I started writing as a way to have a voice. Though not a didactic writer, I am aware of how some people in society don’t have voices. I am driven by creating characters who don’t necessarily speak that much but still live rich interior lives. These characters are inspired by everyday lives or people, not the grandiose narratives.

I am a writer of non-fiction, essays, novels and young adult literature. My main preoccupations are character, identity and class. My first book, Unpolished Gem, was about growing up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, while my second book, Her Father’s Daughter, is about the Cambodian holocaust and my dad. My third book Laurinda, is a work of fiction about class divisions in Melbourne’s schools, and I have also written a series of historical children’s books.

Creative people need the protection that copyright affords them, in order to create things of value – not just artistic value, but economic value. This is how artists live, and breach of copyright is tantamount to taking away a bit of their livelihoods.

Visit the Reading Australia website to read Alice’s essay about Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta.

Visit Alice’s website to learn more about the award-winning author.