Why Do Horses Run? by Cameron Stewart is the 2025 winner of the $10,000 MUD Literary Prize.
Since 2018, MUD has sponsored the MUD Literary Prize (MLP), recognising the best first literary novel by an Australian author with a cash prize and special presentation ceremony as part of Adelaide Writers’ Week. It now stands as one of the most important literary awards for new writers in the country.
The philosophy behind the prize is an acknowledgement that while literary fiction plays a vital role in the cultural life of Australia, and internationally, it rarely offers writers a living wage. The prize acknowledges that most writers need funds to make it possible to write. The prize is one that the writer may spend as they see fit – to live, to travel, to explore and be inspired by new ideas.
