Now in its thirtieth year, the Stella Prize remains a key force in Australia’s literary scene, championing and amplifying the voices and stories of women and non-binary individuals.
Each year, The Stella Prize entries undergo a rigorous judging process to uncover twelve extraordinary works of fiction to make up the longlist. This year, Stella received over 180 entries. The 2025 Stella Prize Longlist is:
- A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle (fiction)
- Always Will Be by Mykaela Saunders (fiction)
- Black Convicts by Santilla Chingaipe (non-fiction)
- Black Witness by Amy McQuire (non-fiction)
- The Burrow by Melanie Cheng (fiction)
- Cactus Pear For My Beloved by Samah Sabawi (non-fiction)
- Naag Mountain by Manisha Anjali (poetry)
- Peripathetic by Cher Tan (non-fiction)
- Rapture by Emily Maguire (fiction)
- Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser (fiction)
- The Thinning by Inga Simpson (fiction)
- Translations by Jumaana Abdu (fiction)
Each of the longlisted authors receives $1,000 in prize money thanks to the generous support of the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
“Entering into my second year as the CEO and Executive Director of Stella, I am once again thrilled with the extraordinary quality of entries we have received for the prize,” said CEO and Creative Director Fiona Sweet.
“Our 2025 Stella Prize Judges, Astrid Edwards (Chair), alongside Debra Dank, Leah-Jing McIntosh Yassmin Abdel-Magied and Rick Morton, have shown exceptional dedication and commitment, reading all submissions and, after much discussion, choosing twelve outstanding books to make up this year’s longlist.”
“I want to take the opportunity to thank the judges and the Stella team for their hard work in bringing the Stella Prize to life. I would also like to thank our sponsors and donors for their continued generosity that allows Stella to platform female stories,” said Sweet.
The Stella Prize is open to books by Australian women and non-binary writers. The winning book of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry will be deemed by the judges to be original, excellent and engaging. Books entered in the 2025 Stella Prize must be first published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024.
Past winners of the Stella Prize include: Alexis Wright, 2024, Praiseworthy; Sarah Holland-Batt, 2023 (The Jaguar); Evelyn Araluen, 2022 (Dropbear); Evie Wyld, 2021 (The Bass Rock); Jess Hill, 2020 (See What You Made Me Do); Vicki Laveau-Harvie, 2019 (The Erratics); Alexis Wright, 2018 (Tracker); Heather Rose, 2017 (The Museum of Modern Love); Charlotte Wood, 2016 (The Natural Way of Things); Emily Bitto, 2015 (The Strays); Clare Wright, 2014 (The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka); and Carrie Tiffany, 2013 (Mateship with Birds).
The Stella Prize Shortlist will be announced on Tuesday 8 April, before the annual Stella Prize awards $60,000 to one extraordinary book, will announced on Friday 23 May 2025. For more information about the 2025 Stella Prize, visit: www.thestellaprize.com.au for details.
Image: The Stella Prize 2025 Longlist Book Covers (supplied)