The Stella prize has been a major feature of the Australian literary landscape since it was first awarded in 2013. The annual award celebrates the best Australian writing by women in any genre.

Due to social distancing measures, this year’s awards ceremony was pre-recorded, and will be streamed here via YouTube at 8pm AEST on Tuesday 14 April, presented by the Wheeler Centre. The event will be hosted by Patricia Karvelas, featuring the former prime minister Julia Gillard as special guest speaker. The winner will be announced by the chair of the 2020 judging panel, Louise Swinn.

This year, the major prize is worth $50,000. Each shortlisted author also receives $2,000 and a three-week writing retreat in Point Addis on the Victorian coast, in addition to $1,000 for being longlisted.

The shortlist for the 2020 Stella prize is as follows:

• See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill (Black Inc)

• Diving Into Glass by Caro Llewellyn (Penguin Random House)

• There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett (Hachette Australia)

• Here Until August by Josephine Rowe (Black Inc)

• The Yield by Tara June Winch (Penguin Random House)

• The Weekend by Charlotte Wood (Allen & Unwin)

Read more about the shortlisted books here.