by the Whiting Foundation and given to 10 emerging writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama, are:
Liza Birkenmeier (drama)
Elwin Cotman (fiction)
Emil Ferris (fiction)
Samuel Kọ́láwọlé (fiction)
Claire Luchette (fiction)
Karisma Price (poetry)
Aisha Sabatini Sloan (nonfiction)
Shubha Sunder (fiction)
Sofi Thanhauser (nonfiction)
Annie Wenstrup (poetry)
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The shortlist has been selected for the 2025 Stella Prize, awarded to "the most excellent, original and outstanding book written by an Australian woman or non-binary writer." The winner will be announced May 23.
The shortlist:
The Burrow by Melanie Cheng
Cactus Pear for My Beloved by Samah Sabawi
Black Convicts: How Slavery Shaped Australia by Santilla Chingaipe
Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser
Black Witness: The Power of Indigenous Media by Amy McQuire
Translations by Jumaana Abdu
Chair of judges Astrid Edwards said, "This year's shortlist is consequential for Australian literary history, as it is the first time the Stella Shortlist features only women of colour. Now in its 13th year, these works showcase an incredible command of craft and understanding of our uncertain time. These works are riveting, and they stood out to the judging panel for their integrity, compassion and fearlessness."