'Fin', or something else equally as pretentious.

This blog feels unfinished, so here’s the last entry. I just felt like this entire thing needed some kind of tangible end. The BWF has been over for months, but those months have given me the time to properly reflect on it. I went into the festival feeling like I wasn’t expecting much, but looking back, I don’t think that’s entirely correct. In actual fact, I think I went into the festival with preconceived ideas of what a festival consisted of. The only writers festival I’d experienced before was the Melbourne Writers Festival, which was very different. The MWF is spread out because of the amount of participants involved, but the BWF took place over the course of a weekend.

When I was attending the festival I didn’t really feel like I was making it to enough sessions, but by the time it was all over I felt exhausted; a sure sign that I’d dragged myself to session after session after session. I tried to pick a variety of sessions and events to attend, and now that’s it’s all done and dusted, I can highlight two sessions that really stood out. One was the ‘Talk right, speak better’, session (which my group actually gave an award). It was just the right mix of funny and engaging, and I actually felt like I was being talked to, instead of being talked at. The second was the ‘Deep and meaningful’ session which took place down in the old mine. I donned my hardhat with a terrified Marney, and we descended into this funny room; the walls still rocky and uneven. It was cold down there, but I don’t think that the songs and bush poetry would have worked if they hadn’t taken place in such a bizarre setting.

More than anything, I found the BWF interesting in unexpected ways.  To be honest, the amount of people who actually signed up to take the subject surprised me. Who knew there were so many people who were actually passionate about literature? Who knew there were so many people passionate about writing? This blog has come to an end, but that memory of the festival as a place that brings people together will remain.

Photo dump.

My time at the BWF resulted in undertaking a photojournalism assignment. I decided in the brief to try and put together a portfolio of images that not only showcased the participants of the festival, but also the volunteers who helped to keep the festival running smoothly. I decided to share some of those images here (apologies for any images I've posted here previously).

Tiny media blitz! ;)

 I thought I'd put this newspaper article from The Advertiser here just in order to keep everything together.  It was nice to see something I'd written in print, but less exciting to see my name (and Jackie's!) misspelled. My surname is forever missing its poor 'h'!

The original photo.

Augmented reality.

This QR code allows the reader to unlock the story's augmented reality.

One of the standouts for me during this BWF has been the explanation of augmented reality, and the acknowledgement of it as an art form and a legitimate literary tool. The Writing Revolution was a really insightful, fun panel to attend. Sophie Masson spoke about the use of blogs in her gothic romance series, and how they allow readers to experience the world she's built and the characters she's created through a free, easily accessible medium. I think the idea of augmented reality is more easily marketed to YA audiences; the teenagers of today's world are constantly online. Most people have a smartphone glued to their hand as they navigate their lives. These special little extras have been around forever in film and television, and are referred to as 'easter eggs'; hidden gems waiting to be uncovered by an enthusiastic reader. I really liked the idea of Sophie's blogs. They're not critical in understanding the story, but they're a treat for the reader who stumbles across them. I love the idea of being able to continue a story beyond the pages of the book. Once you fall in love with a character it can be hard to let go.

Matt Blackwood (the second speaker during the The Writing Revolution panel) was incredibly passionate about augmented reality. He believes in liberating the eyes. Rather than viewing the text on a page, readers should be able to fully immerse themselves in not only the literature at hand, but also in the place they're set. Many authors believe that total immersion in the text is the mark of a good book, but Matt also argues the importance of the place. I love books that totally immerse me, so Matt's speech definitely made me think about the way I read in a different light. I've always loved that total immersion, and I don't think I've ever read a piece of literature whilst taking note of the place I'm reading it in. There have been signs, obviously; plaques about historical events, but the idea of reading a short story and valuing the place it's set is foreign to me. This is one of the great parts of a writers festival. Sometimes the panels just cement what I already know, but the best ones introduce new ideas and concepts.

Write right.

A captive audience!

Talk right, write better was a great panel. It was witty, well-prepared, and definitely valued the importance of the Oxford comma. Through all of the speeches about grammar, one thing which stuck out was a question from a 15yo audience member. At question time, this boy stated that he reads a lot of YA fiction, and wondered whether or not the panelists think that writing with grammatical correctness is important when penning YA dialogue. This made me think of one of my pet hates – YA books where the characters are incredibly witty and not at all awkward. Is grammar important when writing the dialogue of a character whose background and interests clearly show that they wouldn't be grammatically correct? This is the sort of writing that throws me out of a story. It causes this massive disconnect when I read about a teenage boy speaking the way an educated, 20-something would. I'm a little pedantic – I'll admit that – but dialogue is a completely different ballgame. This is a bold statement, but I think it is impossible to write a YA novel and have the characters be grammatically correct. There are some exceptions to the rule, but not many. Nicole Hayes brought up an interesting point in answer to this question, which was that although she tries to write teenage dialogue which stays true to life, she also tries to avoid inserting any year-specific slang. This helps the book age well, and keeps a reader in 2014 from feeling that the novel is too 2004. Is grammar important? Absolutely. One must remember that there is always a middle ground, and that it's there to keep from alienating readers. Just because a book is written well doesn't mean that it has to be written perfectly. There are certain rules that a writer should stick to, but sometimes the best books are written simply. I'm a sucker for beautiful prose and I always really appreciate a well-written book, but there are also books written simply that I've fallen in love with. Sometimes the story is enough to carry a book, but I often find that downright bad writing turns me off completely.

The evolution of the written word.

The gateway - and beyond!

Looking at the evolution of writing over time really made me think about promotional tools and marketing strategies. During the Bendigo Writers Festival, The Writing Revolution panelists spoke about the internet, and how many writers either disregard it as new technology, or think of it simply as a promotional outlet. The relevance of this to the website Goodreads struck me suddenly. Goodreads is a website where readers can rate and review the books they're read, add these books to lists, and voice their opinions. It's a great site, but it does have its downfalls. Being a writer who uses Goodreads can either be a great thing or a terrible one. They say that you should never google yourself, and I think that should definitely apply here. The only thing I would add to that statement would be, “don't try to defend your book against people who hate it.” I've seen many an author succumb to the temptation to leave angry replies on the reviews they dislike. This is always a terrible idea. Goodreads can be a great tool when used correctly; I've seen authors signing up and giving away signed copies of their books, reviewing other books, and just being generally cool people. Seeing that an author is a decent person can do wonderful things for the promotion of their writing.

The move from paper to the screen is tough for many. I love reading, and I've always loved the smell and feel of old books, but now I own an eReader. The Writing Revolution suggested that the evolution of writing should prompt people to stay open to new ideas, and to move with technology. If not, you risk alienating people and being left behind. On many levels, I agree with this. I definitely think that all of these new, technological tools have the ability to enhance what we already have. At the same time, there are authors I love who have nothing at all to do with social media, and just end up letting their writing do the talking for them. Ultimately, writers should do as they please, though they shouldn't condemn or disregard the internet as a valid tool at their disposal.

"They write us."

This year's Bendigo Writers Festival has been really interesting and thought-provoking. I'm writing this blog on the evening of Friday the 8^th of August, and officially, for most people, the festival hasn't even started. When I rang up to book my place in the Friday sessions, The Capital's employee sounded puzzled, and kept repeating that Friday was for the school groups – was I sure I wanted to go? I'm glad I made the effort. Sophie Masson was my favourite author of the day. I sat in the front row of each session I chose, and suddenly Sophie would walk in (three times!), and sit down right in front of me. I'm sure I inadvertently looked like a bit of a stalker. It probably didn't help that I had my camera out, and kept click-clicking away. I wasn't expecting to enjoy Sophie Masson so much, but in the The Greatest Writing session she really came alive. She spoke about her childhood literary passions, the importance of children's literature, and the significance of fairytales. She even stated at one point that fairytales are “some of the most profound things ever written”, and she mentioned some of her own books, which are reinventions of fairytales. This was of particular interest to me, as I've read a great deal of reinvented fairytales for young adults. There's a kind of magic to them, and a recognition of sorts. Reading these reinventions feels like bumping into an old friend many years later – you feel that spark of recognition, but there's also something new; they've grown and changed along the way.

I want to finish this blog with a Sophie Masson quote about fairytales, which is that “they are truth from the inside of us.”

Writers festivals and talking animals.

The Bendigo Writers Festival is slowly approaching, and I'm reminded of the first time I ever attended a festival focused on authors instead of bands, and on literary theory instead of guitar-strumming musicians. I was 16, and I was head-over-heels for Isobelle Carmody. When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with Carmody's Obernewtyn Chronicles. Those books had it all; adventure, a star-crossed romance, and people who could talk to animals.

Yes - I still have this, all these many years later!

I'd never been to a writers festival before, but that year, when I was 16, it was announced that Isobelle Carmody would be one of the guests at the Melbourne Writers Festival. My memory is dim now, but what I remember is an overwhelming amount of people. I remember being surprised not only by the number of attendees, but also by the variety of people I saw. There were kids in giant school groups, teenagers, and adults, all of them filing into the different venues. I knew people read, but I didn't realise just how many people were passionate about reading. It was a bit of a wake up call for me, to realise that I wasn't alone in my love of literature, ridiculous as that sounds now. I sat through the panels and sessions and finally ran into Isobelle Carmody outside, where she was signing autographs. I remember this part vividly; how strangely shy I was as she took my copy of The Keeping Place and asked for my name. I remember her saying she had a sister named Samantha, and then she was gone. I think it was the first time I'd ever met someone I truly idolised. Carmody was always an inspiration to me. She wrote Obernewtyn when she was 18, and during my own teenage years, whenever I felt young and uninspired I remembered that fact. 

 

A writers festival wasn't just a gathering of authors and people, but also a gathering of ideas, of and of shared understanding. For me, it was an opportunity to realise that I wasn't alone in feeling passionate about what I loved.

Competing against myself.

The end of the year usually brings a round-up of the old and a desire to start everything anew. That same feeling must be what pushes everyone into making New Year resolutions. I've never been one for resolutions – they always seem too idealistic and unrealistic. At the start of the year I decided to do something just as stupid; commit myself to a Goodreads book challenge. At the time, it didn't seem all that crazy. I'd done it the previous year and had been happy with the results. I set the number at 55 – and the goal seemed simple. Read 55 books in a year, complete the challenge, go home happy. Most of us read often enough, but by setting a goal it feels like running a race or completing a marathon – with much less physical exertion involved.

This year I went a little crazy and set my challenge at 365 books. It's been a little stressful. I mustn't have been thinking straight when I made it, because reading a book a day is insane, even for an enthusiastic reader. I'm a really fast reader and have been that way forever. I guess it's a bit of a skill, but it's also frustrating when I'm reading a great book and am dying to stretch it out and enjoy it forever. A book a day isn't impossible, but it's pretty intimidating. Reading has always been an escape for me, but now it's a bit of an obligation. I'm probably making this all sound a lot more dramatic than it really is. Sure, it's a little stressful, always thinking that I'm 1 or 4 or even 7 books behind schedule, but it's also fun because I am extremely competitive (even in this competition against... myself). 

I've read a lot of books this year, and, I have to be honest, not all of them have been quality literature. Sure, I read books that have been recommended to me, and every so often something great comes up, but for the most part I tend to read a lot of really average literature. I'm drawn towards a lot of young adult fiction, dystopian and post-apocalyptic stuff in particular, but the things I read tend to come in genre-specific waves. I love a good, depressing memoir about childhood. Something that really makes me cry. Anything where the narrator rises victorious at the end. I've been reading a lot of books about shipwrecks and life rafts. At one point I was really into Stockholm Syndrome, and read a lot of books in a vain attempt to find something decent. Warning: everything labeled Stockholm Syndrome is really about BDSM and horrible, abusive characters. Don't make the same mistake I did. There's been a lot of rubbish, but there have also been a lot of diamonds in the rough, and those books make it all worthwhile.

A love letter to literature.

Blogging used to come easily to me. When I was a teenager, I'd sit down at my computer (family computer, dial-up internet) and write almost a post a day. Now I look back on those posts with the same horror everyone does when they see remnants of their former selves. Those posts are awful, but they're also great because they are totally unhampered by my own self-consciousness or hesitance. These days it's difficult to write a sentence without stopping, pausing, changing a word, or starting again altogether. I think that kind of honesty comes partly from anonymity, but also from having something to say. This is my first post here, and it's a love letter to books. I've loved books since I was a kid; ever since I can remember. Memories of books are linked to memories of my life, with phases and ages tied to the literature I devoured. Reading shapes you. It changes who you are inside, helps you to grow, to travel, and to dream. It gives you the chance to be something more.