Clunes Booktown 2008

On the weekend I headed 15 minutes up the road to the Clunes Booktown Festival. What a wonderful weekend. Not only did I buy a few books that I had wanted for ages (from expensive booksellers) but I also bought about 40 books from the cheap sales (the CFA nothing under $5 ones...) Most books were $1 each so I bought lots for friends and plenty for myself and many for Bookmooch too! OK - so I was super pleased with all my books, I loved wandering through the town looking at books, eating yummy food and enjoying the festival atmosphere. One of the best parts though was the Writer Talks - the Backchat events. On the Saturday morning it was John Marsden and Melissa Lucashenko (in conversation with Nigel Krauth who actually taught John Marsden at Uni!). Then I missed Sunday morning's talk but managed to make it back on Sunday afternoon (after having to drive to and from Melbourne that morning to pick up a motorbike - long story) . Sunday afternoon was again Nigel Krauth leading a panel with the 4 guest writers: John Marsden, Melissa Lucashenko, poet Anthony Lawrence and Miles Franklin winner Alexis Wright. Here are my notes:

Saturday:

John Marsden

Very laid back. Jeans knitted jumper etc. Very casual feel.
Wanted to be a cricketer, rugby player, guitarist, Prime Minister, bus driver...
Power as a teacher is immense. Seeking to empower the readers.
Reordering the world in his own vision through his words.
Young people taken seriously, respected, making there mark on the world.
Every sentence you strive for perfection.
Nice if your ideas connect with somebody else.
Traces of people they know in their novels
Setting fresh and contemporary language but essential the stories don't change (ie. adventure)
Important skills for kids: 1/ Language fluency (not necessarily writing but just language - speech etc. 2/ Confidence 3/ Integrity - values to sustain you.

Melissa Lucashenko

Wanted to be wealthy - LOL! Jockey - anything to do with horses.
Started a psychology degree (never finished).
Helps the homeless, drugos, prisoners (Sisters Inside organisation).
Murri (aboriginal). Laid back - jeans, windcheater with Obama 08 on it - not afraid to voice opinions.
Everything as a writer always feeds into your work.
When writing she comes in and out of perspective. Sometimes she doesn't know if it's any good until she has left it dormant for 6 months.
Structures her novel and plots it our but then sometimes the characters take over and the story changes.
When writing they live in parallel worlds - for instance the may see the back head of a character down the main street.
Not the end of the world if a child can't read or write but it is an important skill.
Very indigenous focused. Saying the KKK is still around in parts of rural Australia!

Sunday: Where Nigel and the audience threw "swear" words at the 4 panel members.

Publishing

Poetry publishers - small/independent, no longer main stream.
Need to work together instead of being enemies.
JM had a just story of a bad experience with Macmillan UK. He is extremely funny.
The Carpentaria novel (AW's) was the only book that small publisher released all year! One book!

Making the most of it

If you change one person - you are changing the world

Audio books

Hard for a writer to hear someone else read your work.

Correspondence

Sometimes they are blatantly questions from students
Sometimes complex questions - too long to answer
Lovely handwritten letters are the best.

Critics

Don't read them - well try not too!

How'd you get into writing

JM - in grade 4 set up a class newspaper
Others all influenced in Primary School


Just a wonderful, wonderful weekend!