The Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship is a joint initiative between Text Publishing and Writing NSW. It is awarded to an unpublished Indigenous writer who has made substantial progress on a fiction or non-fiction writing project. The purpose of the program is to discover and nurture a powerful new Indigenous voice in Australian literature and to support the writer as they develop their manuscript and seek publication.
The Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship is now open for applications.
The recipient of the year-long mentorship will be paired with a senior Indigenous writer working in the same genre, who will provide feedback on their manuscript and professional advice. They will also receive professional development from Text Publishing and Writing NSW.
The 2024 mentorship, judged by Text author and 2020 Boundless mentee John Morrissey, alongside representatives from Text Publishing and Writing NSW, was won by Kalem Murray for his speculative fiction manuscript Regression. You can read about the winning manuscript here.
Murray will be mentored by Mykaela Saunders, David Unaipon Award-winning editor of This All Come Back Now (2022) and author of Always Will Be (2024).
Writing NSW CEO Sophie groom says:
‘The Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship is a key program for Writing NSW, and we’re delighted to present it again in 2024 in partnership with Text Publishing, with the generous support of FNAWN and Booktopia. Kalem Murray is a real talent, and we can’t wait to see his already impressive work progress over the coming year.’
The Boundless Mentorship was launched in 2018 and was welcomed by the Indigenous writing community. Submissions were received from all over the country.
Mentorships are an important link in First Nations writing. Either through informal or formal structures, writers gain skills and knowledge of their craft but also of the industry. For First Nations writers, mentoring by their peers can bring literary knowledge but also a cultural perspective in keeping our stories strong without losing the essence of the story.
— Cathy Craigie, founding Director of the First Nations Australia Writers Network
Allanah Hunt was the winner of the inaugural Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship for her submission Forever and Ever. She was mentored by author Tara June Winch. You can read more about Allanah’s winning submission and the 2019 shortlist here.
The Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship is an outcome of Boundless – the festival of Indigenous and culturally diverse writers.
For more information, including the opening date for submissions, please stay connected to Text and Writing NSW’s socials. All enquiries about the mentorship should be directed to Writing NSW.
