JEFFREY NEIL finds, in Gillian Wills' novel 'Big Music', a drama that entertains, instructs, and makes you laugh. 

Hawkeye Publishing is delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize. We are proud to present the winners of this year’s competition whose manuscripts especially stood out to judges as being polished, entertaining, and full of heart

The Hawkeye Publishing team and our esteemed judges are thrilled to reveal the shortlist for the 2025 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize!

After careful deliberation, 6 outstanding manuscripts were selected for the shortlist. Our judges were truly impressed by the high calibre of writing and the diversity of voices in this year’s competition.

The Hawkeye Publishing team and our esteemed judges are thrilled to reveal the longlist for the 2025 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize!

This year, we received an astonishing 192 entries, showcasing an incredible range of storytelling talent. After careful deliberation, 22 outstanding manuscripts have been selected for the longlist. Our judges were truly impressed by the high calibre of writing and the diversity of voices in this year’s competition. 

Despite a period of uncertainty following the collapse of distribution giant Booktopia Publisher Services in July, 2024 closed out as a boon year for the independent trade publisher, with a total of 13 title releases, a shiny new distribution deal, and two of its debut authors ranking on bookshop bestseller lists.

Hawkeye Publishing is thrilled to announce that our very own Carolyn Martinez, director and passionate advocate for Australian literature, has been nominated for the esteemed Johnno Award for the third time.  

Hawkeye is delighted to announce the winners for the 2024 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition!

Anne Freeman has created a powerful and authentic tale in her novel Me That You See, which takes readers on a wild and unpredictable journey through the busy streets of Melbourne and into the realm of adult entertainment services.

Hawkeye is thrilled to announce the shortlist for the 2024 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition!

Big Music swept me up from the very first page, taking me back to my own memories of university life in Brisbane. The blend of academic politics, musical genius, and raw human conflict is so vividly drawn that it’s impossible not to get transported into the heady world of music. It’s a must-read for anyone who’s experienced the beautiful mess that is university life, especially if Brisbane has ever been a part of your journey.