November 2026 Editors Victoria

President’s report

By Kylie Howard

We really are getting to the pointy end of the year. It feels like I just submitted my last report for Gatherings! But a lot seems to have happened in the meantime. 

Despite that, I managed to get down to Lorne for a few days. The weather was glorious and I was almost tempted to plunge into the icy surf – but a water temperature of 14 degrees is a bit much to ask of this former Queenslander. So while my husband braved the waters, I chanced upon a little independent bookshop – Lorne Books – where I purchased a copy of Helen Garner’s Monkey grip. While I can’t quite identify with the characters and their circumstances (thankfully), Garner’s prose and evocation of Melbourne suburbs and places I know so well is … well … gripping. Even the way she describes the scraping of a gate against concrete is visceral – you can hear it and feel it. 

In early October, we interviewed applicants for the 2026–27 student adviser role. The pool was very impressive, so much so that we have decided to appoint 2 student advisers this year, one from RMIT and the other from the University of Melbourne. This is a great opportunity for Editors Victoria and IPEd to have a strong presence across 2 significant campuses and to glean insights into the needs of aspiring editors. I’ll properly introduce the successful candidates in the next edition of Gatherings once formalities are out of the way. 

On that note, our outgoing student adviser, Duncan Hale, hosted our second “Ask an editor” session for 2026 on 16 October. The event was wildly successful, with over 50 students attending. 

On 30 October 2026, we were joined by 2025 International Booker Prize–winning author and translator Deepa Bhasthi. Deepa spoke to Inclusion and Access Adviser Thirangie Jayatilake about translating across languages and cultures. If you missed this unique opportunity, the recording will be available for purchase very soon.  

Upcoming Editors Victoria events include: 

• 6 November 2026: “Sharpening the synopsis” workshop with Nadine Davidoff – In this 2-hour session you’ll learn about putting together an effective publishing proposal for your client’s submission-ready manuscript. Book your spot here. 
• 10 December 2026: Our Christmas get-together! Keep an eye out for updates. There’ll be food, wine and trivia! 

Well, that’s about it from me this month. Hope to see you at the Christmas event! 

Meet the committee: Chiara Malacchini Oates

I have been a member of IPEd since I graduated at the end of last year with my Master’s degree from Melbourne University. During my time with Editors Victoria, I have been a subcommittee member and, as of 2 months ago, I hold the communications role on the main committee – a role I share with the fantastic Cecile Shanahan. The members of the Editors Victoria committee have all been so supportive and enthusiastic in their work and it has been a pleasure to have my introduction into the industry with them. 

My career so far has been editing adjacent: I have worked as a social media manager and admin assistant for writers and connected literary organisations. I’m also currently working in the education sector. I have a passion for history books, both fiction and nonfiction, and I love delving into the world of literary criticism and cultural theory (a niche interest lingering from uni). In my spare time, I love reading (of course) and have been working towards a PhD that aims to bring more high school students into the world of reading and writing.