The 2026 Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest Longlist

From the Editor’s Desk

After thorough consideration, The New Quarterly is pleased to announce the longlist for the 2026 Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest. The long listed writers and their essays are as follows:

“God Made Butterflies”
by Damilola Adebajo

“Exchanges with Neighbours”
by Carla Braidek

“Trapped in the Bottleneck”
by Emily Cann

“A Mon Seul Desir: Breaking the Thread”
by Line Dufour

“Furl, unfurl”
by Sophie Edwards

“We Do Not Dwell”
by Carmen G. Farrell

“The Body Works it Out”
by Keira Holman

“Meditations on Loss: A Triptych”
by Natalie Hryciuk

“Thirteen Nights at the Thunderbird Motel”
by Jordan Kawchuk

“Wildhood”
by Sophie Kohn

“In Case You Wanted To Know”
by Christine Miscione

“There and Back”
by Margaret Nowaczyk

“I BEGIN THE NIGHT—Towards Death”
by Concetta Principe

“At the Mouth of the River”
by Jennifer Robinson

“Authority”
by Robyn Schleihauf

“What I’ve Left Under a Rock”
by Lilita Tannis

“Homecoming”
by Nicky Taylor

“An Abundance of Blue”
by Isabella Wang

Thank you to all of the writers who submitted their essays to this year’s contest. Stay tuned for our winner announcement.