Mentors play an invaluable role for many emerging writers, a source of inspiration, accountability, and much-needed emotional support. Here, emerging novelist whose unpublished manuscript, The Nancys, was highly commended in the 2017 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, Rob McDonald, and award-winning novelist whose books include the international bestseller Addition and Our Tiny, Useless Hearts, Toni Jordan, discuss the writing…
We come to love certain books often because of our attachment to the characters. We talk to Sofie Laguna, author of award-winning novels The Choke and The Eye of the Sheep which are renowned for their compelling characters. Sofie will be teaching how to explore character at a Fiction Writing Workshop at Melbourne’s Faber Writing…
By Magenta Sheridan After coming in from the cold of Federation Square I was ushered into the dark quiet of ACMI Cinema 1 for my second Melbourne Writers Festival session of the day: ‘Death in the Digital Age’. Radio broadcaster Vanessa Toholka was to lead discussion between Elizabeth Tan, author of the puzzling but brilliant…
Sally Abbott is the author of novel Closing Down, published by Hachette. Michelle Wright is the author of Fine, a collection of short stories and a forthcoming novel both published by Allen & Unwin. Here, they chat with Faber Writing Academy on how they got their publishing contracts. What were the key turning points in…
By Public Record Office Victoria They say truth is stranger than fiction. Often there’s no better place to look for a good story than one’s own family tree – the intricacies of which writers Sheila Fitzpatrick, Bram Presser and Henry Rosenbloom will explore in the MWF event Writing Family Histories. For many writers, a good…
Janet Mock transcends the memoir genre in her new book, Surpassing Certainty, by reminding us of the power of storytelling – and specifically, the power of telling one’s story. By Bhakthi Puvanenthiran Surpassing Certainty is a multicoloured light show of a book. Sold as an early adulthood memoir, but serving as a self-help guide, a trans story…
By Georgia McIntosh Up until last January, I had never stepped foot in (or really been intrigued, for that matter) in a literary festival or event. Yep. And here I am today – coming off the back of volunteering at the biggest free literary event in the world in India and now interning for a festival…
By Amy Smolcic As most of us writers know, writing can be a tough gig. We’re awake at all hours attempting to find the perfect combination of words that someone else will hopefully read and fall in love with. One of the biggest burdens writers have to battle is figuring out how to financially survive,…
By Martine Murray Thanks to the launch of the MWF Schools’ Program, the spotlight is on children’s and YA literature this month. This week, we turned to How to Make a Bird author Martine Murray, who currently teaches a writing for children course at Melbourne’s Faber Writing Academy, for some thoughts on writing for the little ones. As far as…
By Angel Gouvas I began reading young adult books when I started high school and have been in love ever since. There’s something about books written for teens that capture something so incredible, it’s hard to ever stop reading. These books explore family, friends, romance, heartbreak, coming of age – life, in a nutshell. And while I…
The newest festival on the Melbourne literary calendar, presented by Melbourne Writers Festival, is JLF Melbourne (Jaipur Literature Festival at Melbourne) and it took place over two days in Federation Square, on 11–12 February, 2017. In India, it is considered auspicious to decorate households and public places during festivals. One of the ways this is…
The Jaipur Literature Festival has, in its 10 years, redefined what a literature festival is. It’s free, open to all. It’s a crazy riot of colour and music. It’s fun, even exciting. And it’s cool. For the past five days, the festival has been the place for young Indians to meet friends, be seen, take…