At a dedicated Sunday session of the Byron Bay Writers Festival 2009, the finalists of the inaugural LitLink/NRWC Unpublished Manuscript Award met to discuss the challenges facing emerging writers in today’s publishing world.
A rapt audience listened as Dael Allison, Graeme Pilley, Amanda Skelton and Anke Seib were invited by Varuna’s Peter Bishop to share their processes, their reasons for writing and their sources of inspiration. Ultimately, Allen and Unwin publisher Annette Barlow took to the stage to announce Dael Allison as award winner. Dael’s prize includes a two week residency at Varuna the Writers House and consultation and manuscript reading by Allen and Unwin, while the three remaining short listed writers will receive conversational mentorships and assessments by Varuna alumni.
Well done to all who submitted their work and particularly the four writers short listed.