Judges Announced for 2025 Literary Awards
The judges for the Lysaght Watt Trust Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards 2025 have been announced.
Award winning writer Melinda Szymanik is the Poetry Judge. Melinda is an award-winning writer of children’s short stories, novels and picture books, and has published over twenty books. Notable titles include, A Winter’s day in 1939, Fuzzy Doodle, The Song of Kauri, My Elephant is Blue and Lucy and the Dark. She is known for her use of language techniques, humour and layered story telling. She has over fifteen years’ experience in teaching creative writing to both children and adults.
Tania Roxborogh is the Short Story Judge for this year’s competition. Tania is a veteran educator for secondary English/drama and writer of novels, plays, poetry and textbooks. Her latest novel is Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War, sequel to Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea which was named the Supreme Winner, 2021 Margaret Mahy book of the Year.
The judges will be joined by Taranaki Daily News editor Matt Rilkoff, who will be judging the True Story section formerly known as Research.
“We are very excited to welcome these three prestigious judges to South Taranaki’s premiere literary competition this year,” says South Taranaki District Council Senior Community Outreach Librarian Katherine Bosworth.
The competition opens on Wednesday 11 June with the kick off of the secondary school workshops. As always, open writing and poetry workshops held by the judges are available to the public for free.
Both open workshops will be held on Saturday 14 June at Hāwera LibraryPlus | Te Ramanui o Ruapūtahanga in Hāwera.
- Short story workshop with Tania Roxborogh at 9am – 12noon
- Poetry workshop with Melinda Szymanik at 12.45pm – 3.45pm
“We’re excited to hold both open workshops at the brand new LibraryPlus building in Hāwera, Te Ramanui o Ruapūtahanga. We hope this gives people an opportunity to see the new space and have a look around during breaks as well as enjoy the first year of the Lysaght-Watt Trust Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards in the new facility.”
We are now taking bookings for the open workshops. Please contact your local LibraryPlus, email entries@stdc.govt.nz or phone 0800 111 323 to secure your space.
