First Impression

Before participating at the 2016 Mildura Writer's Festival, I had a presumed feeling and idea that the event would be only for guest writers and some elite members of the community. In this way, the writers will read the books they have written, the audience would listen and the book sellers would sell the books. However, participating in the festival through Latrobe University Writers in Action (STC3WIA) subject revealed that the event was much more than what I expected. Therefore, throughout the festival I had a keen eye on the festival as I was much more attracted how a literary festival works as compared to other type of festivals particularly in a small town like Mildura. 

To understand more about the literary festivals, it was also important to know the 2016 Mildura Writers Festival's sponsors. It was very interesting that one of the sponsor for the event was Stefano's family. Although there were many other sponsors for the event but the vocal Mildura man Stefano de Pieri was prominent. I observed that not only him but also people close to him were active in the event and given more opportunity to ask questions from writers. Therefore, the roles of sponsor and sponsorship were evident and had a strong influence on the festivals. And one example is Mildura Italian food identity Stefano which I provide a brief detail of him bellow:

His unstoppable food identity in the Sunraysia region particularly in Mildura has attracted many visitors and locals to his catering business and restaurant in the cellar of Grand Hotel for many years. His Italian heritage has also helped him in the region to use many local ingredients in his favour to craft rustic delicious dishes. 

Photo Courtesy: google image

The point I am trying to make here is that without sponsors and local support like him, it is almost impossible to organise a literary festivals like Mildura Writer Festival. Nevertheless, these are good opportunities for book lovers to excel and use such regional identities to reach more people as compared to only few literary enthusiasts in the region.

The bellow poem was a writing exercise in the class that students shared with each other, lets see what i had to say:

Lost Love

When I look into your eyes! 

They say something especial to me!

I had not known of your love

Until your eyes spoke to me!

It was interesting that you did not know me

When i looked to the notes that you sent to me

Until you met personal me

But by the time you visited me

It was too late to know me

It was interesting that you did not know me

The generous life enlighten me 

But at the same time contaminated me

May be it was not you, it was me

However, life sucks you from me

It was interesting that you did not know me

When i looked into your eyes! 
They say something especial to me!

Digital Revolution and the Book Publishing Industry

Throughout the history of book publishing industry, there have never been a profound and turbulent change as the one been brought by the digital revolution. Digital technology today more than ever has transformed the publishing industry than any other time. Therefore, the digital revolution has brought not only tremendous economic opportunities to the publishing companies but also extended the unparalleled success for authors and writers. It is important to know that although the digital transformation has been benefited the publishing companies and some authors. However, it has also played an important role to liquidate the small to medium book sellers as they are no longer able to compete with global chain monopolies. Therefore, as David Malouf said in his lecture that “publishing industries these days are demand driven not quality driven”.

Source: Getty Images

The digital revolution is still a new phenomenon for not only publishers but also for booksellers and authors. It is similarly important to understand and consider that the digital revolution pendulum is still swinging and no one is aware where it will stop. But authors, particularly new and emerging writers must be flexible and adoptive to new technologies. They can use these technological and digital platforms to their advantage and could increase their reader’s realm. However, the question will be still the same as today, where and what will be the role of the books in an era preoccupied with super-fast computers and the light wave speed internet? How the book publishing industries will be transformed by the economic and the technological upheaval of coming times. And it is certainly another matter. Nonetheless, it is imminent that the changes will certainly occur in different shapes and forms. As David in his lecture noted that “throughout my writing careers I have observed upheaval changes in the publishing industries as the companies have come and gone but only those who accepted the changes stood out”. However, he also mentioned that “I stood with one publishing company only” as he found easy to work and deal with one publisher.

Books particularly digital books in the digital era will become a standard work of the publishing industry at the beginning to middle of the 21st century. It will be of great interest for upcoming professionals in the publishing industries, young students and other policy makers to not only be adaptive but also embrace the new digital age and transformation.

By: Google Image

I remember from the very first day of the festival that Sunil was in conversation with Richard as both talked about the irruptive nature of digital world. He mentioned that “We are living in a brutal globalised economy” that no one is immune from side effect of it. Sunil also mentioned that he suffered personally from this digital world as he “lost his computer and personal hard drive” where the book was written for almost six to seven thousand words in length. Therefore, he has lost all the hard work of two and half years in a simple incident of burglary however, he was not sure if he wanted to publish the writings which he has lost. 
On the other hand, as a new and emergent writer he also benefited tremendously from the digital age. Within a short period of time, after publishing his book he became well-known to the readers and publishers. Therefore, it would be easy for him to publish his new work easily with possibly any publishing company in the world. Thus, his success is partly linked to digital world.

Well, although he had lost some work in the beginning of his writing career because of digital technology however it did not bothered him as the digital world compensate for the loss he has occurred. 

Image Courtesy: Becc K.