Speakeasy

This morning’s Forum on the art of the short story ranged from discussion of the One Book, Many Brisbanes competition (currently the most lucrative short story comp in Australia), to the best way to structure a collection or anthology,  as well as elements that make a short story leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Unfortunately, Ellen Datlow was unable to participate, but our three other guests had a wide range of experience to draw from. Abby Sturm is about to judge the One Book, Many Brisbanes competition, which closes on 11 December. Cate Kennedy has just released a collection of short stories, Dark Roots, published by Scribe. Simon Groth is a Brisbane writer who has established an online store for his short stories.

Their Q&A is archived at the AWM Forums, and also at www.awmonline.com.au.

Our next Forum will be December 11, with Linda Jaivin and David Smeidt.

Unfortunately, the electricity in Ellen Datlow’s apartment went off some time this weekend, and she hasn’t been able to get an electrician; she’s unable to get to the Forum this morning, and sends everyone her apologies.

Simon Groth will join Abby Sturm and Cate Kennedy on the second Forum at 12 noon ADST (11am AEST).

The fourth guest for Monday’s Forum has been confirmed!
Cate Kennedy will be joining Abby Sturm at 12 noon ADST (11am AEST).

Cate Kennedy is an award-winning Australian short story writer, whose credits include The New Yorker, ABC Radio National’s First Person program, The Age Short Story competition, the HQ/Sceptre award and the University of Canberra Short Story competition. Her stories were recently collected into a book entitled Dark Roots, published this year by Scribe and soon to be published in the US and the UK with Grove/Atlantic. Cate is also a published poet with two collections under her belt (Signs of Other Fires, 2001, and Joyflight, 2004).

Craig Bolland is a novelist (I Knit Water), playwright and literary critic. He is an Associate Lecturer at QUT and also has extensive experience in corporate communications and writing for new media.

A friend of mine works as a lawyer for a big firm in the city. He works pretty long hours, but every month or so he finds the time to dash out a short story in his lunch break. These stories are very good. They almost always get published. Knopf has just bought the American rights to his first collection for a tidy sum. He’s over the moon.

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On Monday, 27 November, AWM Forums will be hosting Ellen Datlow, Simon Groth, and Abby Sturm for a discussion on the art, craft and business of short story writing.

At 10am AEST (that’s 11am daylight savings), chat to Ellen Datlow, specialist short story editor from New York. She will be joined by local author and entrepreneur Simon Groth.

At 11am AEST (12 noon),  One Book, Many Brisbanes competition judge Abby Sturm will take up the discussion. The second guest on this discussion is to be confirmed.

For more info on Ellen, visit www.datlow.com
For more info on Simon, visit www.simongroth.com
For One Book, Many Brisbanes, visit the Brisbane City Council Libraries website.

…from The Australian

According to the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL), publishing houses are collecting copyright payments for digital reproduction and photocopying, amounting to tens of millions of dollars. The Australian quotes the ASA’s Jeremy Fisher as saying that for the first time publishers like Pan Macmillan, Harcourt and Pearson Education are claiming the bulk of copyright payments - up to 80:20 in the publisher’s favour. This can also include back-listed, out-of-print titles.

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There’s a great review of our online festival over at Reeling and Writhing.

Thanks to a hefty grant by CAL (Copyright Agency Limited), Australian Poets will have their first national body.

Ron Pretty, Director of Poetry Australia Foundation (PAF) said

“For the first time, poetry will have a fully professional organisation.”

The centre will program workshops, tours, promotional activties for poetry around Australia. Brian Johns, chair of Cal said

“This will be a national centre, built to serve the interests of all established and budding Australian poets - from the bush to the urban poet.”

For more information visit PAF.

Blue Dog: Australian Poetry is looking for poems, articles and reviews - and all accepted are paid. Submission details can be found here.

Also a reminder that The PAF Reviewing Competition closes on 31st March, 2007 (1st prize $2,000, all reviews published get $100).

The Story of the Future is an initiative of the Australia Council, aimed at developing Australian writing and narratives for digital media. Held in Sydney and Melbourne, these workshops will run as a series over 2006-07, starting November 27 and 29.

“The Story of the Future will give participants - especially writers - skills in digital media and cross art-form collaboration. It will also support the development of commercially adaptable digital, interactive and multiplatform projects driven by Australia’s rising generation of creative writers.”

See the website for further details and bookings.