Brewery talk on best sellers - and how not to write one

May 18, 2006

The topic of books was abuzz at the Brewery last night (Wednesday 17 May) when authors and academics Mr Alan Wearne and Dr Shady Cosgrove presented the latest 'Uni in the Brewery' lecture titled 'How NOT to write a Best Seller.'

The two authors from the University of Wollongong's School of Journalism and Creative Writing shared their experiences as writers, their insights into the publishing industry from a writer's point of view and addressed various issues in Australian publishing.

Specifically they discussed publishing opportunities and how to obtain a publisher, if there is a formula for 'best sellers' and why people do and don't read them. They raised questions like - Is there a valid case for elitism? Literary vs Popular - what is literary anyway? Is the future of publishing dollar driven?

Mr Wearne recently received the prestigious Colin Roderick Award for Book Two of his verse novel The Lovemakers (Money and Nothing). Presented annually, the award (which he 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. Mr Wearne has been part of the Australian poetry scene since the late 60s and is the author of a number of award-winning verse selections.

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. Dr Cosgrove 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 literary journals/magazines Southerly, Hecate and Antipodes.

Publisher and academic from the University of Western Sydney, Professor Ivor Indyk, was also at the session. Professor Indyk heads the Giramondo Publishing Company in Sydney which was set up in 1995 with the aim of publishing quality creative and interpretive writing by Australian authors.

Uni in the Brewery is a series of public lectures co-ordinated by the University of Wollongong's Research and Innovation Division (RAID) and aim to give the public the opportunity to learn about the various research projects conducted at UOW. The public is encouraged to attend the entertaining series of presentations by leading UOW researchers, and provide feedback and discussion.