As the World Turns

In this edition of Next Big Thing, a line-up of writers will read work exploring what it means to seek out your place in a world that is ever-changing.
About
In this edition of Next Big Thing, a line-up of writers will read work exploring what it means to seek out your place in a world that is ever-changing.
Grace Chan’s novel Every Version of You takes a futuristic look at the ties between humans and technology; Else Fitzgerald’s speculative fiction collection Everything Feels Like the End of the World explores the possible futures facing a vulnerable humanity; in his debut novel Forty Nights, Pirooz Jafari tells a story about the lasting impact of dislocation and dispossession; Declan Fry writes about finding connection while far from home; and Denice Dabu’s piece in the latest edition of Voiceworks mixes absurdist and surreal humour in a story titled ‘A New Kind of Love, A New Kind of Eating’.
These writers are thinking and writing through what’s most important, and how we can best connect to one another, as the world slips further from our control. Join us at the Moat for a drink to hear new writing from these talents on the rise.
Illustration by Megan Herbert.
Tickets
You have the option to pay what you can for this for this event. As a guide, the suggested price is $15, although any amount will help cover our costs and keep these events accessible. Bookings are essential.
We’re taking part in the Victorian Entertainment Program.
This means you can claim back 25% of eligible purchases (up to $125) when you spend $40 or more! Just keep your receipt and apply for your rebate at at the Victorian Entertainment Program website. Act fast! The program will close once funds are exhausted.
Accessibility
You can learn more about the Wheeler Centre’s accessibility policies here. Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact reception on 03 9094 7800 or ticketing@wheelercentre.com.
The Next Big Thing
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.
Featuring

Grace Chan is an Aurealis and Norma K Hemming Award-nominated speculative fiction writer. She can’t seem to stop scribbling about brains, minds, space, technology, and identity. Her short fiction can be found in Going Down Swinging, Aurealis, Andromeda Spaceways, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, and many... Read more

Denice Dabu is a full-time uni student majoring in Creative Writing and English Literature. ‘A New Kind of Love, A New Kind of Eating’ is her first published works. She loves all things storytelling and hopes to advocate reading and creativity to children in remote and regional areas in ... Read more

Else Fitzgerald is a writer based on the Mornington Peninsula. Her writing has appeared in various publications including Australian Book Review, Meanjin, The Guardian, The Suburban Review and Award Winning Australian Writing. Else won the 2019 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. Everything Feels Li... Read more

Declan Fry is a writer, essayist, and poet. Born on Wongatha country in Kalgoorlie, he has written for the Guardian, Overland, Australian Book Review, Liminal, Cordite, Kill Your Darlings, Westerly and elsewhere. His Meanjin essay “Justice for Elijah or a Spiritual Dialogue with Ziggy Ramo, Danc... Read more

Born in Iran, Pirooz Jafari migrated to Australia more than two decades ago as an ambitious photographer. His experience of witnessing violations of human rights of every imaginable kind throughout his childhood, adolescence and young adult life in Iran ignited a passion in him to pursue legal studi... Read more

Jamila is the Wheeler Centre’s programming manager. Prior to this, she worked in the publishing industry as a publicist and sales manager, working with local and international writers. Jamila holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Postgraduate Certificate in Publishing and Communications, both from th... Read more
Watch, Listen, Read

Read
Hot Desk Extract: three approaches to mem*ry
20 Jun 2022

Watch
Reading with Consent
14 Jun 2022

Watch
Teens Talk... Consent
14 Jun 2022

Read
Paul Dalla Rosa on An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life
10 Jun 2022

Read
'Nothing connects humans like fiction'
9 Jun 2022

Read
Giving new life to lost objects
8 Jun 2022