[1] She published a number of poems, including the poetry collection Dream Horses and Other Verses (1912).

Her poem "The First Night in Sydney Harbour" was anthologized in The Oxford Book of Australian Women's Verse (1995).

[2] She published a science fiction novel, Tzane (1926), about the invention of a dangerous chemical formula.

[4] She was active in arts and historical organizations in Sydney, including Australian Authors Week, the British Drama League, the Pageant Committee, and the Pioneers' Club.

[1][5] J. L. Ranken was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1939 for her charity work.