the 2022 rachel funari prize for fiction: the winners

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the 2022 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction is Zarin Nuzhat for her story Sanjida Learns to Drive.

Sanjida Learns to Drive is a story about the challenges a migrant woman faces when she tries to eke out her identity, freedom, and dreams in a new country, even as norms and ideals from her motherland cling to her very being.

Zarin receives a $1000 cash prize, a 12-month membership to the Queensland Writers Centre and a book pack courtesy of our sponsors.

The 2022 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction’s judging panel included Julie Koh, Melissa Manning, and Sonia Orchard.

Judges’ praise for Sanjida Learns to Drive

A well-rendered story with strong scenes, tightly executed tension, and a sharp-focus insight into the protagonist’s emotional landscape.

Second place was awarded to Claire Alcock for their story The Reliquary and third place was awarded to
Zeynab Gamieldien for her story The Cleaner. Liz Walkenhorst’s story Aftermath was Highly Commended.

Winning stories and author Q&As will be published online in coming weeks.

About the 2022 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction
This year marks ten years of the Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction. Writers were invited to submit previously unpublished and unperformed fiction up to 2000 words that engaged with the theme ‘aftermath’. The competition was open to all women and non-binary writers. The prize is held in honour of Lip’s late founding editor, Rachel Funari, in recognition of her contribution to the arts.

The 2022 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction was supported by Aniko Press, UQP, Penguin Random House Australia, Ultimo Press, Fremantle Press, NewSouth Publishing, Scribe Publications, Queensland Writers Centre, Pan Macmillan Australia, PENinsula Literary Journal and the Emerging Writers’ Festival.