The Business of Publishing
The Business of Publishing is a symposium presenting perspectives on Australian publishing from authors, editors, literary curators and publishers. Hear from industry professionals, learn about publishing models and trends, ask your burning questions, and find out what’s happening in Australian publishing today!
Day One offers panel discussions with Q&A on the state of play, and Day Two offers an all-day intensive for authors who want to hone their skills.
SATURDAY MAY 22ND - PANELS
2pm – 2:40pm: Anthologies & the Small Press
What’s the place of the small press in publishing? What can they offer authors? Why would you want to and how can you create your own publications? A panel featuring:
Winnie Dunn
A writer of Tongan descent from Mount Druitt, Winnie is the General Manager of the Sweatshop Literacy Movement. She is the editor of several critically acclaimed anthologies, most notably Sweatshop Women, which is Australia’s first and only publication produced entirely by women of colour.
Lore White
The founder and editor-in-chief of Baby Teeth Journal, an online indie publisher and small press. Baby Teeth Journal is a queer, inclusive, and anti-racist organisation with a focus on local queer and emerging creators.
Sarah Nicholson
The Director of the South Coast Writers Centre and of The Heroines Festival and editor of the Heroines Anthology. She previously worked as an academic in the field of creative arts, religion, philosophy and literature.
Facilitated by Adara Enthaler
SCWC’s Events & Communications Manager, a freelance writer and editor, as well as a performance poet and arts administrator based in Wollongong.
2:50pm – 3:50pm: Publishing – The Authors
Publishing from the perspective of authors: what’s the current publishing environment for writers who want to get books published? What are the possibilities and the pitfalls of commercial publishing? What are the other publishing models? A panel featuring:
Olivia Lanchester
The CEO of the Australian Society of Authors and is passionate about advising authors and illustrators on their rights and optimising their position. Olivia advises authors and illustrators on many aspects of the publishing process.
Pamela Cook
Pamela writes women’s fiction set in places you’ll want to escape to and books that will keep you turning the page. Her novels feature tangled family relationships, the ups and downs of friendship, and explore issues like grief and loss, belonging, and love.
Alan Baxter
Alan is a British-Australian author who writes horror, supernatural thrillers, and dark fantasy, liberally mixed with crime and noir.
Facilitated by Dr. Jackie Bailey
The founder and Principal of BYP Group with 18 years experience in the Australian government and non-profit sectors. She has worked in executive policy and research roles for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Health and Ageing and the Australia Council for the Arts.
4pm- 5pm: Publishing – The Publishers
Publishing from the perspective of authors: what’s the current publishing environment for writers who want to get books published? What are the possibilities and the pitfalls of commercial publishing? What are the other publishing models? A panel featuring:
Tom Langshaw
Editor at Pantera Press. Has also held roles as both Audio Producer and Senior Editor at Penguin Random House Australia.
Xavier Kennekinne
Editor at Gazebo Books. His short stories and essays have been published internationally. French-born Hennekinne now lives in Sydney, after having worked around the world for international non-governmental organisations and in the UN system.
Laura Brading
A former book publishing professional and bookseller, and now co-founder of WellRead. WellRead proposes to cherry-pick the best new literary titles for members to read, without wasting time and money on duds.
Facilitated by Mary Van Reyk
Mary Van Reyk has worked at second-hand bookstores, franchise bookstores, independent bookstores and Australian publishers as an expert in children's literature. She now works in social service and writes children's fiction on the commute from her home on the South Coast of New South Wales to her office in Sydney.
SUNDAY MAY 23RD - PUBLISHING SCHOOL
10am-3pm (Lunch included)
Former publisher, agent and advisor to ACT Writers’ Centre’s highly regarded HARDCOPY program, Mary Cunnane will demystify the publishing process for writers as it operates in Australia and internationally. How are books ‘signed’ up? What will a publisher do for an author? Do you really need an agent? What’s the best way to develop an effective book proposal? These are just some of the questions that will be answered in this one-day workshop. Drawing on her extensive experience as a publisher and a literary agent in the US and Australia, Mary Cunnane will provide up-to-date information and help participants navigate their way to representation and/or publication.
Mary is a highly regarded former publisher and literary agent and now freelance editor and consultant. With three decades of experience in the book-publishing industry in the United States and Australia, Mary now provides freelance editorial services – manuscript evaluation and development, structural editing and line-editing – directly to authors, as well as via agent referrals or on behalf of publishers. Her track record in list-building, author relations, rights management and IP development informs her consulting services to publishers, cultural institutions, universities and for-profit businesses.
