Uni In The Brewery: Session 2

"How NOT to write a Best Seller"

Wednesday 17th May 2006 (5:30 - 6:30pm)
At the Five Islands Brewery

Authors and academics from the School of Journalism and Creative Writing, Mr Alan Wearne and Dr Shady Cosgrove will be sharing their experiences as writers and addressing various issues in Australian publishing. Publisher and academic from the University of Western Sydney, Prof. Ivor Indyk will also be at the session to provide a Publisher's point of view.

(Pictured from left) Dr Shady Sosgrove, Alan Wearne and Prof. Ivor Indyk.

Issues to be covered include:

• Publishing Opportunities & Getting yourself a Publisher
• Is there a formula for 'Best Sellers' - Why do people read 'Best Sellers'
• What kind of people don't read 'Best Sellers'
• Is there a valid case for elitism?
• Insights into the Publishing Industry (a writers point of view)
• Literary vs Popular - What is Literary anyway?
• Is the future of publishing dollar driven?

Short Biographies

Alan Wearne recently received the prestigious Colin Roderick Award for Book Two of his verse novel 'The Lovemakers' ('Money and Nothing'). Awarded annually, the award (which Alan shared with Tim Winton), was established in 1967, and is for the best book published in Australia, which deals with any aspect of Australian life including fiction, history, autobiography or poetry.
Alan has been part of the Australian poetry scene since the late sixties and is the author of the verse selections 'Public Relations' and 'New Devil, New Parish', 'Out Here' (a verse novella) the award winning verse novel 'The Nightmarkets' (which has also been adapted for the stage) and 'Kicking in Danger' (a fantasy satire on Melbourne's football). Book One of 'The Lovemakers' ('Saying All the Great Sexy Things') was published in 2001 It later received the New South Wale's Premier's Prize Kenneth Slessor Award for Poetry (as well as being the Prize's 2002 Book of the Year) and the Arts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe Prize for Poetry. A CD of selections read by the author has also been produced.

With writing interests in fiction and non-fiction, Dr Shady Cosgrove is currently revising "The Beginner's Guide to Elvis" - a non-fiction documentary work about family, pilgrimage and nationhood. Shady has also just completed her first novel 'The Varens Obsession'. Set in the 1830s, it responds to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre in a Rhysian tradition by exploring the life of Edward Rochester's mistress, Céline Varens. Excerpts have been published in Southerly, Hecate and Antipodes.

Prof. Ivor Indyk heads the Giramondo Publishing Company in Sydney. Giramondo was set up in December 1995 with the aim of publishing quality creative and interpretive writing by Australian authors. It seeks to build a common ground between the academy and the marketplace; to stimulate exchange between Australian writers and readers and their counterparts overseas; and to encourage innovative and adventurous work that might not otherwise find publication because of its subtle commercial appeal.

Prof. Indyk, Shady and Alan in action at the Brewery.

RSVP and Information: Vicky Wallace on 4221 4126 or email vwallace@uow.edu.au