I had the good fortune to be working with Jane Messer as an editor and mentor on my novel Compassion. It is a sequel to my historical novel Benevolence published by Magabala and HarperVia. Jane has outstanding culturally appropriate skills and is a brilliant editor of creative writing. She is able to serve the author’s vision while pointing out problems and offering solutions. Her knowledge of horses is also very useful. JULIE JANSON, COMPASSION, short listed for the MILES FRANKLIN AWARD 2025, and ASA Mentor Award Recipient 2022.
Working with Jane made the experience of writing The Best Witch in Paris (Text Publishing 2024) one of the happiest in my life. Jane wholeheartedly supported my vision, gave me the space I needed to find my story, and offered endless encouragement and brilliant advice along the way. My mentorship was more than a masterclass in writing – Jane’s support throughout the creative writing process helped me to make my novel the best it could be, and to achieve my dream of becoming a published writer. LAUREN CROZIER, WINNER OF THE TEXT PRIZE 2023
Jane came highly recommended by Varuna, The National Writers’ House when I was looking for an experienced mentor to work with on my verse novel, Department of the Vanishing. I immediately liked her considered and candid communication style. It was refreshing to work with an experienced mentor who set clear expectations from the outset, worked to our timeframes and provided insights I wouldn’t have arrived at myself. Jane helped me work out how to make my characters more multidimensional and her line of questioning helped me solve a narrative dilemma I’d been struggling with. Writing is such a solitary activity and it was immensely valuable to have Jane work with me on an early draft. I learnt a lot and was able to take the work much further than I would have alone.” JOHANNA BELL, Department of the Vanishing, forthcoming with Transit Lounge, 2026.
When I first met Jane Messer, it became quickly apparent she lived in the space between worlds – she had one foot in the story and the other in the real world. I came to see her role as the bridge between worlds: between the potential of my story and the facilitation of my vision in a way that makes sense to readers I am reaching for. Caring and supportive, while also economical and operating with surgical precision (and often challenging me to my writer core), she helped me to see a different way of approaching my manuscript and writing process that has greatly aided me as a writer through a satisfying cocktail of story logic and economy of words while remaining true to the vision I was intending to create for my audience. Her guidance has helped me consider different ways I can approach writing and story development and through this process I have relaxed more into my identity as a writer and learned that great work takes time, patience and persistence. As an emerging writer, I am incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to work with Jane and I would recommend working with her in a heartbeat. WAYNE JOHNSTON, emerging writer, 2025
Jane’s manuscript assessment of my novel along with our face-to-face talk was comprehensive and insightful, especially her reflections on the characters and their motivations. She had excellent suggestions for ways to develop the structure and where to expand, or contract. I loved her ability to be direct and specific while still being positive and supportive. CATHERINE JOHNSTONE, WRITER, ARTIST AND FILMMAKER 2023
Can I just say, I loved working with Jane. Her no-nonsense, honest and encouraging approach freed me to give everything a go with results I couldn’t have dreamed up. I mean, who would have thought I’d have had short nonfiction shortlisted for publication and long fiction in progress by the time we finished our work together? Thank you Jane! A thousand times over, thank you. KYLIE HOUGH, EMERGING WRITER AND ASA MENTOR AWARD RECIPIENT 2022
It can be easy being a mentor when things are going great, it requires great skill, patience, and experience to help guide an emerging writer through what is quite a devastating time! Jane helped me see my manuscript objectively, beyond the years of blood, sweat and tears that were screaming ‘but it must be good, I’ve spent so much time on it!’ With her help and encouragement, I … brushed myself off and am well into a rewrite – that is flowing in the crystal clear ‘Jane has been here’ waters!’ EMMA O’NEILL SANDHAM, MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS, EDITOR AND WRITER, ASA MENTOR AWARD RECIPIENT 2023
Jane understands how a story works on almost a visceral level. Her sensitive insights come from a place of sound professional experience and her own authentic responses as a prolific reader and writer. She’s supportive, encouraging and realistic too. From big-picture structural issues to small but significant details my manuscript has advanced leaps and bounds under her guidance. Jane cheered me on from the sidelines and held my hand when ti came time to ‘kill my darlings’ – exactly what I needed a mentor to be. JENNIFER CASTLE, AUTHOR, SUBMISSIONS EDITOR AND ASA MENTOR AWARD RECIPIENT 2022
It was wonderful to work again with Jane, and her mentoring has been significant in helping me identify and clarify the themes, characters and narrative of my first novel. Her feedback and insights are concise and detailed and she puts an incredible amount of effort into each step of the mentoring and review process. I value her input tremendously and can’t wait to enlist her services again! NATHALIE SUTHERLAND, EMERGING WRITER, EDITOR, SEATTLE/SYDNEY 2022
It was only through Jane’s vision and patient inspired teaching that saw me develop from a very green young aspiring writer, to an author with stories published in both Australian and international journals, such as Island, Antipodes and Wasafiri. MICHELLE HAMADACHE, AUTHOR, EDITOR, LECTURER IN CREATIVE WRITING 2021
Jane recognised my vision immediately and was ambitious for me, and incredibly supportive. She’s helped me work through the kinds of technical inconsistencies I wasn’t able to see clearly, being in the thick of the story. She taught me much about structure, and the importance of killing off darlings, and of being a disciplined and decisive editor of my work. Her advice and expertise in putting together pitch and proposal documents and creating a tight synopsis were also fundamental I believe, in getting my novel seen by agents and publishers. CASSY COCHRANE, EMERGING AUTHOR, VOICE COACH AND ACTOR 2022
Jane has a deep understanding of craft, in particular, focalisation, plot and character development; all skills gained from years of teaching and reading many kinds of manuscripts. She is an astute and highly intelligent reader. She is concise and constructive in her feedback. She is an extremely ethical and generous person, a creative problem-solver, an empath. All wonderful qualities in a writer and mentor. I would strongly recommend Jane as a mentor to other writers. I feel extremely privileged to have had Jane’s caring and unwavering support for my writing over many years. MARY-ELLEN MULLANE, AUTHOR AND CHILDREN’S TV COMMISSIONING PRODUCER, ABC 2021
Jane Messer’s clarity, generosity and immense knowledge are the best combination of skills in a mentor. Her openness to students and colleagues from minority communities and genuine care for the emotional well-being of her students and mentees has had a direct and positive impact on my productivity as a writer, teacher and researcher. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to learn from her wise counsel and to develop my own skills with her guidance. ROANNA GONSALVES, AUTHOR AND ACADEMIC 2020