If you’ve spent any time on this blog you’ll know I’ve sometimes felt like chucking the whole authoring thing in: in an industry which publishes 160 books a day (according to Chuck Wendig), what kind of lunatic would I have to be to think that anything I wrote would ever be read?
But hey, it’s been a nice few weeks, so bear with me while I tell you about the lovely things that sometimes tumble ones way in the world of writing.
Have you had a look at If:book’s ‘Open Changes‘? It’s the offshoot of the far more respectable ‘Lost in Track Changes‘, where actual real authors like Krissy Kneen and Ryan O’Neill adapt one another’s work. In Open Changes, anyone who wants can drop by and spin off a story from another author’s story. At the end of each week, a few pieces from those submitted are selected to start the process again. I was pretty pleased one of mine made the cut in the final week (even though everyone’s that week made the cut – because they were all good, right?).
Last week my brain nearly exploded when I was awarded a Varuna flagship fellowship to work on the book I’m currently co-authoring, a practical handbook for surviving climate change. As I’ve said earlier, I really have no idea how to write long-form non-fiction, so it’s pretty freaking reassuring to have someone give me such a big tick of approval. I’ll be heading up in January and I’m really looking forward to trees, birds and of course time to write.
And then this week a certain august progressive journal told me they’re going to publish a short story I wrote. I really love this story, but it’s pretty odd and I wasn’t sure if anyone would want to offer it a home. It’s good to know it will live and breathe for a few months.
On top of all that I went to my first sci-fi convention on the weekend – Conflux 10 in Canberra – which is probably worth a post on it’s own. In summary, literary types, the spec fic types are pretty much the same as you and I, and their panels, launches and awkward conversation-making are much the same too.
This run of good luck must be due to come to an end soon…
Anne Rawson
October 7, 2014 at 5:13 pmBut what story is being published where? How can we read it if you don’t tell us!!
Jane Bryony Rawson
October 8, 2014 at 9:48 amI’ll tell you when it comes out (or is about to come out). What if they change their mind before then?
thenoveilst
October 7, 2014 at 6:55 pmLove the first paragraph…we all think like that. But congrats 🙂 keep going.
Jane Bryony Rawson
October 8, 2014 at 9:48 amthanks!
whisperinggums
October 7, 2014 at 7:30 pmWoo hoo Jane … Varuna and a story (to be) published! Congratulations. Do tell us when and where the story is published. I guess it shows you how up I am on the spec fic scene. I live in Canberra and had no idea that conference was on. Would love you to write it up.
Jane Bryony Rawson
October 8, 2014 at 9:49 amI was only there for one day of the four, but yeah, if I can carve out a little time I would like to write some things about it.
MST
October 8, 2014 at 9:11 pmCongratulations and well done. Sounds less like luck to me than a lot of hard work finally paying off.
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October 11, 2014 at 12:06 pm[…] to a “manuscript of outstanding quality in the area of environmental writing” to work on what Jane describes as “a practical handbook for surviving climate […]
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