Posted by kluster on September 7, 2009
Being the word nerd that I am, the prospect of attending an event like the Melbourne Writers Festival foments my enthusiasm. There’s no mistaking that this is the preeminent such festival in this country. It stands to reason; the city was recently elevated to the loft heights of an UNESCO City of Literature.
It seemed a little antithetic (for a little Australian girl) that the most inspiring event was Spotlight on US Publishing Scene. Still, this was undeniably the case. Insightful is the most appropriate adjective that can be used to describe the panel that featured The Believer editor Heidi Julavitz, Melville House publisher Dennis Loy Johnson and Tin House editor Rob Spillman. There was little doom and gloom here; more of a contagious excitement about the doors currently being opened to small-scale independent publishers.
Apparently the death of Australian literature (something that Booker Prize winner, Australian literary luminary and Why Australian Literature panellist, Tom Keneally has been invited to talk about more times than he can remember during the course of his four-decade career) is a direct result of the fact that our authors are so ugly, says Australian playwright Hannie Rayson. The humour continued. In summary: Australian literature is as alive and well as it was forty years ago. Take from that whatever conclusion you will.
There are few that have risen to the dazzling peaks of debut publishing quite like 29-year-old author Reif Larsen. His now world-renowned novel, The Selected Works of T.S Spivet secured the author an advance just shy of $1 million: A feat almost unheard of in publishing circles. Interesting thing is, the guy is just as humble as the reports claim. As was fellow Debuting With Style panellist, Evie Wyld. Lesson learned from this discussion? If you want your book to be massive, you better be prepared to self promote like you’ve never self-promoted before.
Between events, I took some time out to talk to Shaun Tan and the folks from McSweeney’s. While I am slightly sceptical that next year’s schedule could ever possibly beat this year’s offering, I am certainly willing to be proven wrong. Is it 2010 yet?
melbourne writers festival, heidi julavitz, dennis loy johnson, rob spillman, tom keneally, hanni rayson, reif larsen, evie wyld, shaun tan, mcsweeney's