Sydney Writers' Festival

Still catching up on blogging this year's Sydney Writers' Festival. Sorry to be so slow, but note, I never finished blogging my UK trip last year, so think yerself lucky, missy!

Anyway, much as I tweeted and then blogged the Sydney Writers' Festival School Days, I also tweeted a panel of Indigenous writers I helped coordinate with my colleagues at the Blacktown Arts Centre.The panel featured Indigenous writers from Australia and Canada, who write across different genres and for a range of audiences. The evening also featured a group of local Darug writers reading their poetry and stories, most for the first time. Please check in at the link for information on the panelists, and here are my tweets:

Getting ready for Sydney
Writers' Festival Indigenous Writers panel.

Welcome to Country from Aunty
Sandra Lee, secretary of Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation. #swf2010
Indigenous writers' panel.

Anita Heiss has introduced
panel. First speaker Richard van Camp from Dogrib Nation in Canada, talking
about his heritage. #swf2010

Richard says when he heard
George Littlechild was to ill. his 1st kids' book he fainted. Great artist
shows respect for Indig ppl. #swf2010

Anita asks Boori to talk about
writing memoir Maybe Tomorrow & transition to writing children's books.
#swf2010

Boori tells anecdotes from
school visits as performer, this is where Maybe Tomorrow began. He's hilarious,
of course. And touching. #swf2010

Boori tells story of kid who
saw him take ochre off, get dressed after performance: 'I liked you better as
an Aborigine'. #swf2010

My Girragundji to be a film.
Currently a play at Riverside Theatres Parramatta. #swf2010

Boori discusses collab w
non-Aboriginal writer (Meme McDonald). Gives you reaction to respond to rather
thn looking thr same prism. #swf2010

Cathy Craigie talks about those
who mentored her as a storyteller (family) and her role now mentoring emerging
Aboriginal writers. #swf2010

Cathy talks about love of
reading as a child-Ruth Park, Allan Marshall-but something missing. Looked to
Black US writers, Oodgeroo. #swf2010

Cathy Craigie: Importance of
working with other Aboriginal women. #indigenouswriting #swf2010

Cathy talks abt importance of
Maria Locke story--she's mentoring ML's 4x greatgranddaughter Leanne Tobin in
writing play about ML. #swf2010

Leanne speaks about not knowing
about her Aboriginality growing up. Play has theme of being pale-skinned and
Aboriginal. #swf2010

Leanne says when she tries to
move away from western Sydney she gets sick. Aunties say she's supposed to be
here. She's staying. #swf2010

Leanne telling Maria Locke
story: had her illiterate convict husband indentured to her so she could send
him back. Women like this. #swf2010

Leanne's mum didn't know she
was Aboriginal until she was 58. Her mother kept it secret for protection.
#swf2010

Leanne decided to write Maria
Locke's story as a play to reach more people. I want her to write it as a
children's book. #swf2010

Anita suggests Maria Locke play
could be the Indigenous Cloudstreet. #swf2010

Richard says all 7 publishing
houses he's worked with value his Indigenous voice & encourage him to go
deeper in cultural stuff. #swf2010

Richard: if you want to be a
writer you have to read. Travel. Get yr work out there: try diff journals, mags
etc. #swf2010

Panel talking about finding
your own style and voice. Importance of a love of words, having a story to
share. #swf2010

Just sold a stack of books, now
Darug poets are reading their work. #swf2010

Darug poets reading their work,
some of them for the first time in public. Very moving. #swf2010

O irony: driving home from
Indigenous Writing Panel at Blacktown Arts Centre for #swf2010 @702sydney
played this horror http://bit.ly/bGr9vU

Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature
Pamela Rushby, When the Hipchicks Went to War

Patricia
Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature
Allan Baillie, Krakatoa Lighthouse

I'm delighted with both wins: thrilled for old mate Baillie, whose books haven't received so much attention in recent years, and pleased that once again the PLA has thrown up books generally overlooked by the CBCA awards. Read my friend Jonathan Shaw's take on the evening here.

The main news from the evening for me (apart from my own personal statement of courage on finally wearing my green velvet Maid Marion boots* only three years after I bought them) was an announcement made by the Premier of a new Writers' Fellowship program, to be funded by the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) and administered by the Western Sydney Young People's Literature Project. And that would be Me!

(Well, not JUST me of course, although at the moment I am still the only employee on the project, if you don't count my manager and, of course, the fantastic advisory group to the project, headed up by chair Libby Gleeson). 

Anyway, back to the Fellowships. They are to be called the CAL NSW Premier's Western Sydney Literature Fellowships (I think!) and while we are yet to nut out the details of eligibility etc, one thing is decided. Each Fellow will, as part of their "obligation" (I hate that word, can anyone think of a better?), come out and work with young people in greater Western Sydney. So the writers get some financial support towards their writing and the children and young adults of the west will get the opportunity to work with and learn from the Fellows.

I'm so excited about this for a number of reasons. First of all, the fact that an organisation as significant as CAL has approached the Western Sydney Young People's Literature Project to oversee and deliver this Fellowship program is enormous recognition of the work we're doing in the region, and I believe is also going to help position the project as a major cultural—what's the word I'm looking for? Institution? Anyway, you get my meaning.

I'm also pleased because the nature of the Fellowships should also open up the possibilities for programming for WSYPLP. The Fellowships won't just be for established writers for children or young adults (although they will be, of course, entirely eligible), but for all kinds of writers. Journalists, non-fiction, online media—I'm hoping the field will be wide, and as long as they can demonstrate an interest in and capacity to work with young people—well, we could get some really interesting programming opportunities out of it.

I'll be working with the advisory group and CAL over the coming weeks to put together the criteria and hopefully the first Fellowships will happen well before the end of the year. So stay posted!

And now here are my PLA boots. My feet hurt for days!

So as some of you will know, I've become an avid tweeter over the past year, and so I duly—thanks to my beloved iPhone—tweeted as much of this year's Sydney Writers' Festival as I could. Fortunately, I also posted my #swf2010 (that's what's called a hashtag, folks) tweets to my Facebook page, as I have since discovered that some kind of technical hitch involving the fact I have an underscore in my username (misrule_au) means you can no longer search for my tweets. Sucks to be me.

I'm not actually being sarcastic there—I am really upset about my #swf2010 tweets vanishing—I think it's fair to say (and I have done a search to confirm) that had my tweets not vanished, I'd have been in the top 1 or 2 Festival tweeters. And that's not just about statistics—as one of my Twitter friends commented tonight, "How infuriating. You put a lot into those great tweets." I did too, in order to try and bring the experience to people who couldn't be there.

It was a huge week, and I've been exhilarated, energised, thrilled, moved and, frankly, exhausted. In addition to the Premier's Literary Awards Dinner, which kicks off the week on the Monday night, and which I'll blog separately, I attended the opening night party (you've already seen a teaser photo), was MC at 3 of the School Days events, helped coordinate a wonderful panel of Indigenous writers at Blacktown Arts Centre (which I also tweeted and will blog separately), was a mere punter at the Saturday public program at the Wharf, and introduced authors and chaired a panel on the Sunday, which is traditionally (but not exclusively) given over to  children's and youth writers and events.

This post is dedicated to me republishing my tweets from the School Days at Parramatta Riverside Theatre (primary schools: Tuesday 18 May, secondary schools: Wednesday 19 May) and the primary schools day at The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre at Penrith (Thursday 20 May). I'm going to post them largely without comment (although with some photos if I can manage it), as I did from my pozzy as MC backstage, and if something doesn't make sense or requires comment or explication, will leave it to you to respond in the comments.

Here's a list of the writers I refer to in my tweets:

Primary school days' authors:

The witty and smart Brian Falkner (New Zealand) (who learned he won the New Zealand Post Children's Choice Award for Brainjack while he was here in Aus).

Sisters, fabulous double act, and writers of history, fantasy and time travel, Belinda Murrell and Kate Forsyth.

The utterly lovely Leigh Hobbs.

And the ridiculously famous Mr Andy Griffiths.

Secondary school days' authors:

John Danalis and Boori Monty Pryor (on race and reconciliation and breaking and healing hearts)

Melina Marchetta, who needs no...

Anthony "call me Tony" Eaton (try the veal, you've been a fabulous audience...)

and LIVE from the UK, the splendiferous Mr Charlie Higson (aka @monstroso)

Primary school days:

Brian Falkner from NZ has kids
in palm of his hands at Sydney Writers Festival schools day at Parramatta
Riverside Theatres.

Brian Falkner tells kids only
thing they need to tell stories is 2 words: what if? Kids utterly enthralled.
He's funny, fab. @SydWritersFest

Brian Falkner using Little Red
Riding Hood to explain how stories work. Really funny and accessible.

Fantastic questions from kids
in audience. When you write a book do you feel like you are there? Belinda
Murrell and Kate Forsyth #swf2010

Kate and Belinda duel it out....

Leigh Hobbs says if you make up
your own characters they can be funny or sweet or creepy or naughty: it's up to
you, you make rules #swf2010

Andy Griffiths takes the stage:
http://tweetphoto.com/22894848
Kids pretty much beside themselves. #swf2010

Andy and Leigh signing books.
#swf2010 Primary school day, Riverside Theatre, Parramatta

Love looks on kids' faces after
they get book signed. Somewhere between deeply chuffed and a wee bit smug. In a
good way. #swf2010

Secondary school days:

Judith Ridge is MCing the secondary schools day at
Parramatta Riverside Theatres for Sydney Writers'
Festival and it's going to go OFF!

Boori explaining the power and
importance of story and the need to know how to look. Blackfulla story,
whitefulla story. #swf2010

Boori talking about kissing
frogs. Literally. Hehehe. #swf2010

John talking about how we need
to listen and ask questions, learn from indigenous people. We need to share
this country. #swf2010

John: some stories are sacred
and secret but others we must share. #swf2010

Boori notes that tourists don't
come to Australia to see other whitefullas, "they come to see me!" Oldest
living culture #swf2010

What I love about John &
Boori's presentation is they read from each other's books, demonstrating
sharing, listening, learning. #swf2010

John and Boori wrapped in John's possum skin coat.

John Danalis talking about his
parents' painful journey & handover ceremony of Indigenous skull. Could
hear pin drop in audience. #swf2010

Boori lightens tone with
hilarious anecdotes about school visits. Light and shade--perfect. #swf2010

Boori tells story of fly going
up his nose during school performance. Ew! John talks about importance of laughter
to counter anger. #swf2010

Questions from audience are
just fantastic: bold and frank and thoughtful. Q to Boori, what's most
difficult q you've been asked? #swf2010

To Boori: do you take offence
to racist jokes? A: I used to, I'd punch them. But my teachers saved my life.
#swf2010

Boori makes kids tell teachers
they love them, John also pays tribute to teacher who supported him as a writer
as a kid. #swf2010

John: life is story. It's not
just to be read or written, it's to be lived. #swf2010

Oh my, John wrapped me in his
possum cloak as I addressed the audience after their session. I nearly burst
into tears! #swf2010

I can still feel its weight on
my body. So moving. If you haven't read Riding the Black Cockatoo you must:
personal reconciliation. #swf2010

Melina now on, describing her
writers' journey. Alibrandi about 3 things: being a girl living in Sydney going
to Catholic school. #swf2010

Melina says she's good with
character, dialogue, not so good w descriptive language. Challenge writing
fantasy. Use of consonants! #swf2010

Reading fight scene from
Finnikin of the Rock. Writers construct: it's work. #swf2010 #melinamarchetta

But sometimes there's mystery
around process: Melina tells how Piper's Son story came to her. Tom Mackee
spoke to her: 'my story' #swf2010

Melina describes technical
challenge of writing a relationship when characters are in different countries.
#pipersson #swf2010

Melina's refusal to be
"typecast" by Alibrandi, Francesca. #writingfantasy #jellicoeroad
#swf2010

Questions from audience:
favourite place to write? M describes procrastination by #selfgoogling.
#swf2010

@anthonyeaton warming up to
take stage for secondary schools day, #swf2010

Tony has captured kids
immediately. Swearing helps Also, funny! @anthonyeaton #swf2010

Tony describes plot of every
Harry Potter novel, rousing applause from audience. #swf2010 @anthonyeaton

Tony describing eavesdropping
in coffee shops, Ikea. 'Couples fighting over piece of furniture called Cokk'.
Hehe. #swf2010 @anthonyeaton

Tony acting out an ex-student
running late with short story homework. True story, totally hilarious. #swf2010
@anthonyeaton

If Tony ever gives up this
writing lark, he'd have a career in standup. But amongst all the laughs:
serious stuff about writing. #swf2010

Student asking q re writing: he
wrote story about guitar duel bw Van Halen & Chuck Norris. Tony picks up on
'write what you know'. #swf2010

Tony says you have to be open
to ideas in writing and in life. #swf2010 @anthonyeaton

Heavy metal writing student
says he wants to write about vampires. Tony: 'real vampires or sparkly
vampires?' Much hilarity ensues. #swf2010

Charlie Higson now on stage,
positing 'what if?' scenario of his latest book The Enemy: a world without
adults. @monstroso #swf2010

Charlie says girls like
vampires boys like zombies: vampires not sexy & zombies are basically teen
boys. He's joking but it's true. #swf2010

Kids think it's hilarious that
Charlie read his zombie book to sons as bedtime story, gave them nightmares.
Hehe. #swf2010 @monstroso

Charlie Higson: 'Do you want me
to read a scary bit or a gross bit?' Gross wins. (It's also plenty scary.)
#swf2010 @monstroso #theenemy

Oh wow, it really IS gross.
Giggles of disgust from audience. @monstroso #swf2010 #theenemy
@PenguinBooksAus

Q: where did you get idea for
the disgusting parts? A: my boys. #swf2010 @monstroso

And on the third day...

At Joan Sutherland Performing
Arts Centre in Penrith for primary schools day. #swf2010 Kids noisy (in a good
way!) and happy.

Kate Forsyth is telling the
story of the murder of David Rizzio in Mary Queen of Scots' chambers. Kids
enthralled. #swf2010

...to tide you over while I figure out how to copy my tweets over to the blog.

Me, Boori Monty Pryor and Anita Heiss at Sydney Writers' Festival 2010 opening night party.