September 28th, 2012 — Friday Fry-Up
We’re playing it fast and loose with the Fry Up this week, on account of the AWM team heading off to join our friends at it:Book Australia at BookCamp.
The EWF blog has a brilliant post on the pay-rates of many Australian fiction and non-fiction markets that deal with emerging writers. A great resources and well-worth checking out (and, contrary to the standard internet wisdom, it’s worth reading the comments too).
Tim Parks has a fascinating article on the relationship between money and writing in the New York Review of Books.
Diana Peterfreund on countering bad writing advice given to aspiring writers.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch on why Content is King and writers are lining up to get screwed.
Australian literary blogger Angela Meyer gets interviewed about blogging and social media at The Signal Express.
Matthew Turner highlights 5 Free Services That Help You Build Author Platform for janefriedman.com.
A man in Manila has created an informal public library by putting his book collection out on the street for anyone to peruse and borrow from.
Writer Unboxed on Rebuilding the Optimism.
Nextness compiles 25 Lesson for Creatives taken from Patti Smith’s Just Kids.
The Digital Reader on How Technology has Changed Stories.
It’s short, it’s sweet, and it’s the links that caught our attention this week. How about you? Let us know about anything we missed in the comments.
September 27th, 2012 — Editors, Market Profile
Fiction or non-fiction; poetry or prose; literature or art; politics or pop culture; philosophy or Justin Bieber: do any of these describe your writing? Well perhaps it’s time to consider the eclectic pages of Meanjin. This Australian literary institution is now accepting submissions for its upcoming Canberra-themed issue and beyond.
Founded in Brisbane in 1940 by Clem Christesen, before moving to Melbourne in 1945, Meanjin remains one of Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious literary journals boasting a sparkling list of contributors including J.M. Coetzee, Judith Wright, Peter Carey, Patrick White, Helen Garner, David Malouf, Manning Clark, and even Jean-Paul Sartre and Kurt Vonnegut.
If you have an interesting voice or a compelling story that you think might fit into the pages of this diverse publication, then tune them up, and send them in.
Speakeasy recently spoke to Meanjin Associate Editor, Zora Sanders, who has more interesting and authoritative things to say than I do, so let’s get to it.
Speakeasy: The Meanjin website announces that the journal attempts to reflect ‘the breadth of contemporary thinking, be it on literature, other art forms, or the broader issues of the times’. Can you talk about what is meant by ‘the breadth of contemporary thinking’? Is this ‘breadth of thought’ demarcated by any particular ideological or philosophical ethos?
Zora Sanders (ZS): I think ‘breadth of contemporary thinking’ refers to the fact that Meanjin is actually a very diverse publication in terms of content, obviously, but also in terms of style and the voices we publish. Certainly particular issues and themes crop up again and again, but when I consider that in the past 12 months we’ve published an essay about the Scribbly Gum moth, a biography of Patrick White AND an essay about Justin Bieber, it seems to me that Meanjin is actually an unusually eccentric and diverse publication. I think our main philosophical ethos, if you can call it that, is a dedication to gathering interesting and untold stories.
Speakeasy: Meanjin has a long and proud tradition of publishing some of Australia’s most celebrated writers. This legacy can often be daunting to new or emerging writers. What advice would you give to emerging writers who might be aiming to see their work published in Meanjin?
ZS: I think if people read the bios closely they’d see the words ‘this is the author’s first publication’ far more often then they might imagine. Yes, we commission work from writers we know to have particular expertise, but we also have an open submissions box that anyone can submit to, and we absolutely love finding good unsolicited work. There is really no reason not to submit to anywhere and everywhere (after having read the publication in question, and their submission guidelines closely, of course).
Speakeasy: What do you think makes Meanjin stand out among the various Australian literary journals?
ZS: Well we’ve had some very bright covers of late, so there’s always that. But more seriously, I think Meanjin stands out for its longevity, its authority and its continual process of reinvention. Every editor from Clem onwards has made Meanjin their own, and even within each editorship you can see shifts in direction that mirror the changing mores of its editors, its writers and its times. It has always had a stubborn streak as well, a dedication to lost causes and the underdogs.
Speakeasy: During a time of shrinking arts funding (at least in Queensland) and the increasing presence of digital formats, can you talk a little about the ongoing importance of Meanjin as a print journal? Conversely, can you discuss Meanjin’s digital presence and any potential plans for the future?
ZS: In September last year we commissioned a new print design from well-known artist and designer, Jenny Grigg. It’s a design we love, and it’s still evolving. We know how valued the print edition is by our readers, and we feel the same way. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be expanding and exploring all our digital and online possibilities. We now publish daily online, we publish an eBook edition, and then of course there are all the extras which are only possible online, like classifieds ads, multimedia posts, experimental visual art and poetry projects, the Tournament of Books, online personals and even mundane things like creating an easy way for people to subscribe and submit work are all things made possible in a digital space. But it’s never a question of either/or, both can, do, and will work together.
Speakeasy: When do submissions reopen for Meanjin? Will you be looking for any particular kind of work for the upcoming issue?
ZS: They are open now! We’re planning a special Canberra-themed edition for March 2013 to coincide with the Centenary, but we’re still accepting all non-Canberracentric work as usual for editions after that.
Speakeasy: Other than looking through back issues of Meanjin, what advice would you give to potential contributors? What does Meanjin look for in quality fiction or non-fiction submissions?
ZS: In non-fiction a great and unusual subject matter is always thrilling to encounter. For that matter, a great and unusual subject is great in fiction, poetry and memoir too! I look for authors who are writing because they have a fantastic story, fiction or non-fiction, that they simply MUST tell, rather than writers for whom the act of writing itself is the goal. Give me substance! Give me story! I’d love to see interesting uses of genre conventions in fiction submissions too!
Speakeasy: Are there any exciting upcoming developments or opportunities you’d like to mention?
ZS: Well we’ve just launched our classifieds and personal ads (at www.meanjin.com.au/classifieds) which we’re hoping will be a great resource for readers, writers and publishers, as well as being a lot of fun and helping to foster a sense of community around Meanjin. We’re also offering some special subscription deals, and as I mentioned, submissions have just reopened. So there’s plenty going on, all of which you can find on our website.
Speakeasy: Is there anything else you might like to mention to our readers?
ZS: You really don’t need to double-space after fullstops in your submissions. I know some people are attached to the practice, but I’d sure appreciate it if they could break the habit.
Julian Thumm is a freelance editor and writer. He has degrees from The University of Queensland and The University of Adelaide. He has worked with the
Australian Journal of Communication, The University of Queensland Press, and Corporate Communication International through The City University of New York. He is currently based in Brisbane.
September 21st, 2012 — Friday Fry-Up, Uncategorized
In one of the more worrying pieces of industry news this week, California literary agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg has been attacked by a disgruntled author whose manuscript was rejected. Obviously, this isn’t a tactic we recommend to aspiring authors.
Anna Spargoryan has a great post on Crowdfunding and What Happens When You Don’t Get Over the Line over on the Emerging Writers Festival Online Journal. With so much being made of successful crowdfunding efforts (or, these days, massively over-successful crowdfunding efforts), it’s great to see that there are still positives to be drawn from a project that doesn’t reach it’s funding goal.
Of course, as publishers, authors, and others start embracing the crowd-funding model, how do you start managing the inevitable deluge of emails asking for support, re-tweets, and blog posts to get the message out? Robin Laws suggests some New Etiquette for Freelancers in the age of Kickstarter.
Joanna Penn discusses her recently adopted habit of editing on the kindle, with the switch in format allowing her to examine a familiar manuscript with new eyes.
Open Culture has a rare audio recording of O. Henry sharing the Secrets of Writing a Short Story.
Chuck Wendig offers some simple-but-brilliant advice on Building a Better Character (as usual when we link to Chuck’s advice, it comes with a warning that there will be a combination of irreverence and foul language in addition to some very smart thinking about writing).
And finally, Angela Slatter breaks the bad news to aspiring writers seeking an agent – There Is No Secret Handshake.
Those are the links that caught our attention this week – how about you? Let us know in the comments if there’s something you think we’ve missed, advice you found useful, or a post of your own that you’d like to share with the Speakeasy readership.
September 20th, 2012 — Digital Publishing, Market Profile, Self-Publishing, e-Publishing
Are you tired of hearing that it’s never been more difficult to get your book published? Do you want to get published today and reach a potentially huge international audience? Are you sick of doom-and-gloom assessments of the publishing industry? Do you find interminable lists of rhetorical questions irritating? Then perhaps it’s time for me to shut up, and give the floor to Smashwords founder, and self-publishing guru, Mark Coker. According to Mark ‘There’s never been a better time to be a writer.’ And that’s what we like to hear.
For a long time, self-publishing has been seen as the pariah at the publishing party, with the dubious practices and poor production values of vanity publishers largely to blame. This has all changed. The recent phenomenal commercial success of a number of self-published authors (one in particular, who shall not be named here…) has done much to change that perception, as has the emergence of Smashwords.
After launching in 2008, Smashwords turned the self-publishing industry on its head by offering authors free access to digital self-publishing and distribution services. The Smashwords business model is based on the idea that authors should retain complete control over their works, and that they should receive the lion’s share of all royalties. Oh yeah, and Smashwords only makes money if your book sells. Nice.
Speakeasy recently caught up with Mark Coker. He offered a fascinating entrée into the dynamic world of digital self-publishing, explaining to us why ‘The future of digital self-publishing is the future of publishing.’ Read on to find out more.
Speakeasy: There has long been a stigma attached to self-publishing. Do you think this has changed, or is in the process of changing? Why?
Mark Coker (MC): Four years ago when I started Smashwords, there was a definite stigma associated with self-publishing. Self-publishing was viewed as the option of last resort for failed authors who couldn’t get a traditional book deal. Today, the stigma is disappearing. Here in the US, people who scoff at self-published authors reveal themselves as out of touch dinosaurs. Self-publishing is gaining increased respect and credibility in the publishing industry thanks to the enormous commercial success of many indie authors.
The other week, four Smashwords authors hit the New York Times bestseller list in the same week. The naysayers can’t argue with the success of self-published authors. Something very profound is happening now in self-publishing. Although industry-watchers realise something is happening, most don’t truly grok the significance. Self-published authors are learning to become professional publishers.
Speak to any self-published author, and you’ll understand why self-publishing, and specifically ebook self-publishing, is the future of publishing.
Agents no longer discourage self-publishing, and many agents are now actively supporting the self-publishing efforts of their clients. Agents and publishers are scouring the best-seller lists of major retailers as the slush pile loses its luster. Agents and publishers are beginning to realise that consumers are the best curators of books worth publishing.
Within the next couple years, I think the stigmas will flip. It’ll be common for us to hear industry observers speaking about limitations and drawbacks of traditional publishing, and the rising stigma of traditional publishing.
Writers are beginning to realise they don’t need the blessing of a publisher to become a published author. They’re asking what publishers can do for them that the authors cannot do for themselves. Authors are also starting to realise that there can be significant disadvantages to working with a publisher. Publishers can actually harm an author’s ability to reach readers, because publishers are over-charging consumers, paying low royalties, and are slow to get the product to market.
A few years ago, authors had no choice but to work with a publisher. Publishers controlled the printing press, they controlled the all-important access to bookstores, and they controlled the knowledge to professionally publish. Without a publisher, you couldn’t reach readers.
Today, thanks to ebook publishing and distribution platforms such as Smashwords, the printing press is available to all authors at no cost, and the distribution to ebook stores is fully democratised. At Smashwords, we’re doing our part to promote best practices, because we believe knowledge in the hands of authors is power. Our mission is to shift the power in publishing from publishers to authors. A few months ago, I published The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success, a free ebook that identifies 28 best practices of the most commercially successful ebook authors.
Continue reading →
September 18th, 2012 — Fandom, Genre, Market Profile
Set phasers to fun, because it’s time for a good ol’ fashioned SF convention. But leave your Spock ears at home, kids, because this is a convention for the pros. Conflux 8 is a SF convention run by writers and for writers and it kicks off on Friday 28 September.
In the lead up to the AWM GenreCon in November, Speakeasy is getting to know some of the non-profit Community Partners who have signed on to support our inaugural conference and exist to help aspiring Australian genre writers. This week, we introduce you to Conflux, which will also host the 52nd National Science Fiction Convention (Natcon) in 2013.
Conflux is Australia’s premier SF writers’ convention and this year it boast an array of local and international writing talent, as well as a variety of other industry professionals. If previous years are anything to go by (and I’m assured that they are) then this year’s convention will be an enjoyable and invaluable experience for the aspiring, emerging, and established SF writer, or fan.
Speakeasy managed to grab a few minutes with Nicole Murphy, author and President of Conflux, to chat about the upcoming convention and the Australian SF landscape in general.
Speakeasy: Can you tell us a little about the history of Conflux and its place in the Australian SF community? What have been some of the past Conflux highlights for you?
Nicole Murphy (NM): Conflux began back in the early 2000s, when some passionate fans here in Canberra got together to run the Canberra Spec Fic Cons. They got ambitious and applied to be the Natcon (National Science Fiction Convention) in 2004 and thus was the first Conflux held. We’re about to have number eight, and Conflux 9 next year will again be the Natcon – ten years after the first (yes, the numbers don’t match; we skipped a year).
Conflux is known as the writers’ con. There’re some who don’t like that, but we happen to believe that there’s a room for all tastes in SF fandom, and that there should be different options for different people. Besides, pretty much everyone who has been involved with running Conflux conventions is a writer, so it was inevitable we’d run cons that catered more for our fellow kind.
I’ve had some great times at Conflux but undoubtedly the highlight for me was the first convention I chaired – Conflux 4, in 2007. I got to know some amazing writers through that con (one of our guests was science fiction giant Kevin J. Anderson and I still count him as a mate and he hugs the life out of me when we catch up). That convention was the second with our historically-accurate banquets and that year it was Regency and it was awesome – people dressing up, the food was incredible, it was the most amazing night. Then there’re the discos – we at Conflux are the dancing queens.
Of course, personally, Conflux was where I met and got to know Stephanie Smith, then the publisher of Voyager at HarperCollins, who in 2009 bought my trilogy. So professionally Conflux has meant a lot to me as well.
Speakeasy: With over half the Conflux panel items aimed at writers, can you tell us a little bit about what sort of information/opportunities might be available to writers?
NM: Firstly, there’s the workshops, which are almost exclusively focused on writers. This year we’re running five: topics include writing backstory, teaching history, writing for children, writing for game, and writing the fight right. Jack Dann does his fabulous ‘Keys of the Kingdom’ workshop every year and it’s a very valuable experience for any writer.
Then during the convention there’s panels about the craft, and the industry. You’ll get to meet with other writers and talk the business. There are often publishers and other industry professionals there. And Conflux regularly runs short story competitions, to help encourage and support new writers. And we’re still dreaming of things we can do.
Speakeasy: Besides writers, what other SF industry professionals are you expecting?
NM: Conflux often attracts a lot of publishers, both small press and major, and our reputation is growing with publishers and readers from other genres (e.g., romance) looking to us to find the crossover. We’re working on getting agents as well, and working on developing pitch opportunities and so on. Conflux is always a work in progress.
Speakeasy: What benefits (aside from the good times) might an aspiring/emerging SF writer derive from attending Conflux?
NM: There’s nothing more valuable than being able to chat to people who have been there, done that – you can learn from their mistakes and take advantage of their wisdom. People who will be at this year’s convention include New York Times bestseller Keri Arthur; World Fantasy Award winners Jack Dann and Janeen Webb; multiple award winning short story writer and novelist Kaaron Warren; and editor and publisher Keith Stevenson. It doesn’t matter your interest – writing novels, writing shorts, major publication, self-publication – you can find someone who’s done it and who’s willing to chat to you about it.
Speakeasy: What are you particularly excited about seeing or getting involved in at this year’s convention?
NM: I’m delighted that Keri Arthur is our guest and as a result we’re really getting into the crossover between spec fic and romance (e.g., paranormal romance and urban fantasy). As someone who often toys with that line, it’s great to see it being given prominence and importance on the spec fic side of things. In that respect we’re behind romance, who embraced it long ago.
We’re also doing a major book launch on Saturday night – five books in one event at one of our local bookstores. I think it’s going to be sensational. And we’ve got a local band coming along, The Fildenstar, who sing science fiction songs. I think it’s going to be a really inspiring event.
Speakeasy: Conflux 9 will be the Natcon for 2013. Can you tell us a little about what that means for Conflux and the Australian SF community in general?
NM: Donna Maree Hanson and I are co-chairing Conflux next year and we’re delighted it’s the Natcon. 2013 is the centenary of the establishment of Canberra, so it’s great to bring Australia’s premiere SF event to Canberra that year.
The Natcon is a very important event; for many, it’s the only convention they attend that year. Natcons are all about community and so Donna and I are working hard on issues like inclusivity and disability access to make it as welcoming as possible. We’re also looking at how to get folks who can’t make it to take part.
As I said earlier, it’s ten years since the last time Canberra hosted the Natcon and it’s about time it came back. The last Natcon (which Donna chaired) was absolutely awesome. It was my first ever SF convention, and created what will be a life-long love. Next year is going to be the last convention Donna and I organise and we’re determined to go out with a bang. So it’s going to be fun, innovative, extraordinary and will hopefully help everyone love Australian SF a little more.
Speakeasy: Can you tell us a little about how you see the state of Australian SF writing and publishing right now?
NM: Man, Aussie SF writing and publishing is FREAKING AWESOME at the moment. It doesn’t matter what level you look at, interesting things are happening. New writers are being picked up. Small press is a particularly interesting thing at the moment. Over in Perth, Twelfth Planet Press (TPP) and Ticonderoga are producing some remarkable books. TPP is currently doing the Twelve Planets series, focusing solely on Australian female writers, and the work that they’re publishing is astounding. Meanwhile, Ticonderoga is giving a lot of great authors their first collection and is also moving into novels. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s ever been a better time to be a SF writer and publisher in Australia.
Speakeasy: Just for a bit of fun, if you could pull together any SF icons (alive or dead), who would make up your dream convention panel and what would they discuss?
NM: Well, I’ve GOT to have Tolkien there. He’s a remarkable man and writer and let’s face it, every fantasy writer is still trying to emulate what he achieved. The breadth and depth of his work is inspirational.
Ursula le Guin would be another must-have – so inspirational, so down to earth. One of the first and greatest of the female writers in the genre and thus with a view point of the industry that’s unique.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch is becoming a hero of mine, with her blog on the business for writers – so upfront about the trials and tribulations of this great career we’ve undertaken to strive for.
But all in all I’d say – my friends. The writers I know here in Canberra. Some of the most talented in the business, and some of the funniest and most generous. Kaaron Warren, Maxine McArthur, Matthew Farrer, Gillian Polack, Ian McHugh, Simon Petrie, Donna Maree Hanson, and lots more. I’d gather them together and we’d drink and talk writing until our voices gave out.
Now THAT would be a convention.
Speakeasy: Is there anything else you might like to mention to our readers?
NM: Buy my books 
I’d say – writing can be a lonely, lonely business and we writers tend to be the type to live in our heads and overdramatise everything, which makes for good stories, but makes for a bad mental state. So find your tribe. Whether it be the mess and noise and full-on-ness of a convention, or a quieter writer’s group, or online, but find your tribe then share yourself. It will be worth it.
Julian Thumm is a freelance editor and writer. He has degrees from The University of Queensland and The University of Adelaide. He has worked with the Australian Journal of Communication, The University of Queensland Press, and Corporate Communication International through The City University of New York. He is currently based in Brisbane.
September 14th, 2012 — Friday Fry-Up, Uncategorized
American journal The Indiana Review posts about Three Stories Unlikely to Make it Beyond the Slush. John Bermingham follows up with a few additional story ideas he’s sick of seeing, based on his experiences judging writing competitions. Together they make for a useful list of things to avoid (or, if you’re feeling brave, one of those challenges that revolves around convincing editor to love an idea they usually hate).
Brain Pickings has excepts from How to Read Like a Writer, in addition to a host of links to additional advice.
If you’ve ever felt a little down after completing a manuscript, you’re not alone. Fantasy author Ken Scholes offers up some advice on Combating the Post-Novel Blues. In a similar vein, Booklife offers up an entry on Dealing with Project Burn-Out.
Comic book writer Gail Simone posts some thoughts on the way computer games are disrupting the three-act structure.
The Digital Reader looks at Freemium Business Models and asks How Much is Too Much to Give Away?
Christopher Beha at the Millions On Making Sentences Do Something.
Writers Beware details 7 Freelance Writing Scams and How to Fight Them.
And finally, Lifehacker has some advice on creativity blocks and how to avoid them that could well be useful to those who aren’t writers in addition to those who are.
Those are the links that caught our attention this week – how about you? Share you favourite links, advice, and posts in the comments for your fellow writers.
September 13th, 2012 — Editors, Genre, Market Profile
For those of you who have been seduced by the dark side of writing, it’s time to give form to your finest literary golems, and unleash them on an unsuspecting public: the Midnight Echo goblins will soon be hungry for submissions.
Midnight Echo is one of Australia’s premier horror magazines, and the official magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association (AHWA). Submissions for the upcoming issue #9, ‘Mythic Horror’, will open up from October 1, 2012. Guest editor, Geoff Brown, will be looking for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork to load the pages of ME#9 with all the mythic horror, terror, fear and trepidation he can cram in.
Speakeasy recently caught up with Geoff Brown (aka. G. N. Braun), realist and dark fiction writer, president of the AHWA, and guest editor of Midnight Echo’s forthcoming ‘Mythic Horror’ issue.
Speakeasy: For those unfamiliar with Midnight Echo, could you tell us a bit about the magazine and its place in the Australian horror scene?
Geoff Brown (GB): Midnight Echo is the official magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association. We have released seven issues so far, with #8 (un-themed) due out toward the end of the year and #9 (‘Mythic Horror’) open for submissions from October 1, 2012 until January 31, 2013.
Each issue of Midnight Echo contains more than 100 pages of horror (or dark) fiction, poetry, art, graphic novels, book releases, and more. The magazine is released in a limited print edition and in digital format (e-pub, mobi, and PDF), and is distributed in hard copy and electronic format to readers all across the world, including AHWA members and the Horror Writers Association (HWA) members in the United States.
First imagined in 2007, we released issue one in October 2008. Midnight Echo has an executive editor, Marty Young, but we also feature a different guest editor for each issue, to allow a variation in style and taste for each release. No two editions will ever be the same. Previous editors have included: Kirstyn McDermott; Angela Challis; Shane Jiraiya Cummings; Lee Battersby; the editorial team of David Conyers, Jason Fischer and David Kernot for #6; and Marty Young, Amanda J. Spedding and Mark Farrugia for #8. Most recently, #7 (‘The Taboo Issue’) was edited by Daniel I. Russell.
Midnight Echo is an avenue for Australian writers of horror and dark fiction to get their stories out there to be read. We do not publish Australians exclusively, but we do prefer to have a majority of Australian writers in each issue. More recently, we have attempted to gain one or two ‘name’ authors (the most recent being Graham Masterton in #7, and Joe R. Lansdale and Jack Ketchum in #8) to drive sales and readership worldwide so as to ensure that our Aussie contributors have as much exposure as possible.
Speakeasy: What does this opportunity to guest edit the upcoming issue (#9) of Midnight Echo mean to you as a writer of dark fiction and a horror aficionado? Are you aiming to add your own flavour or vision to ME#9? If so, how?
GB: The chance to guest edit Midnight Echo #9 will allow me to sample the work of upcoming and emerging horror writers, both nationally and internationally. It will allow me to add my own tastes to the selection process, and allow me to mould the issue to something that is uniquely mythical in nature.
I have studied myths and symbols in a formal setting, and hope to find and bring some more obscure myths and legends to a more general audience via ‘recasting’ of ancient or little-known mythology into more modern settings.
Speakeasy: The theme for ME#9 is ‘mythical horror’. Can you tell us how this theme came about and what about it appeals to you?
GB: While studying for a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing at TAFE, we studied ‘Creativity in a Cultural Context’—a subject incorporating myths and symbols into story-telling. As a result of this, I am naturally more open to and interested in the mythology of the world. Regional and cultural mythology is a fascinating part of world literature, and is mostly forgotten, apart from in some areas of speculative fiction. Other areas, such as urban legends, also hold a strong fascination for me. The way that myths and legends can be used to explain away the unexplainable is fascinating. Mankind has taken myths and legends to a new height with religion, yet the ancient myths that preceded religion have largely been forgotten or have been relegated to storybooks for children. Yet mankind has used myths and folklore since before recorded history: as warnings, as ways to curtail immoral behaviour, and for entertainment.
Speakeasy: The Midnight Echo submission guidelines state that submissions must have ‘horror as a central theme’. Since this is a fairly broad directive, and perhaps not as obvious as it may seem, can you elaborate a little on what this means to you and what dimensions of horror you hope to see in submissions?
GB: Webster’s Dictionary gives the primary definition of horror as ‘a painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay’. It stands to reason, then, that ‘horror fiction’ is fiction that elicits those emotions in the reader. Robert McCammon, one of the founders of US genre association, the Horror Writers Association (HWA), said, ‘horror can be many, many things and go in many, many directions…[it] can shock, educate, illuminate, threaten, shriek, and whisper before it lets the readers loose’ (Twilight Zone Magazine, Oct 1986).
I would like to see things that do everything that Robert said. I want things that push us out of our comfort-zone: things that make us turn the lights up, make us wonder what that scratching noise is at the door. I want stories that grab the reader, stories that scare the reader, stories that make the reader think ‘what if?’
Horror is more than a genre; horror is an emotion. I want stories that engage the reader on an emotive level and incite fear of either the known or the unknown. How they do it, I leave up to the writers.
Speakeasy: Since acceptance of submissions comes down to editorial preference, what types of submissions will you particularly be looking for (e.g., fiction, poetry, non-fiction, art, reviews etc.)?
GB: I have already solicited a non-fiction piece by a world-renowned scholar (more details coming soon), so any non-fiction will have to be pretty special to warrant having two pieces in the mag. That said, I am still open to more non-fiction. Art is always welcome; we look for original cover and internal art (full-page, part-page and corner art are all needed for the issue). As well as these two, I am open to any and all submissions. I have a love of well-wrought flash fiction, so scare me in 1000 words or less; I have a low tolerance for pretentious poetry without soul, so make any verse especially vibrant and meaningful.
Speakeasy: As editor, what kinds of things immediately turn you off a submission? Conversely, what kinds of things immediately grab your attention?
GB: People need to follow the submission guidelines in regard to layout. If you can’t be bothered putting a bit of work into the layout of your tale, it doesn’t bode well for your professionalism. Included in the submission guidelines (read them very well, indeed) on the website is a link to a basic layout guide for submissions. Follow it.
Weak openings make me less likely to read the entire submission, especially once the number of submissions starts to rise. Conversely, strong openings that hook me from the opening sentence or paragraph will ensure that I read the whole thing. What hooks the editor, hooks the readers. I want my issue of ME to hook the readers.
Lack of research also tends to turn me off a story. With all the options people have to research their stuff (internet, libraries, etc.), there is no excuse for poor research. This is especially important for myths and legends. You can twist the tales a little, but be sure you know the original myth before you do so.
Speakeasy: In your experience, what are some of the most common problems afflicting horror/dark fiction submissions? What are a few of the best ways that writers can avoid/fix these problems before submission?
GB: People tend to write the common horror tropes. Werewolves, vampires, zombies are all classic horror creatures, but people aren’t doing anything different with them, except making them sexy. Monsters are not meant to be sexy. They are meant to scare the hell out of us. In asking for myths and legends for ME#9, I hope to drag some more obscure monsters and folklore from the minds of the writers.
Most common problems in literature aren’t limited to just the horror/dark fiction genres. Writers tend to forget (or never learn in the first place) the art and craft of writing. Story arc and characterisation; foreshadowing versus signposting; a twist in the tale versus a slice of life—all these things, and the way they are used, help to separate the skilled writer from the hobbyist. Grammar and punctuation seem to be very hit-and-miss these days, too. People send stories full of infelicities such as verb and pronoun confusion, dangling participles, spelling mistakes and things that a proofread before hitting ‘send’ may have eliminated.
Another pet hate I have is telling rather than showing. As Chekhov said, ‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass’.
Speakeasy: As current president of the Australian Horror Writers Association (AHWA) could you tell our readers a little about the association, what it does, what its goals are, and who it benefits?
GB: The AHWA is a non-profit organisation that formed, unofficially, in 2003 as a way of providing a unified voice and a sense of community for Australian writers of dark fiction, while helping the development and evolution of this genre within Australia.
The AHWA represents over 200 established, emerging, and upcoming writers. We host a mentoring program for members, in which they have the opportunity to work with an established writer; we also host the Australian Shadows Awards, which reward excellence in Australian horror-genre fiction; we promote our members’ work in Sinister Reads (our online promotional blog); and most of all, we support our members in any other ways we can.
AHWA held its official launch during Continuum 3 in Melbourne on July 17, 2005, where a full house greeted the proclamation by Richard Harland, author of the 2004 Aurealis Awards best horror novel and Golden Aurealis winning The Black Crusade, that the AHWA was ‘well and truly up and running!’
On August 5, 2005, the AHWA became an incorporated body in the State of Victoria. For further details, please see the AHWA website.
Speakeasy: Is there anything else you might like to mention to our readers?
GB: One more thing in regard to Midnight Echo #9 submissions: send me your very best proofread, spellchecked (not just by Microsoft Word, either) and researched work. Don’t use US spelling, don’t send me trunk-stories that failed to get into a targeted market, and don’t send me something you’re not inordinately proud of. Send me something you would show with pride to Stephen King or Jack Ketchum.
To paraphrase Faulkner, send me your darlings, but kill them first.
Julian Thumm is a freelance editor and writer. He has degrees from The University of Queensland and The University of Adelaide. He has worked with the Australian Journal of Communication, The University of Queensland Press, and Corporate Communication International through The City University of New York. He is currently based in Brisbane.
September 6th, 2012 — Digital Publishing, Market Profile, Publishers, e-Publishing
Speakeasy recently pitched a few questions at the RAF kingpin, Matthew Lamb. His responses were expansive, to say the least, but we forgive that (in fact we encourage it) because they offered an entertaining insight into the beer-fuelled birth of one of Australia’s most intriguing literary projects.
Speakeasy: How did the idea for the Review of Australian Fiction emerge?
Matthew Lamb (ML): The idea for the RAF came from a number of sources, and evolved slowly over time. The RAF (version 1.) was actually to be a print journal, published monthly in a book format. It would have looked a bit like Kill Your Darlings, but probably not as cool. It was to contain fiction and essays, reviews and author profiles.
The key to that version was that each issue also contained a book-notice for every work of Australian fiction published in that month, as well as a review of every work of Australian fiction published in the previous month. The ad was to replicate what people did when they browsed books in a bookshop (read cover, blurb, and first page of text), which is actually the main way most people choose what books to buy (other than recommendations from friends). Reviews are actually one of the least important ways that people learn about new books (so we were going to have them in the subsequent issue).
The idea behind this was to develop a model that consolidated all the arms of publishing fiction in Australia: publishers, bookshops, reviewers, authors, and readers of Australian fiction.
But when we approached publishers with the idea that they paid a nominal sum for us to run these ads—thus helping them sell their books, while they helped us publish our journal—they baulked. Some even said that, if anything, we should be paying them for allowing us to print the first page of text from their books.
I guess the idea that advertising is not about persuading people to buy what they don’t need, but is actually about informing people about things they want, but may not know what is available or where to get it, is strange. But that is what advertising used to be about. And it’s a pretty good bet that anyone reading a journal called the Review of Australian Fiction, which actually referred to every work of Australian fiction published in that month was already predisposed toward reading Australian fiction, and the only question left facing them was, What to read? We would then—or so we proposed—provide a near complete range of choices available to them.
Such a journal may seem strange, maybe new. But it is actually an old idea. It is the format that journals and periodicals first took when they emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries in England. We just wanted to replicate the old ‘book-notices’ idea. All this other stuff—reviews, essays, and so on—historically, came afterwards. And it is what aided in the development of a reading culture that has shaped pretty much everything we today take for granted in the publishing and reading of books, but which we are also at the risk of losing today if we don’t work together in coming up with some ideas (either new or old) that will help us all reconstitute this waning reading culture, particularly in Australia…
That’s the sort of drunken rant I would launch into at the slightest provocation, back in the day, and they would often be patiently listened to by the now manager of RAF, Phil Crowley. He doesn’t rant as much as me, because it eats into his drinking time. But I am a faster drinker, and can multi-task, so we can pretty much keep up with each other. Phil was doing a PhD in economics at the time, on Arts funding: film funding, in particular. He would offer a real-world economic counterbalance to my often directionless meanderings into the cultural history of publishing and reading, and this then formed the basis for what was essentially a beer-plan, guided by the question: what would an economically viable lit mag look like?
Continue reading →
August 31st, 2012 — Friday Fry-Up, Uncategorized
Following the latest internet kerfuffle where a writer (or, in this case, a writer’s husband) has responded to negative reviews the oft-linked-to Justine Larbalestier has posted a telling essay on The Supposed Power of Reviews and why they keep driving authors to crazy behavior.
The other big review news on the internet came from the New York Times article about buying book reviews in bulk. The service in question was exposed, interestingly enough, when an unsatisfied customer started posting reviews, and immediately set off a storm of conversations and commentary (neatly summarized by Porter Anderson’s Extra Ether feature). Australian author Alan Baxter also weighs in, pointing out that Paid Reviews Hurt Everyone, Except Those Being Paid.
Writers Digest has 7 Rules for Picking the Names of Fictional Characters
Dean Wesley Smith suggests that books are not produce that will spoil over time in his article for Kirkus.
Kristen Lamb identifies the Top Five Creepy Social Media Marketing Tactics that authors seem to be using online, which offers some very strong advice on what not to do.
Hillary Smith (formerly known as The Intern) discusses Why Writing With a Book Deal is a Whole Different Game.
The publisher behind the Chicken Soup for the… line has branched out into a new market – selling chicken soup and other comfort food using the familiar branding of the book line.
Those are the links that caught our attention this week – how about you? Let us know about any interesting links, posts, or commentary in the comments.
August 30th, 2012 — Competitions and grants, Market Profile
Entries will be closing soon for the 2012 City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards, so whip out a selection of your finest short fiction and get involved.
For those of you who may be geographically challenged, or perhaps a little ‘east coast’ (and as a native of Adelaide I have been the victim of this kind of scarring cultural profiling), just south of Perth, on the south-western point of Cockburn Sound, lies the picturesque city of Rockingham, which is rapidly establishing itself as a regional artistic hub. And 2011’s inaugural City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards helped to cement that reputation. This year the awards are back offering more than $2000 in prizes across three categories.
As with the 2011 prizes (which showcased the artwork of Derrick Carroll), this year’s competition takes its visual theme from the work of WA artist, Julie Silvester, in particular her 2004 work ‘Spring Breakers: Trigg’.
The City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards are free to enter and are open to all Australian authors, with entries falling into three categories: Open, Over 50s, and Young Writers (open to writers aged 12-17). Entries close Friday 12 October. For full details see the City of Rockingham website and get involved in one of Australia’s seriously up and coming literary awards.
Speakeasy caught up with Oz writer, awards coordinator and WA local Lee Battersby to discuss the upcoming Rockingham Short Fiction Awards. If you’re considering entering the competition you won’t want to miss what Lee has to say.
Speakeasy: Can you please tell our readers about the City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards, how they came about and what they mean to the local community and the wider literary community?
Lee Battersby (LB): The City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards originated as a result of feedback from the local writing community via a series of workshops conducted in 2010. The Rockingham region is expansive, and local arts practitioners can feel isolated. The establishment of a short story competition was seen as an ideal way of bringing together aspiring authors in the Rockingham region around a common goal, with a view to building their capacity to practice their chosen art.
The competition is supported by a series of workshops conducted by professional authors during the submission period, and the process climaxes during the City’s literary month in November, along with a number of events surrounding National Novel Writing Month, all designed to inspire aspiring authors to connect with each other for mutual support, guidance and advice.
In its inaugural year the competition attracted a significant number of entries from outside the region, which had the double benefit of not only promoting Rockingham as a hub of creativity to a national audience but also providing local writers with a national benchmark for their work: several Rockingham entries won awards, and seeing their work successfully compete at a national level is a great fillip for the confidence of writers in the region.
In its second year we expect the competition to continue to act as a flagship for the City’s Literary Programme and to grow as a credible avenue for aspiring authors to add a nationally recognised writing prize of genuine merit to their artistic CVs.
Speakeasy: Can you tell us something about Julie Silvester’s artwork and how it was selected?
LB: The City of Rockingham has a wide-ranging art collection, and is committed to providing a platform for cross-form arts practices. By using images from the art collection to provide the central theme of the competition we expose those pieces to a wider audience than may see them otherwise, and we enable local artists to view the collection in a co-operative, creative way, rather than simply as passive consumers.
The image used in the 2011 Short Fiction Awards was a haunting, earth-toned piece entitled ‘The Eviction’, by Derrick Carroll. It was important, therefore, to select an image for the 2012 Awards that provided a contrast to that work, in order to encourage entrants to create a story from a different narrative viewpoint, and to provide exposure to the different ‘moods’ of the City’s art collection. Julie Silvester’s artwork ‘Spring Breakers: Trigg’ fulfilled those requirements as well as being a work of high quality in its own right.
Speakeasy: Do the judges look for anything in particular, beyond reference to the theme art, regarding genre, local content, author profile etc.?
LB: The judge for each year’s competition is a professional writing industry member of long standing, and entries are judged ‘blind’ –that is, all identifying details such as name and address are removed before the entries are passed to the judge. That way, the only frames of reference upon which the judging decision is based are the literary and craft qualities of the story itself. Likewise, the identity of the judge is kept secret until the announcement of the winners, to preclude the possibility of entries being influenced by the judge’s professional background or any possible personal relationship between the judge and an entrant.
We simply ask entrants for their best work based on the theme, and trust the professional ability of our judge to identify the stories of the highest general quality when deciding upon winners in each category. That way, the judging process is based as fairly as possible upon the written merits of the stories themselves.
Speakeasy: Who is the competition open to? Are there any types of writers that you would particularly encourage to enter?
LB: The City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards is open to all writers in three
categories: Open, Over 50s, and Young Writers (12-17). There is no entry fee, and eligibility is restricted only in that employees of the City of Rockingham and their family members are ineligible to enter.
The 2011 competition attracted entries from every state in Australia except Tasmania, and we’re hoping to better that in 2012. We feel our prize selections are exciting enough to attract writers of all levels, but as a community organisation we are always especially excited to see work from aspiring artists. The Over 50s category is a specific point of difference from other writing competitions, and we definitely encourage writers from that particular age group to enter.
Speakeasy: Can you offer any information about previous prize winners and their work?
LB: 2011 Competition judge Tehani Wessely said of the entries received: ‘With such a darkly intricate artwork to draw inspiration from in “The Eviction”, it’s hardly surprising that stories were evocative, compelling, disturbing and engaging. While many writers took a very literal interpretation of the work, others used it with a light touch, with satisfying results in both areas. While many works were very well-written, some were let down by a lack of true story, being instead mood pieces or vignettes. A very short story is possibly one of the hardest types of writing to execute well, as in a limited space there is still a need for plot, character and good writing. Rarely can any one of those three elements stand well enough on its own to create a good story – almost always, all three are required. The very best of stories uses all three seamlessly and integrates them into a work that makes it impossible to tell which of the three are doing the hardest work in making it great!’
As advice on how to approach entries for this year’s competition I think it would be difficult to go past Tehani’s advice.
2011 winners came from WA, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, so it’s fair to say the theme resonated with writers from across the country, and we’re hoping that this year’s image will do the same.
Speakeasy: Is there anything else you would like to mention to our readers?
LB: It’s encouraging to see the Rockingham region being recognised as a hub of creative expression, and the quality of programmes created within the region resonating with so many literary practitioners across the country. By creating a strong regional base for the literary arts in an area not traditionally associated with authorship we hope that writers across the country will be encouraged to think of Rockingham as a viable source of artistic inspiration, and ally the region’s literary growth to their own.
Julian Thumm is a freelance editor and writer. He has degrees from The University of Queensland and The University of Adelaide. He has worked with the
Australian Journal of Communication, The University of Queensland Press, and Corporate Communication International through The City University of New York. He is currently based in Brisbane.
