Bonnibel Rambatan
Bonnibel Rambatan plays with fire to dissent and liberate through words and images. They started their career as a philosophy blogger and independent filmmaker before moving on to more traditional publishing, first as an acquiring editor and later a development editor for publishers in Jakarta in the 2010s. From 2018 to 2020, they served as CEO of a rights management startup for diverse voices and progressive stories, working with artists and writers for comics and webtoons. They have spoken at various venues, including Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, MuseumsQuartier Vienna, and Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre.
Throughout their career, Bonnibel has always navigated between two worlds: arts & literature and the activism/journalism/research space, including historical and sociological research, critical theory, and philosophy. With Jacob Johanssen, they co-authored Event Horizon: Sexuality, Politics, Online Culture, and the Limits of Capitalism, published by Zer0 Books in 2022. In 2022-2024, they hosted the Southeast Asia Dispatches podcast, interviewing activists and thought leaders across the region.
Bonni is the former Editorial Manager, Head of Product, and Co-Executive Manager at New Naratif, a media and community organisation for democracy in Southeast Asia. In 2024, they co-founded and currently serve as Director of Arts and Creative Expression for Rainbow Panda, an arts-based organisation advocating for the well-being of LGBTQ+ children and their caretakers in Asia. They are also a proud member of the transnational activist collective Milk Tea Alliance.
Bonnibel strives to bring their strengths to uplift marginalised voices in their home region of Southeast Asia, both in their writings and advocacy work alike. They are currently based in Jakarta, Indonesia, and are always on the hunt for opportunities for collaboration.
Bonni’s range in fiction is eclectic, from children and YA to adult thrillers and speculative fiction. Most of their published works are in graphic novel format.
Bonni’s non-fiction blends graphic storytelling elements with desk research and expert interviews, informed by pop culture analysis, philosophy, and critical theory. A non-exhaustive list.
Working primarily with sequential art, Bonnibel strives to push boundaries and try new possibilities in comics, incorporating graphic novel elements in unexpected spaces.
Aside from writing, Bonni is a professional story developer, editor, and trainer on advocacy and storytelling. They have worked with numerous clients and given workshops in various events across Asia and beyond. Their services range from manuscript reviews, full-day workshops, to months-long individual mentorships.
For aspiring writers, they specialise in bringing social and psychological realism to the page, sharpening character arcs as they grapple with identities and making a manuscript more grounded on contemporary issues.
For non-writer campaigners, they specialise in building narratives that elevate the importance of key issues being advocated while avoiding melodrama, victim-pitying, and on-the-nose messaging.
Across the board, Bonnibel is passionate in helping socially conscious, liberation-driven writers and advocates—especially underrepresented Asians and/or members of the LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, and/or undocumented communities—find their voice.
To work with Bonnibel, send an email to hello@bonnibel.net. Their rates vary depending on the project's details and target beneficiaries. They strive to reply to every collaboration inquiry they receive within 1-2 weeks.
Please do not send any manuscripts or request to be included in any of the anthologies Bonni edits unless previously solicited.
