The Next Chapter Showcase Edition

The Next Chapter is the Wheeler Centre’s scheme for writers – offering emerging writers from marginalised communities a mentorship with an established writer, access to professional development opportunities and industry connections. It exists to support and elevate Australia’s next generation of literary talent.
In this edition of The Next Big Thing, catch a glimpse of exciting new writing from The Next Chapter’s inaugural recipients, who’ve just completed their year in the scheme. Ennis Cehic, Lian Low, Ara Sarafian, Yamiko Marama, Jean Bachoura, Nayuka Gorrie, Adam Thompson, Evelyn Araluen and Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen will share readings from their works of fiction, non-fiction, memoir and young adult writing. Hosted by Wheeler Centre Programming Manager Veronica Sullivan.
Featuring

Veronica is the Wheeler Centre’s Head of Programming. She is the chair of the Custodial Committee of the Kat Muscat Fellowship. Previously, she was a board member and Program Manager of the Feminist Writers Festival, Prize Manager of the Stella Prize, and Online Editor of Kill Your Darlings. Ver... Read more

Lian Low writes across spoken word, fiction and creative non-fiction. From 2009-2016, Lian was an editor and a board member of Peril Magazine. In 2015, Lian was a recipient of a Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowship and a City of Literature Travel Fund to travel to the Ubud Writers and Readers Festi... Read more

Yamiko Marama is a writer, therapist and food truck owner from Melbourne. An inaugural recipient of The Wheeler Centre’s Next Chapter Fellowship, she is currently working on a debut memoir that explores family relationships, alongside growing up as an Australian woman of African heritage. Yamiko... Read more

Nayuka Gorrie is a Gunnai/Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta essayist and screenwriter.

Giselle Au–Nhien Nguyen is a Vietnamese-Australian writer and bookseller, and the Marketing & Communications Manager for the Feminist Writers Festival. She is a former Daily Life columnist, and has been featured in publications including Rookie, frankie, the Lifted Brow and Kill Your Da... Read more

Ara Sarafian is an Armenian-Australian writer who lives in Melbourne. He writes comedy-fiction, commentary and satire. He has been published in The Lifted Brow, Kill Your Darlings and The Big Issue. He participated in the 2016 WrICE fellowship in China and was selected for the Wheeler Centre’s Nex... Read more

Ennis Cehic is a writer living and working between Melbourne and Sarajevo. His writing focuses on ideas of displacement, creativity, identity and existentialism. His work, including essays, poetry, fiction and memoir has been published in a variety of literary journals and publications including th... Read more

Jean Bachoura is an inaugural recipient of the Wheeler Centre’s scheme for writers, The Next Chapter. His work is reflective of a life lived between cultures: born in Damascus, raised in Syria, Lebanon and Australia. In 2016 he was awarded the Deborah Cass Prize for his piece ‘Night Falls... Read more

Adam Thompson is an emerging Aboriginal (Pakana) writer from Launceston who writes contemporary, Aboriginal-themed short fiction. In 2017–18, he undertook a writing mentorship with established author Kate Gordon, funded by Arts Tasmania. Adam has received writing awards through the Tamar Valley Wr... Read more

Evelyn Araluen is a poet, researcher and co-editor of Overland literary journal. Her widely published criticism, fiction and poetry have been awarded the Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers, the Judith Wright Poetry Prize, a Wheeler Centre Next Chapter Fellowship, and a Neilma Sidney Li... Read more
Watch, Listen, Read

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The Coal Conundrum: A Hypothetical
4 Jul 2022

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The Maternal Question
22 Jun 2022

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

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Reading with Consent
14 Jun 2022

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Teens Talk... Consent
14 Jun 2022

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