The panellists spoke warmly about libraries, as several of them have spent countless hours there, writing. They all have very different methods for writing - or rather, for being productive while writing. Anita Heiss aims for a high word count in a short time, while Melina Marchetta uses the whole business day to write. Pam Newton is still finding her groove with her second book, but she likes to write longhand, and goes for walks to think. Matthew Reilly writes for two days and then plays golf, writes for two more days, and plays golf again. He says he's getting really good at golf.
Writing is a craft for people who find writing difficult. It should feel difficult; it should feel hard. - Richard Glover
Matthew risked glares from his fellow panellists when he admitted that writing is like eating chocolate ice cream for every meal. He'd write even if he wasn't getting paid, and gets lost in the state of flow when writing, with hours passing like minutes. He likes to plan his story with the hero's movements first, then jump into writing with an energy he hopes the reader can feel. Pam thinks research is the best bit, and finds library archives and databases invaluable for finding accurate historical details. Matthew said, "You have to still go to libraries because there is an illusion that everything is on the internet." Libraries may be occupied with the future of the book and reading, but Pam asks, what about the future of writing?
Bookable spaces are essential to make writers welcome in libraries. Anita's first book was written almost entirely in her public library, and she practically had a reserved desk there. Melina takes public transport to the library instead of having an office. When she writes at home she finds it difficult to be alone all day. That said, the life of a writer doesn't have to be anti-social; Anita connects online with other writers, and recommends joining a professional organisation.We grow older, we stop playing, and forget our stories. - Pam Newton
A question from the floor steered the conversation to e-books. Uptake is greater in the US than Australia (66% of Matthew Reilly's sales in the US are e-books), and the panel agreed that availability of e-readers has influenced this trend. If Melina has enjoyed an e-book, she'll buy a physical copy. Anita (like myself) looks around on planes to see who is reading what, and whether they're reading e-books or tree books. Of course, the number of iPads and e-readers makes it harder to strike up a conversation that starts, "I've read that book..."
This Storify attempts to capture all tweets on the author panel session, if you'd like to see more.
