For four years, The Wheeler Centre’s Next Chapter writers’ scheme has been working to change the Australian publishing landscape by providing a foot in the door for writers who have historically been overlooked by the industry. As we begin to wrap up 2022, join us for this year’s final instalment of the much-loved literary event The Next Big Thing, featuring writers from the 2022 Next Chapter scheme. Over a drink, you’ll hear works-in-progress from Jumaana Abdu, Jose da Costa, Monikka Eliah, Tristen Harwood, Brooke Maddison, Luke Patterson, Micaela Sahar, Jocelyn Suzanne, Anne-Marie Te Whiu and more.
The Next Chapter writers scheme is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Aesop Foundation and George & Rosa Morstyn.
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.
Wheelchair accessible
Accessible toilets available
Jumaana Abdu is the author of Translations (Vintage). She is a Dal Stivens Award winner and a Wheeler Centre Next Chapter alumnus. Her work has been published widely, including in Thyme Travellers (Roseway Publishing) ...
Jose da Costa was born in Timor-Leste where he was a youth clandestine activist. Arriving by boat as a refugee, he campaigned extensively, especially throughout regional Victoria, for East Timorese independence. He has worked ...
Monikka Eliah is an Assyrian-Australian writer and performer from Fairfield. She has participated in National Theatre of Parramatta’s Page to Stage program, Playwrights of Parramatta, CuriousWorks Breakthrough Screen Writing Program ...
Tristen Harwood is an Indigenous writer, critic, editor and researcher. The eldest of seven children, he was raised in Perth’s outer suburbs by a single mother on welfare. His poetry and short fiction is concerned with ambiguous ...
Brooke Maddison is a writer and editor working on unceded Turrbal and Yuggera land. She is completing a Masters of Writing, Editing and Publishing at the University of Queensland and is the founder and co-editor of Crackle ...
Luke Patterson is a Gamilaroi poet, educator and musician living on Gadigal lands. His poetry has appeared in Cordite, Plumwood Mountain, Rabbit, Running Dog and The Suburban Review. Luke's research and creative pursuits ...
Micaela Sahhar is an Australian-Palestinian writer and educator. Her poetry and essays have appeared in Overland, Cordite, the Age, Southerly, and the Conversation, among others, and she was shortlisted for the Blake Poetry Prize in 2014 ...
Josie/Jocelyn Suzanne is a freelance editor/writer/programmer. Their work has appeared in Cordite, Southerly, Rabbit Journal and Overland, among others. They were shortlisted for the 2022 Val Vallis award, and were the ...
Anne-Marie Te Whiu is an Australian-born Māori whose whakapapa belongs to Te Rarawa in the Hokianga, Aotearoa. She is a poet, weaver, editor and festival director, having co-directed the QLD Poetry Festival from 2017 ...
Xanthea O’Connor is the Wheeler Centre’s Programme and Special Projects Producer. She has previously worked in music and events management and spent a handful of years as an usher at the Wheeler Centre before joining ...