Jane Messer is an esteemed Australian fiction and nonfiction writer, developmental editor and writing mentor, and a Visiting Fellow, Centre for Cultural and Creative Research, University of Canberra. She is the author of three novels that have received critical success (Hopscotch, Provenance and Night by Night). Other works include radio plays, a digital game, essays, short stories and opinion pieces. Her scholarly research and publications have focused on work life, mothering as work, and literary representations of mothering.
She was the Course Director of the Master of Creative Writing, Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University from 2004-2021. She is a former judge of the Australian Vogel Literary Awards and former Director of the ASA. She lives in Sydney on Gadigal and Wangal land.
Books—
- Hopscotch. 2015. Novel. Sydney: Picador/ Pan Macmillan Australia.
- Provenance. 2007. Novel. Sydney: Vintage/Random House.
- Certifiable Truths - stories of love and madness. 1998. Anthology. Ed, J Messer. Allen & Unwin.
- Bedlam - anthology of sleepless night. 1996. Anthology. Ed, J Messer. Allen & Unwin.
- Night by Night. 1994. Novel. McPhee Gribble/Penguin.
Digital & Broadcast —
- The Great Fire. 2019. Online narrative game. Jane Messer, Malcolm Ryan, Paul Formosa, Stephanie Howarth. Prod: Chaos Game Theory, Sydney. https://wordsonplay.itch.io/the-great-fire
- Dear Dr Chekhov. 2015. Radio drama. Writer Jane Messer. Prod: Jane Messer, Jane Ulman. Radio National, Soundproof, August 21 & 23, 2015. 56 minutes. Australian Broadcasting Commission. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/soundproof/dear-dr-chekhov/6697620
- Mermaid of Cockatoo. 2007. Radio drama. Radio National, Airplay, 18 Feb and 23 Feb 2007. Repeat 19 April 2009. 26 minutes. Australian Broadcasting Commission.
OLT Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning 2014