Writing research in the School of Communication and Arts investigates ‘writing’ in its broadest sense. We use creative and critical methods to examine the production, circulation and reception of written texts and to make work of enduring artistic merit. Researchers publish individually and collaboratively across a wide range of themes, including audience research; bibliotherapy; creative futurism; ecofiction; fan cultures; feminist rhetorical theory; historical fiction; literary journalism; poetry publishing; rhetoric of science, technology and medicine; prepper subcultures; and trauma studies.

Our team has received competitive research funding and won major literary awards, including ARC Discovery Project and ARC Linkage grants; Creative Australia (Literature Board); the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards; the New Zealand Society of Authors Writer’s Award; the British Fantasy Award; and the World Fantasy Award. 

We welcome applications from prospective postgraduate students in the following areas:

  • Creative writing
    • Children’s and Young Adult fiction
    • Creative nonfiction
    • Genre fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, crime, romance)
    • Literary fiction 
    • Poetry 
    • Screenwriting
  • Publishing studies
    • Book culture
    • Reader-response and reader-reception theories
  • Rhetoric and argumentation
  • Technical and professional communication
  • Writing in academic disciplines
  • Writing in digital environments

We host the Centre for Critical and Creative Writing, and we have industry connections with the Asia Pacific Writers and Translators network, AustLit (Australia’s largest literary database), the Fryer Library and the University of Queensland Press. Opportunities for Higher Degree Research students include: The Cecilie Anne Sloane Postgraduate English Creative Writing Research Scholarship; the UQ Creative Writing Fellowship; and the UQP Writing Mentorship. 

Our Writing alumni and honorary faculty features accomplished authors such as Isobelle Carmody, Jack Dann, Shastra Deo, Nick Earls, Candice Fox, Alison Goodman, Sarah Holland-Batt, Bri Lee, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor and Rebecca Starford. Graduates of our prestigious Master and PhD programs have won nearly all the major national awards, including the Miles Franklin Award, the Stella Prize, the Australian / Vogel National Literary Award, the Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian Premiers’ Literary Awards, and many others.

  • Associate Professor Venero Armanno

    Associate Professor
    School of Communication and Arts
    Affiliate of Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Affiliate of Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
  • Dr Taryn Bashford

    Lecturer
    School of Communication and Arts
  • Dr Tom Doig

    Lecturer in Creative Writing
    School of Communication and Arts
    Affiliate of Centre for Communication and Social Change
    Centre for Communication and Social Change
    Affiliate of Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Affiliate of Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Affiliate of Centre for Digital Cultures & Societies
    Centre for Digital Cultures & Societies
  • Dr Amber Gwynne

    Associate Lecturer
    School of Communication and Arts
  • Dr Sarah Klenbort

    Teaching Associate in Writing
    School of Communication and Arts
  • Dr Emily Larkin

    Teaching Associate in Writing
  • Professor Bronwyn Lea

    Head of School
    School of Communication and Arts
  • Associate Professor Helen Marshall

    Director Teaching & Learning & Associate Professor
    School of Communication and Arts
    Affiliate of Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Affiliate of Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Affiliate of Centre for Digital Cultures & Societies
    Centre for Digital Cultures & Societies
  • Dr Richard Newsome

    Lecturer
    School of Communication and Arts
    Affiliate of Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Affiliate of Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
  • Dr Melanie Saward

    Lecturer
    School of Communication and Arts
  • Professor Kim Wilkins

    Lecturer in Writing, Publishing, and 21st-Century Book Culture & Professor
    School of Communication and Arts
    Deputy Associate Dean (Research)
    Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
    Affiliate of Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Affiliate of Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing & Centre Director of Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
    Research Centre in Creative Arts and Human Flourishing
  • Dr Beck Wise

    Lecturer
    School of Communication and Arts
    Affiliate of Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
    Centre for Critical and Creative Writing