Kill Your Darlings is delighted to announce Kylie Maslen (SA) as the winner of the 2018 KYD New Critic Award. The award includes the publication of five works of original literary criticism, $3000 prize money and a mentorship with senior KYD editorial staff.
Based in Adelaide, Kylie is a writer and events producer whose criticism, commentary and essays have been published in KYD, Junkee, The Wheeler Centre, Metro Magazine and fine print. As KYD’s New Critic, Kylie’s literary criticism will explore Australian and international fiction and non-fiction, with a particular interest in Australian literature from outside of Melbourne and Sydney. The first of these essays will appear in March.
On her win, Kylie says:
I am so honoured to be named the recipient of the 2018 KYD New Critic Award. Kill Your Darlings has been an integral part of my development as a writer, both as the home to some of my early work and as a reader of their insightful and entertaining publishing.
This Award gives me an unrivalled opportunity to expand and deepen my critical practice. Having an ongoing and sustainable publishing schedule is a dream for any writer, but particularly as an emerging one it is a privilege I don’t take lightly. Benefiting from KYD’s experienced editorial support, I am really excited to develop my practice and contribute to a broader cultural conversation in Australia.
KYD Editor Alan Vaarwerk says of Kylie’s award:
At KYD we are proud to continue our support of high quality cultural criticism through the New Critic Award, which not only gives emerging writers financial support, but the time and space to build a strong body of work and to reflect and grow as a critic.
Out of an extremely competitive field, I’m delighted to present Kylie Maslen with this Award in 2018. Kylie is a writer with tremendous critical insight and awareness, and I’m confident her forthcoming essays will provide a fascinating and vital contribution to the Australian literary landscape.
The 2018 New Critic Award saw 40 entries from emerging writers all over Australia. The judges were KYD Editor Alan Vaarwerk and writer, critic and Stella Prize co-founder Louise Swinn.
Entries for the 2019 KYD New Critic Award will open later this year.
