Martin awarded 2023 Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship

Writing NSW has awarded its 2023 Varuna fellowship to Alison Martin for her novel manuscript, ‘The Wild’.

‘The Wild’ is about the last woman hanged in New South Wales, who was ‘accused of murdering her husbands with rat poison’. Martin said that the novel blends historical fiction with ‘political satire about the treatment of women in politics and society’.

Said Martin of the fellowship: ‘It’s what every writer craves and needs: warm-hearted encouragement and practical support to keep going.’ She expressed gratitude for the opportunity and encouraged other writers to persevere. ‘I’ve applied and missed out before,’ Martin said.

Writing NSW said that the novel was ‘a standout for all judges’. Judges Sara M Saleh, Anna Valdinger and Rowena Tuziak said that the work was ‘timely and important’ and ‘showed extraordinary skill and potential’.

Two runners up were also announced. Adrian Mouhajer was acknowledged for a ‘powerful poetry collection’, ‘Haki Al Nas’, which explores Arab-Australian queer Muslim experience in Western Sydney. Susie Walsh was also acknowledged for a ‘lyrical meta-memoir’, ‘My Broken Hearted Hill: Song book of a mining town girlhood’, which describes the experience of growing up Autistic in Broken Hill.

The annual fellowship is awarded to a Writing NSW member who has ‘a work that is ready for the next stage of development’. Martin will receive a week-long residency at Varuna, the National Writers’ House.

Last year’s winners were Lucy Nelson, for the general fellowship, and Hajer Al-awsi, for an additional fellowship for a writer under 30 years of age.

More information about the fellowship is available on the Writing NSW website.

Category: Awards Local news