In this highly anticipated new issue, we encounter brilliant examples of what writing can do in a hypernormal time – whether that's Benjamin Gready on the absurdity of fieldwork on land under active occupation or Zahid Gamieldien's short story about a dancing rat who finds itself enmeshed in systems too shadowy to be true. But, as with the emotional cycles of resistance, hope and snark are features too. Dan Hogan considers the lawn as a class obsession, and π.ο. asks a question: why people hate poetry? We also read about a rakhasa family who passes on wisdom to their young kin, a story by Shefali Mathew. And you’ll find new poetry by Eli McLean, Fiona Hile and Sol Chan, among others, as well as a comic by Safdar Ahmed, plus heaps more. Co-editors Evelyn Araluen and Jonathan Dunk write in the editorial, "Writing always matters, but it matters most directly in the face of this kind of thuggish assault on language, our first and last commons. We can’t let the bastards have it.”
Supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, and named after the late Neilma Gantner, the 2025 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize seeks excellent short fiction of up to 3000 words themed around the notion of ‘travel’ — imaginative, creative and literary interpretations are strongly encouraged. This competition is open to all writers, nationally and internationally, at any stage of their writing career.
The winning writer will receive $5000 and their short story will be published in Overland. Two runners-up will each receive $750.
Entries open 10am Thursday 9 October will close midnight Friday 5 December 2025. Please read the entry guidelines below to confirm eligibility.
Entry fees are $12 for subscribers and $20 for non-subscribers. You can also take out the special prize subscription, which gets you discounted entry and a subscription to Overland.
The judges for this year’s prize are: Bryant Apolonio, Patrick Marlborough, and Melanie Saward.
Guidelines
A final note on submission guidelines:
In 2020 the Overland editorial team decided to include an additional question for entrants upon submission of their work to all major prizes. While we uphold the integrity of the blind judging process, it often places limitations on judges to properly assess the nature of a submission. Entries which speak directly to the experiences of marginalised or vulnerable communities are often difficult to assess with no knowledge as to whether the author has the relevant experience or cultural authority. It can be an agonising process for a judge to decide whether a piece is appropriate for publication when experience or identities are assumed or guessed. We want to encourage imaginative and provocative submissions without creating an additional burden for our judges, or potentially restricting the selection of sensitive pieces. You can read more about the policy here.
Entrants will have the option to answer the following voluntary question:
If your entry takes up the voice or experience of a marginalised or vulnerable identity, do you identify yourself as being a part of that community or experience? For instance, if your piece is written in the voice of an Aboriginal person, are you Aboriginal? etc.
Your response to this question is not mandatory, and your response will only be visible to internal editors, unless our judges request to know your response after the consideration of a piece.
New subscriber – $82 Take out a new subscription and enter the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize.
Take out a new subscription and enter the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize.
Current subscriber – $12 Current subscribers enter the competition here.
Current subscribers enter the competition here.
Non-subscriber – $20 Non-subscribers enter the competition here.
Non-subscribers enter the competition here.
