The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers

Established in memory of beloved YA author Steph Bowe, the Prize is designed to support an unpublished Australian YA writer under 25.

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Thank you to everyone who submitted to The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers.

The Prize reopens 1 February 2027.

https://t.co/JNFoyQqSFL

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Congratulations to the 2026 winner of The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers, Elise Thornthwaite! 🎉

The Prize was established in memory of beloved #LoveOzYA author Steph Bowe, and honours her passion for fostering and mentoring emerging writers.

https://t.co/JNFoyQqSFL

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Elise’s Steph Bowe Prize-winning #LoveOzYA manuscript 'The Summer I Stayed' is set in a regional Australian town similar to one she grew up in and follows a young woman navigating the transition into adulthood while remaining in her hometown.

Congratulations again Elise!

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

The winner of The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers will be announced on 1 June 🌟 https://t.co/JNFoyQqSFL

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Congratulations Sarah Hunter, shortlisted for the 2026 Steph Bowe Prize! 🎉

Sarah (she/her) is an emerging writer from Meanjin/Brisbane. She has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Writing, and Screen and Media Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Arts majoring in Peace Studies.

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Sarah says, ‘My experience of eco-anxiety has been a key motivator behind my novel. Winning the Prize and being mentored by an author [like Helena Fox] who has an understanding of mental health and climate change issues for #LoveOzYA readers would be extremely beneficial.’

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Elise says, ‘Winning this Prize would affirm that stories rooted in Aboriginal experience belong on bookshelves, and young readers deserve narratives that reflect the complexity of their own lives.’

The winner will be announced 1 June 🌟 https://t.co/JNFoyQqSFL

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Congratulations Elise Thornthwaite, shortlisted for the 2026 Steph Bowe Prize! Elise is an Aboriginal writer and educator from regional NSW who currently lives & works in the NT, where her work informs her interest in stories about place, responsibility and transition. #LoveOzYA

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Elise Thornthwaite says, ‘With “The Summer I Stayed” I aim to contribute to a more inclusive and representative #LoveOzYA landscape by offering a narrative that speaks to those navigating loyalty, responsibility, and self determination in subtle but powerful ways.’

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Alana Rae says, ‘If I were to win The Steph Bowe Prize it would propel my writing exactly where I always hoped it would go – appreciated and, maybe one day, adored by young people who see themselves in this text.’

The winner will be announced 1 June 🌟

https://t.co/JNFoyQqSFL

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Congratulations to Alana Rae, who is shortlisted for the 2026 Steph Bowe Prize!

A journalist and speech pathology student from Aotearoa New Zealand, Alana now lives in Naarm Melbourne. She has written for magazines covering topics ranging from vaginismus to the VMAs.

#LoveOzYA

[The Steph Bowe Prize for Young Writers @stephboweprize]

Alana Rae says, ‘I think having written this novel – which is about intense and emotional human connection – over the span of my teenagehood and early twenties gives it an authenticity and a uniquely biographical feel.’