Female Writers Dominate Literary Awards in Queensland

The Queensland Literary Awards were announced earlier this month and this year they were dominated by women.

Out of the 11 categories in this year’s awards, 10 women were awarded the top prize.

This year marks the second annual QLAs, as they were developed after the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards were scrapped in 2012.

Community support helped keep literary awards alive in Queensland, which is something writers are grateful for.

Head of Creative Writing and Literary Studies at the Queensland University of Technology Professor Sharyn Pearce, says literary awards are absolutely essential for writers.

“Awards show that literary culture does matter in Australia,” Professor Pearce said.

“Writers not only need positive reviews from their peers, but the money offered as a part of the award really does matter.

“The money helps them to keep writing.”

Jaclyn Moriarty, who won this year’s Young Adult Book Award agrees.

“At a practical level, it’s also like a sigh of relief for me because in the last few months my computer, printer, car battery and water heater have all broken down beyond repair, and I had no idea how I was going to replace them,” she said.

This year, however, the awards have done more than promote the importance of literature in Australia.

The QLAs have recognised women as being strong contenders in modern literature.

PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE WINNERS OF LITERARY AWARDS 2013 | Create infographics

Chairman of the Queensland Literary Awards Inc Dr Stuart Glover, said the number of Queensland women who won this year should not be a surprise.

“The ranks are very strong, and national recognition is overdue,” he said.

“But we were delighted that so many great writers were acknowledged.  

“We hope every other Queensland women writer is encouraged to keep on writing.”

Many writers believe the number of women recognised this year at the QLAs is simply mirroring the achievements of women across a variety of fields.

Narelle Oliver, the winner of the Children’s Book Award says women are now being supported in their writing endeavours, which is something that may not have been true of past generations.

Mrs Moriarty, citing Jane Austen and George Elliot as examples, agrees women are finally being accepted as worthy of writing literature.

“The fact that a larger number of women were recognised at the QLAs this year might indicate that the perception of female writers is shifting,” she said.

“Or that there were particularly astute judges this year.

“Either way, I think it’s a triumph, not just for women writers, but for readers generally.”

For aspiring female writers in Queensland, this is good news.

Mrs Oliver says young writers now have women they can look up to.

“It helps young women understand that ‘it’ can be done,” she said.

Mrs Moriarty, who dreamed of being a pilot as a child and was told there were no ‘lady pilots’, says it makes a difference when young women can see females actively pursuing their dreams.

Furthermore, young writers will enter a marketplace that already has an audience for women’s literature.

For young female writers, this means they have an audience in which to establish themselves.

What the QLAs really proved this year though, according to Professor Pearce, is that it is a blue-ribbon time for female writers in Queensland, and the state should be proud.

QLA Winners 2013

Not included in the slideshow are the following winners (whose work is not in published novel form):

Gadens Feature Film Script Award – Healing - Craig Monahan & Alison Nisselle

Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award – Gap – Rebecca Jessen

Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award – Heat and Light - Ellen van Neerven 

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10 women won at the #QldLitAwards this year out of 11 categories. Read more here: http://rebeccagilliesonlinejournalism.blogspot.com.au/