about

Elanna was born and raised in Canberra and has lived in rural New South Wales and Western Australia. She writes poetry, narrative non-fiction, short fiction and historical fiction.

She is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations for her writing. 

In 2020 she won the June Shenfield National Poetry Award. 

In 2001 she won the Marion Eldridge Award.

Shortlists include:

South Coast Writers Poetry Award (2026); Ros Spencer Poetry Prize (2025) longlisted; ACT Literary Awards/Marion (2024) Poetry Book; Society of Women Writers NSW National Writing Award Poetry runner up (2024); Australian Catholic University (ACU) Prize for Poetry (2021); Flying Islands' press unpublished manuscript prize (2022), longlisted; twice runner-up for Queensland Poetry Festival's emerging older poets mentorship (2020, 2018) and twice runner-up for the Booranga Poetry Prize (2017, 2019). 

Her debut poetry collection sifting fire writing coast, was published by Walleah Press in 2023.

Her short story collection Frieda and the Cops (Ginninderra Press) was runner up, A.C.T Writing and Publishing Awards (2006). 

Fellowships include:

(poetry) - South Coast Writers Centre Emerging and Established Writers Residential,  Bundanon (2022).

'Writing Fire Writing Drought'  Residential Fellowship at Varuna, the National Writing House (2020).

(prose) - Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre (WA) Residential Fellowship (2019). 

Her academic focus is on Communication and Cultural Studies with a research focus on the intersection of new ways to write historical fiction to reveal a narrative history of marginalised women from Australia's colonial past. 

Elanna has a Doctorate in Communication and a Graduate Diploma in Professional Writing from the University of Canberra, and a BA (ANU).