Mabel Gibson never thought about being a writer.
Even as she was penning her debut book Crybaby, the idea of being published never felt quite real.
During Gibson's first year at the University of Western Australia she found herself signing up for a creative writing subject.
Her intention was to use it to fill a bit of "extra time" while doing a bridging course and to drop the subject when the workload in her psychology studies increased.
But that never happened. The more the 25-year-old Yamatji woman wrote, the more she loved it.
Now, with the Crybaby collection of what she calls 'micro-memoirs' out in the world, Gibson is excited to build a name for herself as a writer.
Gibson found herself enrolling in a writing course through circumstance. Credit: HANDOUT/INSIDE OUT PR
"I feel like I've accomplished something I never thought I would do," she told AAP.
"It's very nerve-wracking to know that anyone I've known in my life could pick up the book and read it but I wanted to write something really honest and true."
It was Gibson's creative writing lecturer Linda Martin, who also co-owns Western Australian publishing house Night Parrot Press, who encouraged her to keep writing.
The conversations they had about what the next generation of First Nations writing might be inspired Gibson's approach to the project, which explores mental health, love, loss and identity.
Gibson feels strongly that next-generation storytelling not always having to seem overtly political or cultural, as that is inherently woven into each word.
"That was the aim with my collection ... it's to just give the normal experiences of a First Nations girl growing up in the 21st century," she said.
"No matter what I'm writing about my identity is always weaved throughout."
Gibson's ideas about Indigenous writing and her own contribution will be the subject of her talks at the First Nations Writers Festival in Townsville, in May.
But building a platform as a writer is not just a personal pursuit, Gibson says.
She'd also like to help tell the stories of people who may never have had the opportunity to be published.
"I really want to start getting my family stories out there," she said.
"That's what I'll be focusing on next, as soon as I can get my name into the writing scene a bit more."
The First Nations Writers Festival will be held in Townsville on May 30-31.
