From the Standing Committee on Awards and Prizes
The winning entry for the 2024 IPEd Student Prize is now available to read on the IPEd website.
Despina Cook, a student in the Graduate Certificate in Writing, Editing and Publishing program at the University of Queensland in 2023, was awarded the prize for a structural edit report of the novel The Blue Poppy Sea. The judges were unanimous in describing her work as “at a level beyond what is expected of a student”.
The report was thorough, demonstrating Despina’s deep engagement in the careful, painstaking process of structural editing. Clear justifications were offered where appropriate. The tone of the report was supportive, respectful and affirmative. The judges found that Despina’s report would almost certainly be valuable to the author.
Despina is currently studying for her Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing at UQ, and said the win had given her the affirmation she needed to continue her studies.
The IPEd Student Prize acknowledges excellent work by a student of editing. It is designed to enhance the profession of editing and support student work on issues relevant to the industry. It is awarded annually for a piece of work submitted as part of a tertiary qualification in editing, publishing, or another discipline with a focus on editing. The prize is open to any tertiary-level student enrolled in an editing or publishing course at an Australian or New Zealand tertiary institution. Entries for next year’s prize will open in September. More information is available at www.iped-editors.org/about-iped/awards.
Earlier this year, we spoke with Despina Cook about her award-winning entry, her pathway to editing and her plans for what’s next. Read more in the April issue of Gatherings.