The 2026 Stella Prize Judges’ Report
Letter from the 2026 Stella Prize Chair of Judges, Sophie Gee

We began the deliberations for the Stella Prize longlist with a remarkable group of 24 books, narrowed down from the initial entries, 212 books in total. Taken in full, the Stella entries showed extraordinary diversity of genres, voices, technical experiments and literary flair. Reading so widely, we really saw the brilliance of the Stella Prize, which recognises that all genres and modes of writing combine to reflect the range of Australian women’s and non-binary experience and writing lives.

As we narrowed the field to a long-longlist, we commented often on how virtually every book reimagined and transformed a different life story, through fine-grained attention, creative intelligence and technical skill. The twelve longlist titles reflect the excellence of all the entries, virtually all of which accomplished something moving and true through narrative, structure, voice or description.

We were guided by the judges’ guidelines: originality, excellence, and engagement with readers. Each book on the longlist, in our view, goes an extra mile across all three categories.

Originality consists in a book that recognisably inhabits its genre or form, and at the same time purposefully breaks it. Original writing changes the scope of what can be thought, felt and envisioned. A sign of great originality is often that, as readers, we think new thoughts, or feel changed by sentences, images and ideas. Originality reaches beyond the book itself to shift the lives of readers.

Excellence is another word for rigour. Excellent writing surprises us. It activates a kind of internal humming or vibration in its readers, telling us we are in the presence of deep skill. Excellence is a muted control and knowledge of craft, such that we feel every choice is considered, and the language and structure have a purpose. Sometimes excellence is pure energy and instinct, a bursting forth of creative power. Excellent writing frees us from being judges or critics, and makes us curious, open-hearted participants in bracing, capacious experience. 

Engaging is a book that meets its readers where they are. It brings us into narrative, helping us recognise voices, characters and settings as versions of our own experience that we suddenly understand better. Engaging books feel real; they help us connect with aspects of our own realities.

Many of the titles on the longlist are “page turners,” stories that instantly pull you in and make you want to know more. Accessible, appealing writing is an underrated virtue. Some of the books are more reserved or “difficult” reads. And they succeed in engaging readers who long to be challenged, provoked, or guided skilfully through hard feelings.

We believe that the 2026 Stella Prize Longlist reflects the range and depth of women’s and non-binary writing in Australia, in all its freshness, wit and vigour. We hope the list will be an inspiration to writers and readers, and a recognition of so much creative innovation in Australian writing now.