Murdoch University alum and academic tutor Dr Stephen Platt has been shortlisted for Emerging Writer of the Year in the 2026 Premier’s Book Awards.
Dr Platt’s debut novel, Inner Demons, is an epic fantasy – which he wrote alongside his PhD exegesis.
“When I first started writing it, I did not intend for it to become a novel, let alone be published,” Dr Platt said.
“It was an exercise in preserving sanity whilst I was writing for my PhD – creative writing providing a much-needed change of pace from academic writing.”
Inner Demons follows the journeys of dwarves, demons and orcs in a fantastical world, tying in beloved tropes like found family and a cozy, humorous fantasy atmosphere.
While his love for writing started young with a healthy diet of Beatrix Potter, Enid Blyton, Roger Hargreaves and Roald Dahl, Dr Platt said his time as an undergraduate at Murdoch and the academics he learned from paved the way to his future.
“My studies had a massive impact on my writing. My undergraduate degree was in film studies, and my elective units mostly populated with theatre and drama subjects,” Dr Platt said.
As narratives are an important part of both disciplines, I effectively spent four years learning about different forms of storytelling.
During his studies, Dr Platt was introduced to the plays and literary works of Shakespeare, Sophocles, Caryl Churchill and Samuel Beckett, as well as films from the likes of Ridley Scott, Peter Weir, Baz Luhrmann and David Lynch.
He said it was important for people to continue pursuing the creative arts in both recreational and professional capacities – and that creativity and the expression thereof were a “vital component of what it means to be a member of humanity”.
“The more we learn about the other species that live with us in the animal kingdom, the more we see behaviours that were once thought ours alone; tool use, currency, mourning the dead, even empathy and fashion trends have all been observed in chimpanzees, elephants, penguins and more,” Dr Platt said.
“But the way we communicate with one another, not just through speech and gestures, but through paint and ink and orchestration and choreography and other artistic forms is what makes up that which most differentiates us from the rest of nature; our culture.”
Dr Platt said that during his studies, he was given opportunities to practically apply the skills he honed within the learning environment through producing films and stage shows.
He said this significantly impacted his writing practice and helped him to develop his own unique voice as a writer.
“I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to study under and be influenced by many excellent teachers during my undergraduate degree with regards to my storytelling career – including Dr Martin Mhando, Dr David Moody, Professor Jenny De Reuck, Dr Melissa Merchant and Ken Kelso, along with two tutors who are sadly no longer with us – Garry Gillard and Serge Tampalini.”
Now, Dr Platt pays it forward through his role as an academic tutor, where he is able to pass on his learnings, and inspire others like his mentors inspired him.
“I want all of my students to know that the only failure in higher education is to embrace apathy. I want them to learn their capacity is much greater than they imagine, and to feel the joy of learning throughout their studies and the rest of their lives.”
The Premier’s Book Awards ceremony will take place on Friday, September 11.
From film and theatre studies to an epic fantasy novel debut
Alumni, Creative Arts and Communication, General, Social and Cultural Studies
