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The finalists in The Age/Dymocks Essay Prize, a new competition designed to encourage young writers to have their voices heard, have been selected.
Launched in August, the award aims to highlight the talent and skill of young writers across Victoria. Entrants between the ages of 14-18 and 19-24 were invited to respond to one of the following essay topics: What makes you optimistic about the future of Melbourne or Victoria?; How is Victoria different from the rest of the country, and how have those differences been established?; or What is the one law you would change and why?
Finalists have been announced in The Age/Dymocks Essay Prize.Credit: Aresna Villanueva
The judges were looking for original, compelling content, paired with exceptional writing skills, an engaging voice and style, and the ability to form a solid argument that is both thought-provoking and timely.
Thirteen finalists have been shortlisted in the 14-18 category, while four have been selected in the 19-24 category.
Overall, the most popular essay topic was “What makes you optimistic about the future of Melbourne or Victoria?”, which was selected by nearly half the entrants. This was followed by “What is the one law you would change and why?” .
So what did Victoria’s talented young writers have to say? In the 14-18 age group, Saria Ratnam’s essay, titled Melbourne’s Future? Ask our writers, argued that the vastly diverse literary landscape emerging in Melbourne is reason to be optimistic about the city’s future.
Author Maxine Beneba Clarke was a guest judge in the awards.
Other writers focused on Melbourne’s artistic merit, such as Claire Seear, who wrote about her everlasting love of books and her optimism for the future thanks to the endless knowledge the city’s stories contain. Meanwhile, aspiring filmmaker Tim Griffin wrote of his hope for Melbourne’s film scene, as more homegrown actors are retained and funding initiatives are channelled toward local projects.
Sally Vuong‘s essay, Forget about tomorrow, what about today?, flipped the first prompt on its head, imploring readers to consider appreciating the present rather than ruminating on future concerns. And in Samuel Brooker’s piece, he admitted he did not know why he was optimistic about Melbourne’s future, touching on our ability to find resilience even in the darkest moments.
Sofia Norman argued that Victoria’s multiculturalism sets it apart from the rest of the country, encouraging its residents to seek what is beyond its borders, while Ayanna Singh similarly praised the city’s rich diversity, as well as its focus on community and its dedication to improving life for its residents.
Other entrants considered the city’s infrastructure, such as Matthew Payne, who praised Melbourne’s various projects as a means towards developing a more efficient, sustainable and multicultural city. Siya Gauri Singh‘s essay, titled The ‘Fare’ Route for Victorian Students: Free Public Transport, explored the benefit of free public transport to allow young people better access to education.
Hossein Mousavi’s entry explored why Victoria’s mandatory sentencing laws should be reformed to improve the state’s criminal justice system and to uphold reintegration and rehabilitation. Meanwhile, Lucy Wiesner implored the state to reform its youth justice system, namely the minimum age of criminal responsibility, arguing for greater mentorship and support for young children.
Touching on her own experience, Saskia de Leeuw Kyle explored why the state’s homelessness laws should be made more accessible, particularly for young people who find themselves in out-of-home care. And as a child of Indian descent, Tvisha Joshi argued that the British Museum Act of 1963 – which prohibits the return of artefacts by claiming that countries have no documentary evidence of ownership – should be overturned.
In the 19-24 age group, several writers also recognised Melbourne as a cultural hub. Darla Tejada outlined her love for the city’s laneways – small, yet culturally and politically powerful features that set it apart from others across the nation. Julia Fullard expressed her optimism in Melbourne’s rich cultural storytelling, particularly that of First Nations peoples, which allows the city to flourish as a diverse and open-minded space.
Grace Biber examined the second topic in Crossing the Barassi: or How I moved to Melbourne and Learned to Love the Footy, an essay about her newfound love for the AFL, something she now considers a great equaliser and one that no other state can quite imitate. Emily Abbott’s essay explored how the infrastructure of Victoria’s public transport system relates to gender dynamics, notably the safety of underpasses and tram stops for women.
The judging panel was made up of The Age’s senior writer Jewel Topsfield, culture editor Osman Faruqi and opinion editor Patrick O’Neil. They were joined by guest judge Maxine Beneba Clarke – author of We Know A Place and The Hate Race.
The winner in each age group will have their work published in The Age and will be invited to pitch a series of opinion pieces. They will also receive $1000, courtesy of Dymocks Books and Tutoring; a tour of The Age newsroom; and a 12-month digital subscription to theage.com.au. Runners-up in each age group will receive $500, again courtesy of Dymocks, and a 12-month digital subscription to The Age.
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony on November 29.
Finalists in The Age 2023 Essay Prize (in alphabetical order)
14-18
- Samuel Brooker
- Saskia de Leeuw Kyle
- Tim Griffin
- Tvisha Joshi
- Hossein Mousavi
- Sofia Norman
- Matthew Payne
- Saria Ratnam
- Claire Seear
- Ayanna Singh
- Siya Gauri Singh
- Sally Vuong
- Lucy Wiesner
19-24
- Emily Abbott
- Grace Biber
- Julia Fullard
- Darla Tejada
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