I’m officially on holidays, so I’m finally munching through some of the “to-be-read” pile. The first thing I picked up off that pile was Neon Pilgrim by Lisa Dempster, which I bought from the EWF Page Parlour a few weeks ago. &… Continue reading →

The Emerging Writers Festival is looking for an intern to help produce the next installment of their annual Reader. This is a fantastic opportunity, not just because those guys are awesome and really know what they’re doing and so on, but because their office is right next to ours. I would go so far as [...] Continue reading →

The Emerging Writers’ Festival is looking for an editorial intern to play a vital role in the production of the 2010 festival publication, The Reader.

The successful applicant will be organised, have some proofreading or editing experience and fantastic attention to detail. You will be mentored while working for the Emerging Writers’ Festival and play a key role in the production of the Reader.

The role is for half a day a week until the end of 2010, starting in July.

For a position description and details about how to apply please email info@emergingwritersfestival.org.au.

You’ll have noticed my blog has been incredibly quiet of late. I apologise. I’ve written very little. I’ve blogged hardly at all. I’ve read only to wind-down before bed or else I’d never sleep. I’ve seen hardly anyon… Continue reading →

As we close out the 2010 Emerging Writers’ Festival, The Reader returns with its call for pitches.

The flagship publication of the EWF, The Reader documents and embodies the experience of the festival, combining program highlights with new work and how-to advice. It’s also an opportunity for emerging writers to pitch work for publication through an open callout.

We’re looking for writing about writing, works by and for emerging writers, works that engage with the craft, the philosophy and the politics of being a writer. Pitches can be for critical or creative works, and are due Monday June 28.

See the full pitching guidelines here.

In seven short years the Emerging Writers’ Festival has grown from a small day-long zine fair to a ten-day multi-event festival for writers. Our festival seeks to celebrate and interrogate the business of writing, bringing together emerging writers of all ages, working across forms, styles and genres.

Because we’re serious about writing, we are one of the few emerging writers’ festivals to pay all festival contributors for their work. $75. It’s our flat fee. Whether it’s their very first festival or one in a string of literary appearances, $75 it is what the Emerging Writers’ Festival pays our artists to speak, perform or be a public part of our official program.

We’d like to continue doing this. In dire economic times, we’d particularly like to buck the trend of cutting back on artists’ fees.  So we’re looking for festival Pen Pals – generous people to help develop the career of an emerging writer.

For a fully tax deductible investment of $75 you can become a Pen Pal of the 2010 Emerging Writers’ Festival. Your contribution will cover the artists’ fees for an emerging writer to appear in what may well be their first, career-launching literary event.

As well as bathing in the warm glow that comes when you make a very real difference to the Emerging Writers’ Festival and to our writers, as a Pen Pal you’ll receive the following benefits:

1. An Invitation to the 2011 Hidden Word Event
This is the exclusive Festival’s artists’ party for interstate and Victorian guests to meet and mingle. Low-key but high-profile, the Hidden Word is not advertised and is not open to general public. At this event you will be able to meet the writer you sponsored. You can’t take them home though.

2. Acknowledgment
Pen Pals will be acknowledged in the Festival program and on our web site. You will also be thanked in person at your writer’s event, whether that’s a panel, performance or reading.

3. Tax Deduction
Your investment in the Emerging Writers’ Festival is a fully tax deductible donation and will work for you when the tax man calls.

We know that $75 is a considerable amount of money, but for one of our writers it may be the kick off to the next stage of their career. Your investment will help us to offer the most promising emerging writers – whatever their background, medium or form – the opportunity to connect with the inspiring group of peers, publishers, editors and other literary professionals who come to our Festival.

If you are interested in being a Pen Pal please email director@emergingwritersfestival.org.au.

With thanks to our 2010 Festival Pen Pals…

With thanks to our 2010 festival Pen Pals for supporting our emerging writers…. Bendigo Writers’ Council, Tansy Bradshaw, Jen Breach, Vivienne Corcoran, Corie Cross, Annie Drum, Catherine Deveny, Jason Ensor, Caroline Hamilton, David Hibbins, Tim Hughes, Andee Jones, Jordi Kerr, Emily Sexton, Wanda Stelmach, Alexander Stratton-Funk, Adeline Teoh, Meg Upton, Owen Vandenberg  and Angela Woods.

It’s a well-known historical fact – creative people, writers particularly, are really good at addictions. Amphetamines, prescription drugs, opium, alcohol. Life have compiled a whole album of “Famous Literary Drunks Or Addicts”… Continue reading →