Judith Rodriguez Prize

This is an annual prize awarded to a piece of work in fiction/poetry/creative non-fiction by a student submitting the work for completion of assessment in a level 3 coded unit, in Trimester 1 or 2.

Work is nominated by relevant staff, shortlisted and judged by the Professional and Creative Writing discipline area.

The value of the prize is:

• $450 of mentoring (2-3 sessions with follow-up email contact as negotiated with mentor)
• One year's free membership of Victorian Writers Centre
• Publication of winning piece in Etchings, published by Ilura Press, or Verandah.

 

Winner for 2011: Daniel Lah

Lah, Daniel, ‘Boxes’- fiction

Daniel Lah recently completed a double major in Creative Writing and Politics, and is currently writing a short biographical note in the third person. His prize-winning short story, Boxes, recently won the Judith Rodriguez Prize and subsequently became a prize-winning short story. It is an absurd fable that was inspired partly by the GFC and partly by the GFA (the Global Financial Armageddon). The GFA is, of course, yet to come. But when it arrives it should prove even more entertaining than the GFC ever was and involve ever more imaginative and elaborate displays of creativity - a veritable cornucopia of delights, if you will. Daniel is also on the verge of cracking a complex literary algorithm that will soon allow him to construct the perfect novel.

Shortlisted Candidates 2011

Hogg, Aidan, ‘The red door’ - creative nonfiction
McGee, Nicholas, ‘Tin spectacular’ - poem
Meagher, Daniel, ‘Sunlit lies’ - creative nonfiction
Morris, Rachael, ‘Running out of road’ - creative nonfiction
Sparshott, Emily, ‘Considere al turista’ - creative nonfiction

Winner for 2010: Palila Opit

Palila Opit completed her Bachelor of Arts (Professional and Creative Writing) at Deakin University in 2010, and is currently undertaking her Honours year at Deakin. She was raised on the surf-coast and is the oldest of 6, 8, or ten siblings depending on how you count. Her story, ‘The Truth of Stories’, was inspired by her parents' insistence that they have had extraordinary lives. Fortunately that was true.

Shortlisted Candidates 2010

Kieron Byatt, ‘No Atticus’ - fiction
Stuie Emmerson, ‘Great White’ - fiction
Palila Opit, ‘The Pig’- poetry
Casey L. Scott, ‘Jellyfish Mimic Lightening - poetry

Winner for 2009: Allyse Near

Allyse Near, with her short story 'Venus in the Twelfth House', won the Judith Rodriguez Prize for 2009. Allyse was inspired by a particularly incomprehensible daily horoscope (which she admits to reading religiously but rarely believing). Etchings No8, including Allyse's story, was launched on 11 March 2010. Allyse was presented with her prize at the launch.

Short listed candidates - 2009

Charlotte Adams ‘ In the knickers of time’  from ALW350
Allyse Near ‘Venus in the Twelfth House’  from ALW326 (2009 winner)
Amber Beilharz ‘Giving Up’, ‘Migration’  from ALW326
Katherine Harland ‘The Splendiferous Adventures of Vale the wood pigeon’ from ALW326
Alexandra Burgess ‘Four very short stories’ from ALW326
Thomas Miller ‘ Darkness’, ‘Goodbye’ from ALW326
Carrick Tomlin ‘Redemption Rd’ from ALW326