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Mentoring

Indrani Perera is an Australian author who shares her extensive experience and knowledge as a published poet with her students. She provides expert guidance for emerging and established writers. Her mentoring services include encouragement and support, feedback on writing and editing as well as publishing industry advice and information.

‘What sets Indrani apart is not just her mastery of poetry but her genuine investment in nurturing emerging voices. Her feedback was always constructive, pushing me to explore new horizons while staying true to my voice. Her mentorship was a blend of professionalism, warmth, and genuine passion for the craft, making every interaction both enlightening and enjoyable.’

Lakshmi R Kanchi

Author of Lake song

‘Indrani was one of the first poets published by Ginninderra Press. Her first collection, Defenestration, clearly demonstrated that she was a talent to watch and her second, pas de deux, amply confirmed her dedication to the craft of poetry. New and aspiring poets would learn an immense amount from her workshops and benefit richly from her enthusiasm and insights.’

Stephen Matthews OAM

Publisher, Ginninderra Press

To book an online mentoring session, please email Indrani with ‘Poetry Mentoring’ in the subject line.

Take a deep dive into poetry with a one-on-one session with Indrani, tailored to meet your needs. Be that feedback on your work, questions about writing techniques or information about the industry, she is happy to discuss it all!

Indrani shares her knowledge about joining writers’ groups, attending open mics, submitting to journals, entering competitions, preparing manuscripts, finding a publisher and more!

Duration: 1 hour

Class Size: personal, one-on-one session

Venue: online

Cost: $100 per session

Hello! I’m Indrani Perera.

I have been writing, editing and publishing for over 25 years.

I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping writers to become published authors.

I have had two poetry books published, been shortlisted for major Australian poetry prizes and my poems appear in literary journals in Australia, India and the USA. I have performed extensively on the open mic and been a featured poet for Girls on Key, the Melbourne Spoken Word & Poetry Festival and the Perth Poetry Festival.

I also have significant experience in the publishing industry — working in an Australian book shop, for an independent Australian publisher and as editor of the Pocketry Almanack print journal.

I can help you achieve your writing goals with support, encouragement, feedback, editing and industry advice.

To book a mentoring session or enquire about what she can offer you, please email Indrani with ‘Poetry Mentoring’ in the subject line.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Send an email to Indrani and she can design something just for you!

February 6, 2024
Places You’ll Never Go and Things You Won’t See

Any journal, especially an Australian one that is open to or dedicated to publishing poetry in languages other than English has my wholehearted support. English is not the only language and the more we learn from each other the better. We are a multicultural society with a majority of Australians being born overseas or having a parent who was born overseas. As such, our literary landscape needs to reflect our cultural diversity.

So when I come across a fabulous journal like Kalliope X, I devour its contents and then start submitting my work. I am so honoured to have my poem, Places You'll Never Go and Things You Won't See in issue 5 of this fabulous digital publication. Thank you to the editors for selecting my work.

December 1, 2023
Perfect Chromatic Pitch

I knew nothing about this exhibition before I went see it because I had never heard of Bonnard. What drew me in was the poster outside the front of the NGV and the name India Madhvi. Oh and my poetry friend George raved about it. That helped.

When I got into the exhibition I was a little surprised to learnt that Bonnard was an impressionist French painter who was considered one of the greats. I have to say that as much as I appreciate this style, I've seen rather a lot of white, male artists painting blurred images. Where's the rest of the world beyond Europe? Where are the folks who don't identify as male?

Where Bonnard stood out for me however was that he painted domestic interiors and also nudes of himself. Most male painters have been obsessed with the female form and I am sick of the objectification of women. Hew as also invested in the portrayal f street life and called it 'the theatre of the everyday'.

Bonnard was also an early adopter of photography and took many selfies! He was alive when cinema first began and the exhibition included vintage footage from his friends, the Lumière brothers, shot in France in the 1809s. Seeing ordinary people on the streets of Paris in their old fashioned clothes was fascinating. A small glimpse into the everyday life of yesterday.

The exhibition features more than one hundred works by Bonnard and was created in partnership with the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Many of my favourite pieces in the exhibition were created by his contemporaries including Vuillard.

I can see parallels with William Morris from the UK as Bonnard also designed fans, folding screens, posters, sets and costumes. And Bonnard even illustrated children's music primers for his brother-in-law who was a composer.

It's interesting to see an artist of the past straddling the fine art and commercial worlds in this way. When I think of artists, I tend to see them as non commercial, that is to say, not using their art to illustrate products, objects or furniture. Bonnard's approach is a much more pragmatic one ensuring he earns an income and also a more egalitarian one (whether he intended it to be or not) allowing his art to be affordable for everyone and not just hidden away on some collector's wall or in a museum's collection.

The NGV commissioned the celebrated architect and designer India Mahdavi to design the exhibition’s scenography. The New Yorker calls her a ‘virtuoso of colour’ and ‘possessor of perfect chromatic pitch’. According to the NGV website, 'Her singular approach to colour, structure and texture has resulted in numerous acclaimed projects, including commissions for hotels, restaurants and retail…'

My favourite section of the exhibition was the latter half with theitsbold coloured walls, carpets, chairs and lamps. Large canvases hung on the walls which sometimes had windows cut into them, giving you different views of the gallery space.

I can see why my friend George raved about this exhibition. The design by India Mahdavi took it to the next level. The paintings were good, don't get me wrong but I don't think they were necessarily outstanding or ground breaking, although they may have been at the time they were made. However, the design of the exhibition with its bold colours, patterns, space and light made the exhibition as a whole created than the sum of it s parts. Design is usually a silent partner, not noticed until it goes wrong. In this exhibition, deign is the assertive big sister, saying 'Yes, I am here too!'

This painting of an almond tree was my favourite. It was also Bonnard's last completed painting. Of course this photo sones't do it justice. You'll have to check out the exhibition for yourself if you want to see it in its full glory.

I'll finish this post with a quote from Bonnard that is spot on for any artist or person wanting to learn and do.

'A painter should have two lives, one in which to learn, and one in which to practise his (sic) art.'

Pierre Bonnard

October 1, 2023
A Blooming Good Time

This morning we managed to sneak in a visit to Floriade on our way to our other engagements (high tea at The Marion and a concert at St Paul's in Manuka). When we left my parents' place in Tuggeranong, it was slightly overcast but by the time we had found a car park, it was a classic Canberra spring day of blue skies, sunshine and a slight crispy edge to the morning air.

It wasn't too crowded given the earlyish hour so we had ample room to wander along the garden beds checking out the magnificent displays of tulips, daffodils and irises. So much magnificent colour all artfully arranged. It is such a magnificent sight.

On our drive from Melbourne to Canberra I had remembered that Floriade was on again but I figured we wouldn't have time in between catching up with family and friends. I am pleased to say that I was wrong! It's one of the many blessing of having older children. You can easily do several things in a day because there's no need for naps or constant snacks!

September 24, 2023
Food, Glorious Food

One of my favourite things to do when travelling to some place new, is to check out the local supermarket and see what's the same and what's different. Every country has its own aesthetic and style. The pictures and labels on the products are different, sometimes the packaging is too – in South America you can buy fresh milk in sealed plastic bags! Luckily for me, the very first thing I did on my first proper day in Sri Lanka was to visit a local supermarket with my Dad and my cousin who drove us from our villa to the village shops.

There were so many different kinds of fruit I'd never seen or heard of before. Grains in bins that could be bought by weight. Lots of fresh fish waiting to be fried. And more brands of coconut oil than I'd ever seen in one place. It's obvious what the oil of choice is around here! The green mangoes we bought were incredible! My second favourite find was the onion flavoured chips made from rice and chickpea flour.

After the supermarket, Perera & Daughter went to the Perera & Sons bakery to buy some short eats for lunch. They've been baking for the locals for 117 years! I bought chicken rotti and vegetable pan rolls for the girls for lunch. Miss 16 is usually a chilli queen like her dad but even she found the chicken rotti too spicy! As my cousin used to say, 'If there's no chilli, where's the flavour?'

December 2, 2022
Poems

You’ll find below a list of Indrani Perera’s poems that were published in print anthologies, literary journals (digital and analogue), as chapbooks and those that have placed in competitions or been awarded prizes.

You can buy Indrani’s poetry collections, pas de deux and Defenestration, here.

Anthologies

Dec 2024 pathika, (Heroines: An Anthology of Poetry Volume 5, editor Sarah Nicholson)

Jun 2024 Notes From the Diaspora on Returning ‘Home’ (Being, Centre for Creative and Cultural Research)

Jun 2024 Landline (Being, Centre for Creative and Cultural Research)

Feb 2024 no good at sport (Finding My Feet, Melbourne Poets Union)

Feb 2024 Seagrass Meadow (Finding My Feet, Melbourne Poets Union)

Dec 2023 Settler’s Debt (Telling Australia’s Truth, Ginninderra Press)

Sep 2023 Liquefy (Poetry D’Amour 2023, WA Poets Inc)

Sep 2023 The Ocean of You (Poetry D’Amour 2023, WA Poets Inc)

Dec 2022 dried apricots (Shoot the Breeze, Girls on Key)

Nov 2021 The Scientific Astrologer (Eclectic Words, Geelong Writers Inc)

May 2021 too late (Milestones, Ginninderra Press)

May 2020 Apis (From the Inside Looking Out, Geelong Writers Inc)

May 2020 We Ride the Night (From the Inside Looking Out, Geelong Writers Inc)

May 2020 Intergalactic Tourism (I Protest, Ginninderra Press)

Sep 2019       Gunnug Batur (Mountain Secrets, Ginninderra Press)

Aug 2019    Recipe For A Poem (Brushstrokes: Ros Spencer Poetry Contest 2016-19, WA Poets Inc)

Chapbooks

Aug 2024 Anthropocene (Queensland Writers Centre)

Journals

Dec 2024 Notes to a Magpie Sitting on a Fence, Carolling to the Trees (Australian Poetry Journal, Issue 13.2: Desire)

Dec 2023 Places You’ll Never Go and Things You Won’t See (Kalliope X, Issue 5: Spring)

Nov 2023 Light Years (Science Write Now, Issue 9: Migration)

Nov 2023 Yesterday is Today: the Migration of Memory (Science Write Now, Issue 9: Migration)

Jul 2023 At the Foothills of the Dandenong Ranges (Jacaranda Journal)

Jul 2023 Complicit: A Visual History of ‘Australia’ Since Invasion (Axon)

Mar 2023 Uncanny Valley (Mantissa Poetry Review, Issue 2: Re)

Mar 2023 Attention: Ferntree Gully (December 2020) (Mantissa Poetry Review, Issue 2: Re)

Dec 2022 $7.86 (hākārā, Issue 17: Repetition)

Dec 2022    Iteration (October 2022) (hākārā, Issue 17: Repetition)

Oct 2022    Dystopian Dreams (Eye to the Telescope, Issue 46: Quest)

Sep 2022    The Poisoned Path (The Crow, September 2022)

Aug 2022    Life Support (Gems Zine, Issue 22: Nature)

Aug 2022 paper garden (Gems Zine, Issue 22: Nature)

Feb 2022 a different brew (Burrow, February 2022: Gifting)

Feb 2022 binding threads (Burrow, February 2022: Gifting)

Feb 2022    Catching Some Zeds (Burrow, February 2022: Gifting)

Feb 2022 The Toddy Tappers (Cordite, Issue 104: Kin)

Dec 2021 A Good Listener (The Crow)

Dec 2021 going viral (The Victorian Writer, Summer 2021: Transformation)

Aug 2021 all she left unsaid (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

Aug 2021 Come Out and Play (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

Aug 2021 on the ferny creek trail (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

Aug 2021 Shimmer (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

Aug 2021 Summer Alive (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

Aug 2021 Two Girls and a Swing (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

Aug 2021 A Lexicon (Pocketry, Issue 2)

Jul 2021 Shelter (More than Melanin, Issue 2: Intimacy in Solitude)

Jun 2021   Nana’s Kitchen (The Crow)

May 2021 Vanishing Point (Teesta Review Journal, Volume 4)

May 2021 Kama Kunna Ena (Teesta Review Journal, Volume 4)

Mar 2021 White Fragility (Not Very Quiet, Issue 8: Mask)

Feb 2021 Never Seen (Cordite, Issue 100: Brownface)

Zines

May 2025 Love vs Autumn (Slamtidote)

Dec 2024 Haiku in the Hills (editor AJ D’Costa)

Other

Mar 2025 Far Flung Seeds (Phone-a-Poem, Red Room poetry)

Sep 2024 by the book haiku (Poetry on the Big Screen at Northbridge Piazza, 2024 Perth Poetry Festival)

Sep 2024 introduced species (Poetry on the Big Screen at Northbridge Piazza, 2024 Perth Poetry Festival)

Dec 2019 Edifice (Receipt Poetry, Yarra Libraries)

Prizes

Jul 2025    Longlisted                    Liquid Amber Poetry Prize

Jun 2025 Longlisted Kathryn Purnell Poetry Prize

Oct 2024 Longlisted 2024 Frontier OPEN Poetry Prize

Apr 2024 Shortlisted Heroines’ Anthology (Volume 5, Global Poetry Edition)

Oct 2023 Highly Commended University of Canberra Vice Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize

Oct 2023 Longlisted University of Canberra Vice Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize

Oct 2022 Shortlisted Jean Stone Award

Aug 2022 Winner Red Room 30 in 30 Daily Winner, Day Four

May 2022 Shortlisted Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing: Open Poetry Section

Oct 2017 Winner Elyne Mitchell Prize: Non-Fiction Bonus Prize

Residencies

Sep 2024 Highly Commended Terra, Varuna Residential Fellowship

July 30, 2022
The Blowhole

Bicheno, east coast of Tasmania

May 21, 2022

Alt Home Page

Home Page Hero Image - Author Pic PT Bonsack

~ Author Photo Credit: Brendan Bonsack ~

Indrani Perera is one of two featured artists at the fantastic spoken word evening, Girls On Key in July 2021.

Come to Open Studio in Northcote to hear Indrani and fellow feature, Helen Bradwell share words, poetry and stories. There’s an open mic if you’d like to join in and share your poems.

Event: Girls On Key Featuring Indrani Perera and Helen Bradwell

Time: 7.00 – 9.30 pm

Date: Wednesday 7th July 2021

Venue: Open Studio, 204 High Street, Northcote, 3070

Only 30 tickets available so get in quick!

Buy Tickets

Buy now from Amazon, Book Depository or Ginninderra Press.

Pas De Deux

Indrani Perera’s remarkable second collection of poetry, Pas De Deux, is now available. Indrani invites you to come take her hand; to dance, spin and twirl with her words.

‘Indrani questions and observes herself and the world around her with humour, passion, and perspicacity.’

~ David Munro author of Wearing My Father’s Hat

‘It is an intimate invitation to savour the music of our bodies in language and to be immersed in the dance of words.’

~ Emilie Collyer, poet and playwright

‘… pas de deux is a tour de force.’

~ Joan Fenney, journalist and editor of The Crow

Shop

Indrani Perera creates zines, chapbooks and bookmarks featuring her poetry and original photography. She specialises in creating handmade books using book binding techniques as well as eco-dyeing paper to create one of a kind covers. These bespoke books range from photocopied instant books to limited edition print runs.

Shop the collection now.

Poetry

Burn

the blood, the blood

runs deep

they say

Read More

Performance

‘Absolutely gorgeous.

I love your words, and your voice – there’s nothing like hearing you read your work yourself…

Encore!’

Sue Totterdell, singer and musician

July 9, 2021

Girls On Key

I’m super excited to announce that next month I’m going to be joining Helen Bradwell as one of the featured artists for Girls On Key in Melbourne! the event takes place in the fabulous Open Studio in Northcote.

Girls On Key are a fabulous organisation who support female and gender diverse poets and spoken word artists wth their monthly events in Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne. The events have two featured artists as well as an open mic section for poets to strut their stuff.

I can’t wait to be back behind the microphone and sharing poetry *hopefully* in front of a live audience. Here are the event details. I’d love to see you there and hear you reciting some fo your poetry! If we’re still in lockdown, the event will go online.

Girls on Key Featuring Indrani Perera and Helen Bradwell

7.00 – 9.30pm

Wednesday 7th July 2021

Open Studio, 204 High Street, Northcote, 3070

Cost: $11.50 / $9.00 (only 30 available)

Buy Tickets

June 7, 2021
Unexpected Art

Art is everywhere you look. It's in sunlight on the clouds. In the way the person in front of you walks. In the curve of a child's cheek. In the leaves on the trees and the call of a bird.

In this case, art was in the old telephone booths at Adelaide Railway station in (you guessed it) Adelaide. They've taken the old wooden telepone booths built into the wall near the entrance to the platforms and turned them into display cases for local artists.

I discovered it last week when I nipped out of lunch to photograph the gorgeous neoclassical building which houses the station and was built from 1926-1928. The building cost so much money it almost sent the state broke. It became known as Webb's Palace after the man responsible for building it, Railway Commissoner William Webb.

The artist currently being featured is Tom Moore, an Australian visual artist specialising in art glass making. His hybridised animla/plant scupltures are technically challenging and super engaging. He responds to ideas of the antipodean, the inverted other and wonder for the exotic. His work has precursors in Italian capriccio glass of the 15th century and the illustrations of the English artist Edward Lear.

It was such a joy to stumble across these vistas into an imagined reality while I was intent on photograping the building. They put a smile in my heart and I carried them home with me.

May 19, 2021