Paragraph Fellowship to award two prize winners from 2026

The Paragraph Fellowship will extend the award to two fellows in 2026 thanks to the Dyson Bequest’s contribution to the Time to Write fund.

There will be a one-off payment of $25,000 awarded to two winners this year, bringing the prize pool to a total of $50,000.

Chair of judges Toni Jordan said, “The barriers writers face affect more than the individuals or their books: it impacts the health, depth and diversity of Australian culture. That’s why it’s so important to support emerging novelists in practical ways. The Paragraph Fellowship is a shot in the arm at a vital stage.”

Now in its third year, the Paragraph Fellowship is an annual grant for emerging and early career writers of literary fiction to “support the crucial work-in-progress phase of a successful writing career” and recognises “the value of Australian literary fiction, and the need to give writers time to write”.

Previous winners of the award include Jamie Marina Lau in 2024 and Grace Chan in 2025.

Nominations close on 1 May. The shortlist will be announced in August. The winners will be announced at the Emerging Writers Festival in September. More information is available on the Time to Write website.

Category: Local news