Summary

Joanna Morrison lives in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband and two sons. After a career in print journalism, Joanna completed a Creative Writing PhD in 2014. Since then, her short fiction has appeared in literary journals and anthologies around Australia and has been shortlisted or nominated for various prizes, including the Margaret River Press Short Story Competition and the Pushcart Prize. Her first novel, THE GHOST OF GRACIE FLYNN, was shortlisted for the 2020 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award, while her second, THE WANTING DANCE, was shortlisted for the 2024 Australian Fiction Prize.

Biography

Joanna has worked in bars and restaurants, on a cruise ship, in classrooms, and on the occasional stage. She's been a freelance editor and a journalist for the Community Newspaper Group and the independent 'Fremantle Herald'. With an MA and a Creative Writing PhD from Murdoch University, she was also a sessional academic for ten years.

Joanna's first novel 'The Ghost of Gracie Flynn (Fremantle Press, 2022) was shortlisted for the 2020 Hungerford Award, while her second, THE WANTING DANCE, was shortlisted for the 2024 Australian Fiction Prize. Joanna's short fiction includes 'Night Road to Ceduna' (Westerly, 2016), 'Of the Water' ('Joiner Bay and Other Stories', Margaret River Press, 2017), 'This old Thing' (Best Prose Piece, Meniscus, April 2018), 'Stay' ('Just a Voice', Wild Weeds Press, 2021) 'Primitive Gifts' (Westerly, 2021), 'The Stuff of Salvation' (ACE III, Recent Work Press, 2022), and 'Myfanwy' (the little journal, Writing WA, 2024).

Relevant qualifications

Bachelors in Arts and Journalism
Creative Writing Masters and PhD
Former professional member of IPEd

Recent experience

2026
Creative Writing workshop facilitator ('The Art of Description with Joanna Morrison and Katrina Kell', at the Australian Short Story Festival in Fremantle)

2024
Creative Writing workshop facilitator ('Design & Refine with Joanna Morrison' at AH Bracks library in Melville)

2022
Creative Writing workshop facilitator ('Immersive Writing with Joanna Morrison' at Open Book in Mosman Park)

2009 -> 2020
Sessional Tutor, facilitating workshops in Creative Writing and other units, Murdoch University

2010, 2012 and 2015
Conference Papers presented in Wales, Melbourne and Perth respectively

Publications

Get in touch

Website http://www.joannamorrison.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JoMorrisonAuthor

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jobmorrison/