Like my own humble blog, the life and noise the literary blogging scene in Australia makes varies from times of excitement to relative silence. There are some periods where there are scores of bloggers offering their thoughts on the publishing industry, festivals, their writing process, things like NaNoWriMo – and other times, we seem to have little to say about anything. And it can heap on itself, because one blogger can inspire others, but also a quiet blogosphere leaves us with nothing to respond to. It’s a collaborative effort.
I feel like we’re in one of those periods now. Perhaps it’s post-NaNo funk, but a lot of writer-bloggers I know didn’t even do NaNoWriMo. It could be the end of the year. Or it could be there’s nothing to really talk about. Some of the spurts in lit blogging were inspired by debates and thoughts around digital publishing, events like the Emerging Writers’ Festival and the swathe of issues and questions arising out of that. More diligent bloggers or group blogs seem to produce things all year round, including reviews and interviews, seeking out content rather than just responding.
The launch of the new Crikey lit-blog, Liticism by Bethanie Blanchard gives me hope. With the new blog on the scene, and Angela Meyer reinvigorating her blog, LiteraryMinded at her own address, I’m hoping for discussion to spur me on to think and discuss my own writing and the issues I’m grappling with like the role of an editor especially when self-publishing. Don’t get me wrong, reviews and interviews have their place, but I can’t help but want more. I don’t read all reviews in my RSS feed. I often skip over them. I think I’m looking for questions or debate.
Perhaps this is just my perception, the blogs I’m reading etc. but I’m looking for a re-invigoration, probably because talking about writing usually leads me to actually do some writing (primarily fiction), because I’m thinking about it, and I’m in the right mode of thought, I guess. Whether this be through an issue, an event or whatever, I’m not sure. Perhaps this could be the start of a discussion.
What are the issues, questions, debates, concerns, etc. of the literary world at the moment?
What are you meaning by literary?
It’s kind of a broad term, but good question. I’m talking about blogs by writers or blogs that discuss writing, or books, or literature. There’s a whole set of blogs especially out of the Melbourne writing scene by writers or editors, but does extend beyond Australia.
So you’re looking for something that has a bit of meat about it. Not just review/interview blogs? I find the scene fairly fragmented to tell you the truth.
Yeah, looking for debate and discussions, things people are grappling with and lessons people are leaning.
I certainly agree that the it’s fragmented and easy for blogs and discussion to be missed. Especially there’s a gulf between ‘literary’ and ‘genre’ bloggers, which is silly, especially when many lessons and debates around the writing process and the publishing process is so universal.
Plenty of new speculative fiction book reviews over at my blog at guysalvidge.wordpress.com . Plus I’m a free man for six weeks so I’ll be writing my new novel Yellowcake Summer and blogging about that too
I’m going to add you to the blogroll Guy.
I’ve been looking for more Australian, or indeed Melbourne, book blogger directories. I’ve found plenty of international ones.
There are a few on my blogroll, but am trying to update it based on new blogs I’ve found, and ones that have died.