How it’s done

By engaging with storytelling from a place of worthiness.

What I do

I create principled, joyful spaces where teaching and mentoring are grounded in openness and curiosity, and where creativity is treated as a living thing that thrives when writers create from joy and belonging rather than scarcity and fear.

“Writing brings us home to ourselves. Stories bring us home to each other.”

Values

Writers have an intrinsic curiosity that draws them toward learning new things and experiencing the world in new ways. Curiosity requires courage — it asks us to step beyond what is comfortable and safe, choosing openness and curiosity over judgement and fear. Courage is the relational practice of sharing knowledge and skill, rejecting scarcity, and normalising the changing of our minds when presented with new information. It honours autonomy, embraces possibility, and asks us to do what it takes to get it right, not to be right.

If courage helps us choose the braver path, integrity is the commitment to stay aligned with it. Integrity is living our values rather than performing them — relational, principled, and quietly brave. It is grounded in believing people, honouring their stories, and choosing what is right over what is easy, even when no one is watching.

Acknowledging Country and storytelling

Publishing as we know it has grown from a colonised history of storytelling — one that has often failed to acknowledge and honour Indigenous peoples across the world.

I live, work, and play on unceded Wurundjeri lands, and pay my ongoing respect to First Nations peoples, the original storytellers of this land.

Storytelling itself is expansive, ancient, and sovereign. For First Nations peoples, stories celebrate and honour an enduring connection to Country, community, and culture.

This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

Respect story, ownership and intellectual property

When engaging with Debut Books — through the website, events, social media, or any submitted or shared work — please do not use content that does not belong to you without consent or credit. While AI is an excellent tool, I believe in honouring, celebrating and championing human creativity.

All work created by AI must be disclosed.

Choose abundance over scarcity

Compersion and reciprocity are the foundation of any community. We all have different skills, experiences, and knowledge — pay it forward, open doors for others, and give as you wish to receive. Celebrate the joy and wins of others, even when their success does not involve or benefit you directly.

There is enough room for us all.

Choose kindness

Nice is not always kind and kind is not always nice. Be clear with your boundaries and respect those of others. Listen with openness and curiosity, offer feedback gently and thoughtfully, and engage with each other meaningfully.

Principled spaces

The commitments

The concept of principled spaces is attributed to artist and activist Hanalei Ramos. It recognises that truly safe spaces cannot be guaranteed because we cannot control how people behave, think, and speak.

By committing to a set of shared principles that guide how we show up, we increase the possibility of safety, care and belonging for everyone involved.

Community Expectations

All writers are welcome at Debut Books, and I am committed to maintaining an environment that is free from harassment and bullying. Conversation and debate are welcome, and disagreement is natural — but responses must be fair, respectful, and grounded in care.

Personal attacks and hateful, abusive, violent, misleading, or illegal behaviour will not be tolerated. I reserve the right to terminate any contract or remove any content or person that violates the rules or spirit of this community.