I woke before dawn thinking of Wagin
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Keywords
non-fiction essay, creative writing, landscape, relationship, story of the region, textual work
Non-Traditional Research Output
Original Creative Work
Document Type
Non-Traditional Research Output
Date of Publication
2024
Research Statement
Research Background
This is a work of creative non-fiction which considers tensions within the landscape of the Wheatbelt in Western Australia. This large area was ruthlessly cleared in the early 20th Century, and within two generations almost all native vegetation was removed from ‘an area the size of Scotland’ (Hughes-d’Aeth, 2007). The impact of subsequent salinity has mean large scale desertion of towns and desertification of farmland. The work considers the contrasts inherent between the cultural landmarks and the realities of this impact on the environment and towns, making note of the ironies and tensions between fertile lands and decimation of the natural world.
Research Contribution
The challenge of compression in writing is particularly difficult for a writer and a test of skill in structure and design. Editor Laura Keenan says of the form ‘A micro memoir has the same narrative tension as fiction or a full-length memoir, but reveals a truth in a very distilled form.’ The works in this anthology break new ground in short form writing in Australia. This work contributes a regional perspective and unpacks complex issues around landscape and economy in the Wheatbelt.
Research Significance
Night Parrot Press are a small independent publisher established in 2019 and based in Perth, who have a commitment to publishing experimental forms and non-traditional work. This anthology is the first micro-memoir collection to be published in Australia and includes 100 micro memoirs by authors including Barry Divola, Scott-Patrick Mitchell and Gillian O’Shaughessy. This anthology was subject of a panel discussion at Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, which included a reading of this work and discussion of the form. Donna Mazza was invited to discuss the form on ABC Radio Drive (WA) and read an extract from the work.
Publication Title
Ourselves: 100 micro memoirs
Publisher
Night Parrot Press
School
School of Arts and Humanities
RAS ID
72374
Links and/or Documentation
Duration
750 words
ISBN
9780648706366
Documentation Statement
This record presents a documented representation of the research output, including the research statement and associated contextual metadata. The creative work itself is not included. Where available, external links are provided to representations of the work.
Content Type
Documentation only
DOI Statement
The DOI refers to the repository metadata record only and serves as a documentation identifier.
Recommended Citation
Mazza, D. (2024). I woke before dawn thinking of Wagin. In L. Keenan & C. Mulder (Eds.), Ourselves: 100 micro memoirs in focus. [Short story]. Night Parrot Press. [Documentation record only]. Research Online. https://doi.org/10.25958/589v-zj50