Shared Stories & Sacred Trust
Sophie Mathewson
An Interview with Regional Arts WA Artist Of the Month – Writer Molly Schmidt.
In an age where authenticity in storytelling has become increasingly precious, Molly Schmidt has emerged as a writer whose work is deeply rooted in both place and purpose. Born and raised in Albany in the Great Southern region of WA, Molly’s connection to her surroundings runs deep, and shapes her perspective as a storyteller.
At this year’s Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, Molly will lead a workshop on life-story and nonlinear storytelling, exploring how to weave the “messiness and chaos of everyday life” into compelling narratives. It’s a fitting role for someone whose own storytelling journey exemplifies how personal experience can transform creative craft.
Molly’s debut novel, ‘Salt River Road,’ won the 2022 Hungerford Award, and began as a deeply personal exploration of grief. She started writing the story at 16, in an attempt to process the loss of her father to cancer when she was just ten years old. “It was a bit of a work of therapy before it became a novel to share with the world,” she reflects.
But what sets Molly’s work apart is her commitment to authentic representation and cultural inclusion. Drawing on her background in journalism, which taught her “how to interview people, what kind of questions to ask, and how to make them feel comfortable”, Molly embarked on a remarkable two-year collaboration with five Noongar Elders from the Great Southern region. Under the guidance of renowned writer Professor Kim Scott, as well as Dr Brett D’Árcy, Molly’s Honours supervisor from Curtin University, she connected with Indigenous families across the Great Southern region, building relationships that would profoundly shape her writing and her approach to creating culturally respectful and authentic characters and stories.
“The Elders I worked with felt they wanted more local literature that reflected their people and their ongoing connection to this Country,” Molly explained. Every written word featuring Noongar characters was carefully crafted with the Elders’ guidance, input, and approval. This collaborative process involved countless hours of conversation, sharing stories, and building trust, resulting in a narrative that authentically represents local Indigenous voices and experiences.
Her approach during ‘Salt River Road’ has now led to another ambitious project: Molly is pursuing a PhD and co-authoring the biographies of two Elders from Albany who approached her during the writing of her debut novel. “It’s a huge honour and a daunting project, but really exciting all at once,” she admits.
While novels once dominated Molly’s own reading list, she now finds herself drawn increasingly to biographies and poetry collections. “Poetry is a wonderful way to stay connected to storytelling when time is limited,” she said, noting how these shorter forms can pack powerful emotional punches in concentrated doses.
Her current work has been influenced by Elfie Shiosaki, a writer and teacher at UWA whose unique approach to storytelling has helped guide Molly’s vision for co-authoring the Elder biographies. The works of Elfie Shiosaki as well as Madelaine Dickie have encouraged Molly to blend the use of archival documents and experimental prose to share complex family histories in more creative and meaningful ways.
For Molly, the regional landscape itself is a character, particularly in the Great Southern, with “such a power feeling to the landscape with the ocean and the mountains and the trees”. This deep connection to place infuses her work with an authenticity that resonates beyond boundaries.
Her 2022 Hungerford Award was, in Molly’s own words, “life-changing.” Watching her manuscript transform from writing on papers being carted around in boxes, to a published book was a beautiful journey that was ultimately honoured with the Hungerford Award. She remains humble about her achievement, crediting the generosity of the Elders who shared their time and stories with her.
Molly’s journey from processing personal grief as a teenager to becoming an accomplished storyteller spans a good 12 years. Her patient, measured approach to writing mirrors the rhythms of regional life. And it’s her commitment to letting stories develop at their own pace, building genuine relationships, and amplifying authentic voices that has become her hallmark as a writer.
As she works on these next two significant biographies, the WA literary world eagerly awaits to see how Molly will continue to bridge cultures and communities through thoughtful storytelling.
Catch Molly Schmidt at this year’s Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival which kicks off on Friday May 2nd and runs through to May 4th.
