hurricane chow & writing movements
cyclone alfred & genre con
cyclone alfred
Brisbane is watching the skies - along with the Gold Coast, the North Coast of NSW and the Sunshine Coast.
Alfred, a category 2 cyclone, is heading our way today.
The view outside my window is ice-white. I can hear hard wind skidding around buildings and the occasional car warbling to higher ground. How severely this will hit us here remains to be seen.
I hope all of my readers in the affected areas are keeping themselves safe. The community around me in Brisbane is inspiring - plenty of people are contributing time and effort to help others, even if it’s just sharing news online about where shelters are.
Meanwhile, my local supermarket’s shelves look like this:
I’m not a camper or a prepper, but at times like this, I always wish I’d thought ahead - even to order a wireless charger or a torch. Nevertheless, I’m prepared with food. And candles. If the power goes out, I’ll be able to write and read, and who really needs any other entertainment?
genre con
Speaking of writing and reading - on the weekend, I attended Genre Con. It’s the leading annual writing conference in Australia, held by the hardworking Queensland Writers Centre.
What can I say? I had a blast. It was a dream!
The community of Genre Con is always so, so welcoming. I met some talented, hardworking and interesting writers I hadn’t met before, and some of them even offered me services such as beta reading or editing. The people are really the best part of the conference. Young or old, whatever identity markers one might have, the writing community is inclusive and intermingled. Everyone is welcome.
There’s not much prickle or competitive spirit - the energy is very ‘let’s lift each other up’. Speaking as someone who spent their twenties playing in bands, the Australian writing community is unmatched in camaraderie.
A range of fantastic panels and discussions disseminated valuable industry knowledge. Steffanie Holmes, the legally blind keynote speaker who’s written over 50 books, was an inspiration to listen to! Romance isn’t really my genre, but I’ll be checking out her work.
Writing conferences offer pitches - allowing us writers to get face to face with publishers and tell them about our work, which I love. What other creative industry helps so directly with opportunities to find a wider audience?
I seized the chance to pitch my completed novel, and my current novel-in-development. I was nervous as hell, but managed to spit out my words coherently enough to be invited to submit my work to a publisher.
I also made business cards. What a dork.
There was a surprise ahead of me during a writers consult I’d booked with a publishing industry expert (who shall remain nameless). After I explained the elevator pitch of the book I was asking advice about, she liked the idea so much that she pitched it for me over live chat to a publisher, who also liked it, and invited me to submit my work. Another example of the incredible kindness and generosity of Australia’s writing community. I was only there for a consult! She didn’t have to do that!
My submissions may not result in any publication offers, but it was validating to find that my pitches, at least, were well received. I am so grateful for these opportunities, and for the feedback I received during my pitches. It’s comforting to know I communicated my ideas to people in the industry well enough to pique their interest - time will tell if my writing is what they’re looking for.
Lastly, I read aloud my piece on or before social media at one of Genre Con’s Speakeasy events. It was the first time I’ve read my work aloud since University days, and though I was shaking, my voice came out clear. I think that the piece, with its rhymes and weirdness, works better aloud than on paper.
The warm reception I received reignited my love for poetry. Despite the fear swelled up in me before performing, I did have fun. I was invited by the Brisbane Writers Workshop afterward to perform on or before social media again at an upcoming event.
During the Speakeasy, Aurealis Award-winning novelist Trent Jamieson read aloud an excerpt from a work in progress. (Many other talented writers read too, but I remember his words the most vividly) I really enjoyed his beautifully literary writing style. I recommend anyone give him a read! He writes both children’s and adult fiction.
I’ll be back on Monday with a deep-dive essay.
All the best to everyone in the cyclone’s path.
Stay safe,
