Creative Writing lecturer's book takes out another prize

9-October-2002

Alan Wearne says he writes for an audience, not for money. He gets a thrill at the thought that people he doesn't know read his work.

The University of Wollongong Creative Writing lecturer also gets a sense of satisfaction when he wins literary prizes. So right now, he's feeling very satisfied.

His epic verse novel, The Lovemakers, has won the Judith Wright Calanthe Prize for Poetry at the Brisbane Writers Festival held at the weekend. Early in the year The Lovemakers won the Kenneth Slessor Poetry Prize and the Book of the Year at the NSW Premier's Awards.

Mr Wearne said winning the three awards for the book was pleasing recognition for his work, but that his main motivation was writing for an audience. Writing poetry, he said, was quite different from writing best-selling novels.

"Because I'm not in the area of writing best-sellers, it gives me a thrill knowing people who don't know me have read my work," Mr Wearne said. "That sort of thing is lost on authors of best-sellers. They expect that people will know their work, and have read their books."

The Lovemakers has been published by Penguin. It is a story of obsessive love, and proved something of an obsession for Mr Wearne, taking 13 years to write. And it is only the first volume. Another is awaiting publication.

MEDIA NOTE: Mr Wearne can be contacted at the University of Wollongong on (02) 4221 4098.