2026 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition Longlist Announcement
Hawkeye is delighted to announce the longlisted entries for the 2026 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition!
The judges have selected the longlist, comprising the top 40 entries, out of the 214 entries we received this year. The longlisted stories were chosen for the writing skills shown by entrants, as well as the emotional impact, clever writing and twists, comedy, and how well they addressed this year’s theme of ‘I’m Glad You Called’.
Hawkeye Publishing Director Carolyn Martinez said, ‘We were thrilled by the creativity and originality in this year’s entries. Our judges had the difficult task of narrowing an incredibly strong field to a longlist of 40 writers, each bringing something distinctive to the page. From moving and thought-provoking pieces to stories that surprised and delighted us, the entries demonstrated the incredible range of emerging writing talent. Congratulations to everyone who made the longlist, and thank you to every writer who shared their work with us.’
2026 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition Longlist, in no particular order:
You Have One New Message by Rachel Howden
Fridays that Matter by Jenny Porter
The Joy and the Agony by Alexander Michael
Greener Grass by Casey Nott
Hot Choccies by Caroline Young
Five Rings by Nancy Bajwa
The Ninth Planet by Fergus Gregg
The Packed Cone by Ned Stephenson
Francis by Michelle Grant
Renewal by Johnny Banh
In a Pickle by Laura Morris
Grey Matter by Alida Galati
Deviation by J.K. Wehlow
The Other Language by Courtney Mason
Suma by Fergus Gregg
The Last Thing On The List by Alyssa Ramjan
A Leopard Never Changes its Spots by Maureen
A Family Matter by Richard Yaxley
Because One Day by Jennifer Anne
The Koori Coast by Andrew Harrison
The Envelope by Sandra Thom-Jones
Watching by Jackie Bos
Life On Repeat by Andrew Harris
Slow Light by Nancy Bajwa
Ghost Stories by Jackie Bos
Bridging Clouds by Jaye L. Gaff
Rose by Vicki Hann
What Happened to Edwin by Geoffrey K. Graves
For That Small Part You Could by Jared Kranz
He’s Back by Lee McKerracher
Reconnection by Kylie Gardiner
Personal Alarm by Honni van Rijswijk
The Final Call by Hilda Wong-Ehrhardt
Don’t Think Twice by R H Mumford
Inconclusive by Shane Crilly
Missing the Mark by Jane Lingard
A Lifting Mist by Peter Grimshaw
Locked Drawers by Andrea Wilson
Dad by Susan Hobson
Fences by Tanya Allen
Please join us in congratulating these entrants. Longlisted entrants should be very proud of this achievement, as this year’s competition included some excellent stories as well as entries from published authors.
The longlisted stories will be published in an anthology titled I’m Glad You Called, with the cover design based on the winning story. Longlisted entrants will each receive one complimentary eBook copy.
Pre-order your paperback copy here. This is a limited edition publication and only available through pre-orders, until 31 December 2026.
The shortlist for the competition will be announced on 23 October 2026, and the winners will be announced on 6 November 2026. Ensure you’re subscribed to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to be among the first to see the competition results.