SWF

In recent years I've considered attending the much hyped Sydney Writers Festival, figuring it would make sense for one with aspirations of writing a book (don’t ask). So with the Festival kicking off next week, I've just checked out the program.

There are plenty of workshops, talks, displays, awards, presentations, television and radio broadcasts, lunches, parties, et al. Plus appearances by publishers, authors, journalists, broadcasters, economists, screenwriters, designers, actors, artists, poets, musicians...covering, you would imagine, everyone dealing in the written word. Wrong.

Unbelievably there is nothing for bloggers, either featuring blogs or presentations by bloggers. It’s as if the SWF organisers don’t consider the weblog a legitimate writers' genre. Sure, there's plenty of dross in the blogsphere, but also a wealth of great blogs and exponents of the written word, well worth recognising.

Australia’s largest blogger, Sam de Brito, addressed this very issue in a timely article this week in the Sydney Morning Herald’s books section,

"Publishers seem obsessed with the idea that an author has to have an English or a literature degree to be a good writer and I think that's why Australian literature is so anaemic.

"People are increasingly going to the net to be entertained and I think the sooner publishers embrace that the better."

Right on Sam, who also included a generous mention of yours truly - mate, the grogs on me. Oh well, maybe next year blogging will feature in one the 300+ SWF events.

Speaking of words and grog, the annual Bloomsday literary event celebrating James Joyce’s Ulysses happens in a few weeks. Where else, but in a Sydney pub. Details here.

UPDATE : I've received a response from the SWF to an enquiry regarding the lack of blog coverage. They nominate two events inclusive of weblogs, and one blog specific event. Additionally, the 2004 SWF hosted celebrated Baghdad blogger, Salem Pax.

Comments

[le34tgfw9vyg1]

Publishers don't care about bloggers because publishers don't see bloggers as a source of income.

Bloggers already have a marketing organ (their blog)and self publishing is simplified and affordable by anyone due to modern technology - digital printing and the internet - where you don't have to print a copy of your book until after it's been sold.

Personal book publishing:
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001520.php

[adrian]

le345.., I dunno, publishers are always on the lookout for new authors and consider weblogs another source of new material, hence potential income. They all want to find the next J.K. Rowling.

Whilst the advent of self-publishing is a viable option for new writers, ultimately the vast majority of these books live or die on whether they're picked up by mainstream publishers. Their marketing power still far outweighs that of most self publishers and bloggers.

No, I wonder if there's a certain haughtiness at play when the organisers of a writers' festival totally ignore the new kid on their block - weblogs.

[slatts]

Sam de Brito, Australia's largest blogger? Big statement -- what's he weigh?

[adrian]

Slatts, you confirm what I've long believed: most bloggers are sorely in need of an editor.