RMIT student, Bridie Noonan, shines in the Speculative Prize for Emerging Writers

RMIT University, in partnership with the Emerging Writers Festival, is thrilled to celebrate the 2026 winner of The Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers, Bridie Noonan.

The Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers is a developmental prize open to Australian emerging writers in tertiary education who write short works exploring otherness, complexity and expansiveness of ‘speculation’ through literature in either content, genre or form.

The prize builds on the longstanding partnership between the Emerging Writers Festival and RMIT’s writing, editing and publishing programs across the dual sector.

Bridie Noonan was recently announced as the 2026 winner of The Speculate Prize for her literature work, The Inbetween.

"I am incredibly grateful and delighted to have my story be the recipient of this year’s Speculate Prize,” said Noonan.

The story is very close to my heart, and I am so glad that it has resonated strongly with others. My sincerest and warmest thanks to everyone involved in the competition, to RMIT University and the Emerging Writers’ Festival as a whole.

2026 Speculate Prize winner Bridie Noonan.

Through RMIT's involvement in administering the prize, RMIT writing, editing and publishing students from vocational education, undergraduate and postgraduate programs gained hands-on experience in literary assessment. Students read and ranked the submissions and worked collaboratively to develop a longlist to help inform the judging process. An independent panel of experienced judges then selected the shortlist and winner.

On this year’s panel was RMIT Senior Lecturer in Writing and Publishing, Dr Rose Michael, Emerging Writers Festival Executive Director and RMIT Alumni Jes Layton, and critic and bookseller Marina Sano.

The judges remarked, “it is with immense pride that we congratulate Bridie Noonan on the winning entry The Inbetween. Judging this award is both an honour and an exciting glimpse into the creative energy of emerging writers from around Australia – writers who celebrate curiosity and explore curiously, write boldly, create experimentally, and embrace the possibilities of both genre and from.”

Longlisting session with students from Professional Writing and Editing (VE), Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) (undergraduate) and the Master of Writing and Publishing (postgraduate).

“The Inbetween was a unanimous standout for the judges; a clearly realised and confident dive into an ‘other’ world that lingers with the reader,” they concluded.

As a part of the Speculate Prize, Noonan won a seven-night residency at RMIT’s McCraith House, $1,500 prize money and a pass to attend the 2026 National Writers’ Conference and the Emerging Writers’ Festival.

“To be longlisted for a nationwide prize is no small feat, and all listed writers should feel proud to have their work acknowledged in this way,” the judges said, noting that while narrowing the field was challenging, the shortlisted writers stood out for their confidence, storytelling ability and imaginative responses to the competition’s theme, Speculate.

In announcing the results, the judges also highly commended and acknowledged the contribution of the student readers and Bowen Street Press team who have supported the prize.

All longlisted entries will be published in a Bowen Street Press anthology later this year, overseen by Tracy O'Shaughnessy, Program Director of RMIT's Master of Writing and Publishing.

Emerging writers will also have access to a free workshop on ‘imagining otherly’, which explores speculative writing and future-focused storytelling, supported by RMIT's Regenerative Futures Institute.

Read Bridie Noonan’s winning piece, The Inbetween.

The 2026 Emerging Writers Festival takes place 10-28 September.

The Speculate Prize is a partnership between RMIT University and Emerging Writers Festival.

It was sponsored by RMIT's Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing), Master of Writing and Publishing (School of Media and Communciations), Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing (College of Vocational Education), DSC Engagement and the non/fictionLab.

17 July 2026

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