In awe and envy, we’ve all read and watched longlist and the shortlist announcements and then, with a flurry of excitement, the eventual winners of various literary awards. Some of them come with modest prizewinnings while, in others, the cash pot is more substantial. ArtsHub surveyed a range of Australian writers to gauge how winning a prize or two may have changed their lives.
Although Robinson admits there could have been a more exciting way to spend the lump sum than to pour it into the mortgage, she says, ‘Winning the prize was so affirming. I never embarked on a writing practice to become rich or famous (a folly!). External validation was never the goal. But there was something soothing about being recognised within the industry. Before that, I always felt that my writing was a bit weird or marginal. Winning the Readings Prize gave me a big boost in my confidence. It made me feel I should keep going.’
