Past Programs
Media Industry - 2008
Remix My Lit -- literary mash-ups
13/11/2008
Remixing is a word that is often more associated with music than the literary domain. But it's been said that there are really only seven storylines and that every story has already been told. So does that mean that all stories are cover versions?
In this litigious world, reworking and then publishing a piece inspired by your favourite writer is a legal problem.
Remix My Lit has gathered the work of some prominent Australian writers who have given their fans free range to remix their short stories in whatever way they like -- because they're licensed under Creative Commons.
Writer beware! How to avoid writing scams
11/11/2008
The literary equivalent of the Nigerian scam that politely asks for your bank details is the writing scam.
Writer Beware gives writers advice on how to avoid writing scams, unscrupulous literary agents and bogus writing contests.
Victoria Strauss operates the website for Writer Beware and is the co-founder and vice-chair of Science Fiction Writers of America Committee on Writing Scams.
Max Barry is the author of the satirical novels Company, Jennifer Government and Syrup. He also has some handy tips for getting published without being scammed.
Philip Gourevitch, editor of The Paris Review
30/10/2008
A puritanical hedonist -- this is how novelist and nonfiction writer Marilynne Robinson describes herself. She won the Pulitzer for her 2004 novel Gilead and her new book is called Home. An in-depth interview with her is in the latest Paris Review.
Also on the topic of home, when 40,000 prisoners involved in the Rwandan genocide were released from jail, French journalist Jean Hatzfeld wrote about their homecoming. His article 'Together Again' is in the magazine.
This is a topic close to the editor of the Paris Review, Philip Gourevitch, who wrote about the genocide in We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda.
Financial doom and gloom and Frankfurt Book Fair antics
24/10/2008
We talk to writers all the time about their books, but have you thought about how they come to be published, or how international writers' books end up on our shores?
The process of getting books into print in different regions around the world has a lot to do with the wheeling and dealing that goes on at large international book fairs.
It is the 60th anniversary of the Frankfurt Book Fair, which just wrapped recently. Despite the international financial crisis, it's reported as being the biggest ever.
Slightly Foxed with Gail Pirkis
23/10/2008
The British quarterly journal Slightly Foxed was set up partly to celebrate writers and books that are either neglected or out of fashion and partly as a reaction to a book industry that has become somewhat captive to image and marketing. Michael Shirrefs asked editor Gail Pirkis about the ethic of the journal.
André Schiffrin: A Political Education Read Transcript
04/07/2008
André Schiffrin was born in Paris, the son of one of France's most esteemed publishers, into a world that included some of the day's leading writers and intellectuals. This world changed completely when the Nazis marched into Paris on André's fifth birthday. Schiffrin's memoir A Political Education: Coming of Age in Paris and New York recounts the twists and turns of a life that saw Schiffrin become, himself, one of the world's most respected publishers.
The great unpublished novels of Australia Read Transcript
21/05/2008
Unsolicited manuscripts are sent to publishers all the time and they call this the slush pile, but Overland magazine and independent publisher Sleepers have actually been asking for manuscripts from everyone and anyone!
As a result they've been sent manuscripts that are verse novels, Christian allegories, sci-fi, Australian historical fiction; some that are sexist and one by a writer who boasts they've never read a novel so their style has not been corrupted by prior exposure!
They've witnessed an outpouring of creativity and I expect some noteworthy attempts as well as failures.
Jeff Sparrow from Overland and Louise Swinn from the independent publisher Sleepers join Ramona Koval in the studio to talk about the great -- and not so great -- unpublished novels of Australia that they've found in their pursuit of literary gold.
Publishing's carbon footprint
12/03/2008
Like every other part of the economy, the publishing industry is turning its attention to the issue of global warming and looking at ways to reduce its carbon footprint. Two significant industry reports have recently been released in the United States, examining publishing's environmental impact. Ed McCoyd, director of digital policy for the Association of American Publishers, was involved with both publications.
Writing from the grave -- franchised authors
04/02/2008
The best known of the 'writers from the grave' or 'ghostwriters' in the literal sense is Robert Ludlum. At the time of his death in 2001 he had sold 210 million books (only outsold by JK Rowling). No wonder his publishers have released 12 new works bearing his name since he died. Other notable 'franchised authors' who have been ghostwritten include Lawrence Sanders and Theodor (Dr Seuss) Geisel.
But it's not just dead authors who are being franchised, the living are there too. Tom Clancy is the best example. All his works are simply from ideas he creates, the rest is left up to another writer. However, it's his name that gets all of the credit.
Is this legal and is it ethical? Nic Pullen dissects this question on the Book Show.
