Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award prize money doubled to $40,000

By ERIN MODARO

Waverley Council has announced a whopping $40,000 in prize for the annual Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award, the prize money having doubled from previous years.

Not only is the main prize up for grabs, but Council has also announced $4000 in prize money for the People’s Choice Award, and six shortlist prizes at $1500 each.

The literature award is handed out at Waverley Library to celebrate excellence in research and writing, and is with sponsorship from philanthropists Mark and Evette Moran, co-founders and co-CEOS of the Mark Moran Group.

“The award is a true project of the people, offering some reward for the long, lonely hours writers spend researching their work – most often at their own great expense,” Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos said.

Nominations now open

Now in its 22nd year, the award is open to written works published between July 1 2022 – June 30 2023. Nominations for the award opened on April 4.

The winning book, which can be fiction or non-fiction, will be judged against several criteria including excellence in research, high literary merit, readability, and value to the community.

“Entries are open to all Australian writers regardless of their experience, chosen subject matter or genre, and so we encourage writers to make a submission either directly or through a publisher,” Mayor Masselos said.

The Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award is the only literary award of its find presented by a local government authority.

“Mark and I feel that our writers are often barometers of our times whether capturing our journey to date, the depth of our individual and collective emotions and experiences or helping define a path as to the way forward,” Evette Moran said.