CEO’s message
What do Anna Wintour and Tim Winton have in common?
These two names typically spring to mind for many when it comes to thinking about an “editor” and “writer”, according to Australian writer Michelle Law and her Canadian editor Allison Hiew. The pair recently caught up to discuss the public perceptions of their respective professions, their influences and the experience of working together on Michelle’s debut novel, Asian girls are going places: how to navigate the world as an Asian woman today.
Their compelling two-way interview forms part of episode #01 of the Author–Editor video series, supported by IPEd, the Brisbane Writers Festival and the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
In our Author–Editor series episode #01, Allison discusses having to dispel perceptions that her editing work is similar to Anna Wintour’s, the iconic former editor of Vogue magazine. Meanwhile, Michelle discusses finding her voice in a publishing landscape that has at times revered the small-town-with-secrets literary genre.
Episode #01 got off to a flying start on 10 February with a candid discussion between Michelle and Allison on being persons of colour in a predominantly monocultural publishing industry. For an extract of Michelle and Allison’s interview, please see this Q&A blog post on our website. For the full video interview, please go to the BWF page.
Episode #02 of the Author–Editor series, featuring Larissa Behrendt, Jacqueline Blanchard and Madonna Duffy, will be released on 10 March. Listen to writer-editor duo Larissa and Jacqueline discuss the respective processes of writing and editing After story, a novel about a mother and daughter taking a tour to England’s most revered literary sites while attempting to reconcile a family tragedy that has haunted them their whole lives.
Larissa credits Jacqueline’s structural editing skills for effectively helping to shape After story into the powerful story that it is. She describes the relationship of trust that she, a First Nations writer who has tackled highly sensitive topics relating to intergenerational trauma in her work, had with her non-Indigenous editor.
For more information about the Author–Editor series and the exciting line-up planned for 2022, visit BWF’s online events page.
IPEd editors awarded coveted spots in 2022 Residential Editorial Program
A big congratulations to all the recipients of the Australian Publishers Association’s (APA) 2022 Residential Editorial Program, including IPEd member and freelance editor Vanessa Lanaway. Congratulations also to Rebecca Allen from our corporate member, Hachette, for securing a place!
Vanessa and Rebecca were part of a group of 15 mid-career editors who participated in mentorship, professional collaboration and advanced training activities in Sydney for a week. They each worked on a selected unpublished manuscript with experienced mentors Jo Butler, Linda Funell and Grace Lucas-Pennington, and received presentations from a range of guest speakers.
This year’s program included scholarship positions for First Nations and freelance editors, with the latter provided through IPEd.
According to the APA, 108 editors have graduated from the program since its first run in 1999, and many now have significant editorial roles in the Australian industry, including as managing editors and publishers.
Warm regards
Karen Lee
CEO