Martin Livings wrote:Donna wrote:The book is about writers (and illustrators and editors) of Australian speculative fiction.
Doing this project must have given you an excellent feel for the state of the art here in Australia. So what do you see happening in the next twelve months or so? What direction is the field moving in currently? Give us some extrapolation based on your rather unique perspective!
I'd have to think about this. Russell B Farr asked me something similar in an interview he did with me on Ticonderoga Online.
I did get a feel for things. I think there is more self-publishing and small press publishing going on than is at first obvious. And it's still happening. I think the list of people who aren't in the book that I didn't know about is up near the 20 mark...some of those are new writers who self published or were published by small press USA.
As a result the actuall amount of Aust Spec Fic is far richer than what you buy in mainstream bookshops. You have to go looking for some of this stuff because it's not widely known and not widely advertised.
From what I see new writers are being taken up by publishers, but at a slow pace. Lothian taking on 3 authors...and a few more in the works was a great boon. Sadly it doesn't look like it will sustain...but that doesn't mean someone else will not come in with investment. I can't say that the readership is growing...I think it is...just based on what I spend. I have far more disposable income than I had before. I don't watch tv...I read or write...
I am a good customer at my local Dymocks...but I don't think I'm their largest spender...I could ask.
There is a very good survey on the Booksalive website...it surveys readers and buyers of books. I found it very interesting. www.booksalive.com.au
Any way women by far read more and buy more books. Is that why fantasy outsells SF and horror?
In addition, as I see it more Australians are being sold overseas...and selling well...there's room to move.
So I think that respect for Australian writers in the genre is growing.
As for extrapolating the future...well I can't. Some people have been predicting the fantasy bubble bursting. If you read the survey I mentioned...women are the main purchasers of books. Men don't read nearly as much as they do. (There is another survey worth a read too about children and their reading habits).
I don't think we are heading for a major economic downturn...so sales shouldn't decrease. Booksellers buy what sells...they play a part in that process. However, unless someone other than Harper Collins gets serious about spec fic in Australia then...I think it will be steady as she goes, with maybe a few good books coming out of small press.
I'd stay tuned to the Allen and Unwin new imprint headed up by Lousie Thurtell. I expect some good stuff from her and some of it should be spec fic.
As for development opportunities. I'm hoping that Varuna will be able to manage to create a spec fic ms development opportunity with overeas publishing connections...because that's the only way some of us, who aren't writing standard fare will get published.
I don't think I answered this rather well. There are too many unknowns...I know there are writers there and that there are many who are pushing against the glass ceiling...if there's an avenue they'll get published... It is the avenues that are had to pick.
I believe he used canvas...this time. I like the cover too!