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Series

The Next Big Thing

Want to meet tomorrow’s literary stars today? Let us introduce you.

The Next Big Thing takes place every month at the Moat and is a cherished Melbourne institution. It’s the place to be if you want to hear great emerging writers read from new and adventurous work.

Enjoy a delicious drink and a bite to eat, while sampling writing from tomorrow’s best and brightest literary stars.

Upcoming Events

The Next Big Thing

Ties That Bind

Nina Wan, Amy Taylor, Madison Godfrey, Danielle Scrimshaw, Noa Shenker, Diem Nguyen

Bookings open

29 May
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Past Events

The Next Big Thing

Passages of Time [Booked Out]

Bebe Backhouse, J.R. Burgmann, Paul Dalgarno, Monique Nair, Zoya Patel

Past event

20 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Next Big Thing: Hot Desk Edition #3

Arty Owens, Julie Dickson, Leila Lois, Maki Morita, Olivia Muscat, Amarachi Okorom, Christy Tan, Mason Wood, Diem Nguyen

Past event

28 Nov

The Next Big Thing

The Next Chapter 2022 Showcase

Jumaana Abdu, Jose da Costa, Monikka Eliah, Tristen Harwood, Brooke Maddison, Luke Patterson, Micaela Sahhar, Josie/Jocelyn Suzanne, Anne-Marie Te Whiu, Xanthea O’Connor

Past event

1 Dec

The Next Big Thing

Small Press Network Book of the Year Award 2022

Esther Anatolitis, Kavita Bedford, Anwen Crawford, Eleanor Jackson, Patrick Lenton, Bella Li, SJ Norman, Poppy Nwosu

Past event

25 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Bodies of Work [Booked Out]

Alice Boyle, Eloise Grills, Ryan Gustafsson, Chloe Komesarook, Lucianne Tonti, Jamila Khodja

Past event

17 Oct

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing: Hot Desk Edition #2

Kasumi Borczyk, Sophie Tegan Gardiner, Savannah Indigo, Ren Jiang, Wen-Juenn Lee, Veronica Sullivan

Past event

19 Sep

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing: Hot Desk Edition #1

Julia Bak, Tiia Kelly, Kylie Mirmohamadi, Aurelia St Clair, Theresa Tully, Miriam Webster, Diem Nguyen

Past event

4 Jul

The Next Big Thing

As the World Turns

Grace Chan, Denice Dabu, Else Fitzgerald, Declan Fry, Pirooz Jafari, Jamila Khodja

Past event

1 Aug

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing: 2022 Emerging Writers’ Festival edition

Katerina Gibson, Eda Gunaydin, Akuch Kuol Anyieth, Adalya Nash Hussein, Genevieve Novak, Jamila Khodja

Past event

20 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Living Memory

Isobel Beech, Ashley Goldberg, George Haddad, Janine Mikosza, Veronica Sullivan

Past event

30 May

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing: Known Unknowns Edition

Jessica Au, Flora A Chol, Rhett Davis, Lucy Robin, Natasha Sholl

Past event

11 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #3

Rashmi Patel, Ariel Slamet Ries, Panda Wong, Diem Nguyen

Past event

28 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #2

Ariel Slamet Ries, Darlene Silva Soberano, Ruby Hillsmith, Diane Vu, Allee Richards, Lauren Taylor

Past event

29 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Small Press Network Book of the Year Award Edition

Shu-Ling Chua, Leah Jing McIntosh, Poppy Nwosu, Tanya Vavilova, Sreedhevi Iyer, Kirsten Krauth

Past event

26 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Now and Then

Yves Rees, Dianne O'Brien, Sara El Sayed, SJ Norman, Derek Chan, Bella Green

Past event

18 Oct

The Next Big Thing

Full Bloom

Clem Bastow, Shelley Parker-Chan, Jess Zanoni, Sophie Overett, Lauren Taylor

Past event

9 Aug

The Next Big Thing

Becoming and Belonging

Sinéad Stubbins, Wen-Juenn Lee, Paige Clark, Grace Yee, Lauren Taylor

Past event

27 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #1

Alex Creece, Georgia Kartas, Natasha Hertanto, Lauren Taylor

Past event

12 Jul

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing: 2021 Emerging Writers' Festival edition

Sam Elkin, Yumiko Kadota, Mickhaella Ermita, Lauren Taylor

Past event

21 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Inside Out Edition

Emily Spurr, Sar Fegan, Lauren Taylor, Ella Baxter

Past event

10 May

The Next Big Thing

Forever Young Edition

Gabriel Bergmoser, Jean Hinchliffe, Cath Moore, Janiru Liyanage, Tierney Khan

Past event

12 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Here and Gone Edition

Stella Charls, Ronnie Scott, Ellena Savage, Laura McPhee-Browne, April Rasmussen

Past event

20 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Australiana Edition

Stella Charls, Sean O'Beirne, Wayne Marshall, Kirsten Alexander, Clare Millar

Past event

23 Mar

The Next Big Thing

The Next Chapter Showcase Edition

Veronica Sullivan, Lian Low, Yamiko Marama, Nayuka Gorrie, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Ara Sarafian, Ennis Cehic, Jean Bachoura, Adam Thompson, Evelyn Araluen

Past event

2 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Most Underrated Book Award Edition

Melissa Cranenburgh, Sue McPherson, Lenka Vanderboom, James Cristina, Ilka Tampke

Past event

21 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #3

Nic Alea, Geetha Balakrishnan, Christine Davey, Hayley Lawson-Smith, Gabriella Munoz, Jennifer Nguyen, Oliver Reeson, Jasmine Shirrefs

Past event

18 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Lost and Found Edition

Stella Charls, Tyson Yunkaporta, Kathryn Hind, Katy Warner, Lujayn Hourani

Past event

28 Oct

The Next Big Thing

Heartbeat Edition

Nina Kenwood, R.W.R. McDonald, Yamiko Marama, Tiia Kelly

Past event

23 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #2

Rebecca Giggs, Millie Baylis, Bella Green, Shannan Lim, Gareth Morgan, Whitney Munroe, Sumudu Samarawickrama, Yen-Rong Wong

Past event

9 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Fight or Flight Edition

Alice Bishop, Elizabeth Kuiper, Alex McClintock, Carly Stone

Past event

29 Jul

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #1

Stella Charls, Vanessa Giron, Yvette Holt, Josefina Huq, Nimity James, Adalya Nash Hussein, Kaitlyn Plyley, Cher Tan, Thabani Tshuma

Past event

1 Jul

The Next Big Thing

2019 Emerging Writers’ Festival Edition

Sara M Saleh, Shirley Le, Julie Keys, Zhi Yi Cham

Past event

24 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Secrets and Lies Edition

J.P. Pomare, Sonia Orchard, Nicola Redhouse, Stella Charls, Caitlin McGregor

Past event

15 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Sisterhood Edition

Sam George-Allen, Kate Richards, Alice Robinson, Stella Charls, Sophie Tegan Gardiner

Past event

25 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Most Underrated Book Award Edition

Louise Swinn

Past event

22 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #3

Stella Charls, Fiona Murphy, Jem Tyley-Miller, Alistair Baldwin, Rachel Ang, Georgina Harriss, Shu-Ling Chua, Ella Skilbeck-Porter

Past event

19 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Real Talk Edition

Stella Charls, Justin Heazlewood, Paul Verhoeven, Katherine Collette, Madison Griffiths

Past event

29 Oct

The Next Big Thing

Dangerous Minds Edition

Stella Charls, Angela Meyer, Vincent Silk, Margaret Morgan, Grace Hart

Past event

24 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #2

Asiel Adan Sanchez, Stephen Pham, Jamie Marina Lau, Christian Taylor, Magan Magan, Melissa Manning, Veronica Sullivan

Past event

10 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Bloodlines Edition

Julia Prendergast, Moreno Giovannoni, Robbie Arnott, Amie Green

Past event

23 Jul

The Next Big Thing

2018 Emerging Writers’ Festival Edition

Emma Marie Jones, Odette Kelada, Sumudu Samarawickrama, Marjon Mossammaparast

Past event

25 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #1

Amanda Anastasi, Ra Chapman, Triana Hernandez, Leah Jing McIntosh, Laura Jean McKay, Thuy On, Harry Reid

Past event

2 Jul

The Next Big Thing

Small Town Stories

Jay Carmichael, Kate O’Donnell, Mira Robertson, Jesse Paris-Jourdan

Past event

16 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Imagined Biography

Stella Charls, Kelly Gardiner, Marija Pericic, Bram Presser, Joey Bui

Past event

19 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #3

Ingrid Baring, Bobuq Sayed, Alexandra Collier, Grace De Morgan, Mindy Gill, Lorelei Vashti, Jane Howard

Past event

20 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Most Underrated Book Award Edition

Toni Jordan, Ben Hutchings, Christina Kennedy, Susan McCreery, Sam Cooney

Past event

17 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Halloween Edition

Louise Swinn, Rose Michael, Cath Ferla, Les Zig, Sophie Tegan Gardiner

Past event

30 Oct

The Next Big Thing

Climate Fiction

Harriet McKnight, Inga Simpson, Else Fitzgerald, Emma Hardy

Past event

25 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #2

Koraly Dimitriadis, Mia Slater, Louise Omer, Jordi Kerr, Elizabeth Flux, Tim McGuire, Christopher Bryant

Past event

11 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Poetry Edition

Saaro Umar, Autumn Royal, Chloe Wilson, Omar Sakr

Past event

8 May

The Next Big Thing

The Lit Mag Edition

Laura Stortenbeker, Anna Kingston, Ellen O'Brien, Richard Hanson

Past event

17 Jul

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition #1

Mandy Beaumont, Ana Maria Gomides, Samantha Hill, Khalid Warsame, Angelita Biscotti, Mira Schlosberg

Past event

3 Jul

The Next Big Thing

2017 Emerging Writers’ Festival Edition

Jamie Marina Lau, Brodie Lancaster, Daniel Findlay, Sally Abbott

Past event

19 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Memoir

Kelly Chandler, Margi Gibb, Paula Keogh, Adalya Nash Hussein

Past event

10 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Romance

Daniel de Lorne, Oliver Reeson, Suneeti Rekhari, Sunni Overend

Past event

20 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition (November)

Veronica Sullivan, Fury, Hiroki Kobayashi, Lou Smith, Fiona Spitzkowsky, Lilit Žekulin Thwaites, Vidya Rajan, Eloise Grills

Past event

21 Nov

The Next Big Thing

Nano Edition

Jack Latimore, Deserae Horswood, Kathryn Ross, Madeline Bailey

Past event

5 Dec

The Next Big Thing

Speculative Fiction

Angela Slatter, Rjurik Davidson, Rose Mulready, Jamie Marina Lau

Past event

24 Oct

The Next Big Thing

Crime Fiction

Laura Elizabeth Woollett, Emma Viskic, Anna Snoekstra, J.M. Green

Past event

26 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition (September)

Paul Dalla Rosa, Inga Hanover, Jessica Knight, Nadia Niaz, Stephanie Van Schilt, Yvette Walker, Miki Perkins, Laura Stortenbeker

Past event

12 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition (July)

Kerrin O’Sullivan, Didem Caia, Bec Fary, Chris Somerville, Angelina Mirabito, Christine Sun

Past event

12 Jul

The Next Big Thing

2016 Emerging Writers' Festival edition

Kate Mildenhall, Michelle Wright, Susie Anderson, Rajith Savanadasa

Past event

20 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Young Adult Fiction

Alison Whittaker, Marlee Jane Ward, Emily Gale, Jessie Perrin

Past event

30 May

The Next Big Thing

Historical Fiction

David Dyer, Dominique Wilson, Lesley Truffle, Alexander Bennetts

Past event

18 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Literary Fiction

Peggy Frew, Jennifer Down, Jack Kirne, Sarah Kanake

Past event

21 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Queer Focus

Quinn Eades, Todd Alexander, Asiel Adan Sanchez, Fury

Past event

22 Feb

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition (November)

Clem Bastow, Li-Kim Chuah, Georgia Symons, Sam van Zweden, Astrid Edwards

Past event

30 Nov

The Next Big Thing

October: Claire Varley, Lucy Treloar, Luke Beesley, Rafael S.W.

Lucy Treloar, Claire Varley, Luke Beesley, Rafael S.W.

Past event

26 Oct

The Next Big Thing

Sleepers Almanac X Edition

Louise Swinn, Sam Cooney, Kalinda Ashton, David Astle, Jane Ormond

Past event

28 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Melbourne Writers Festival Edition

Laura Elizabeth Woollett, Miles Allinson, Maria Katsonis, Eileen Ormsby

Past event

24 Aug

The Next Big Thing

July

Geraldine Wooller, A.S. Patrić, Tracy Farr, Sam Prendergast

Past event

27 Jul

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition (September)

Rebecca Butterworth, Emilie Collyer, Lian Low, Izzy Roberts-Orr, Emma Marie Jones, Jessica Yu

Past event

21 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition (July)

Cameron Baker, Alice Bishop, Susan Bradley Smith, Kelly Chandler, Toby Fehily, Tully Hansen, Suzy Freeman-Greene

Past event

13 Jul

The Next Big Thing

June: Spotlight on Queensland

Trent Jamieson, Bri Lee, Sally Piper, Sarah Holland-Batt

Past event

22 Jun

The Next Big Thing

May: Spotlight on South Australia

Patrick Allington, Margaret Merrilees, Katerina Bryant, Rebekah Clarkson

Past event

11 May

The Next Big Thing

March: Spotlight on Victoria

Abigail Ulman, Anne Buist, Ilka Tampke, Jeremy Clark

Past event

16 Mar

The Next Big Thing

April: Spotlight on New South Wales

Robyn Cadwallader, Oliver Mol, Joel Meares, Drew Rooke

Past event

20 Apr

The Next Big Thing

December: Hot Desk Edition

Susie Anderson

Past event

1 Dec

The Next Big Thing

November: Peter Docker, Jake Roseman, Eli Glasman and Kylie Ladd

Jake Roseman, Peter Docker, Kylie Ladd, Eli Glasman

Past event

10 Nov

The Next Big Thing

October: Brooke Davis, Paul Dalla Rosa, Nic Low and Clare Atkins

Brooke Davis, Paul Dalla Rosa, Clare Atkins, Nic Low

Past event

13 Oct

The Next Big Thing

September: Hot Desk Edition

Meaghan Bell, Elin-Maria Evangelista, Chad Parkhill, Rebecca Harkins-Cross, Kieran Stevenson, Ender Baskan

Past event

15 Sep

The Next Big Thing

September: Mark Mulholland, Miriam Sved, Sam Robertson, Rebecca Lim and Jenny Valentish

Jenny Valentish, Jo Case, Miriam Sved, Rebecca Lim, Sam Robertson, Mark Mulholland

Past event

8 Sep

The Next Big Thing

Hot Desk Edition

Past event

30 Jun

The Next Big Thing

May: Elizabeth Kuiper, Pierz Newton-John, Angela Meyer and Emily Bitto

Pierz Newton-John, Emily Bitto, Elizabeth Kuiper, Angela Meyer

Past event

19 May

The Next Big Thing

July: Luke Ryan, Sean Watson, Anna George and Tom Trumble

Tom Trumble, Sean Watson, Anna George, Luke Ryan

Past event

21 Jul

The Next Big Thing

June: Ellie Marney, Liam Pieper, Tom O'Byrne and Diana Sweeney

Ellie Marney, Liam Pieper, Tom O'Byrne, Diana Sweeney

Past event

23 Jun

The Next Big Thing

Holly Childs, Melinda Houston, Jenna Martin and Xavier Toby

Xavier Toby, Melinda Houston, Jenna Martin, Holly Childs

Past event

28 Apr

The Next Big Thing

Jane Jervis-Read, Joey Black, Anna Cowan and Briohny Doyle

Jane Jervis-Read, Joey Black, Briohny Doyle, Anna Cowan

Past event

31 Mar

The Next Big Thing

Suzanne McCourt, Spiri Tsintziras, Darrell Pitt and Robbie Coburn

Darrell Pitt, Suzanne McCourt, Robbie Coburn, Spiri Tsintziras

Past event

3 Mar
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Acknowledgment of Country

The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to the people of the Kulin Nation and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past and present.