The 2026 Stella Prize longlist has been released! The annual literary award celebrating women and non-binary writers of both fiction and non-fiction is named after Australian author Stella Miles Franklin.
Past winners include some of my favourite books on recent years, such as:
On 11 March 2026, the longlist was revealed with 12 nominees.
The 2026 longlist is as follows:
- Eunice Andrada - Kontra (Poetry)
- Evelyn Araluen - The Rot (Poetry)
- Geraldine Brooks - Memorial Days (Memoir)
- Debra Dank - Ankami (Memoir)
- Miranda Darling - Firewater (Fiction)
- Natalie Harkin - Apron-Sorrow/Sovereign-Tea (Non-Fiction)
- Lee Lai - Cannon (Graphic Novel)
- Charlotte McConaghy - Wild Dark Shore (Fiction)
- Lucy Nelson - Wait Here (Fiction)
- Micaela Sahara - Find Me at the Jaffa Gate: An Encyclopaedia of a Palestinian Family (Memoir)
- Marika Sosnowski - 58 Facets: On Violence and the Law (Non-Fiction)
- Tasma Walton - I Am Nannertgarrook (Fiction)
Fiona Sweet, Stella Prize CEO and Creative Director said of the longlist:
“Selected from an enormous pool of 212 entries, this year's judges have read thoughtfully and thoroughly across genres to bring us a cohort of twelve incredibly different, yet equally remarkable books. The Stella Prize is proud to celebrate a wide array of stories - difference has always been our strength. The 2026 Stella Prize long list spans widely across form and content, displaying some of the very best new work from Australian women and non-binary writers. There are stories here for everyone, stories that will resonate, surprise, delight, and challenge. We hope you will dive in and discover for yourself.”
Of the longlisted titles, I have read and loved Charlotte McConaghy's Wild Dark Shore. I am also interested in Brook's Memoir and Araleun's poetry collection.
The Shortlist will be announced on 8 April 2026 with the winner of the $60,000 prize will be announced on 13 May 2026.
For more information and the complete judges comments, see the Stella Prize website.