At the recent Melbourne Writers Festival, Max Barry asked
why do audiences sit around and listen to authors reading from their books at writer’s
festivals? Shouldn’t they instead be watching authors write? A few years ago,
he attempted to put that thought into action. He set himself up in the
concourse at the Melbourne Writers Festival so people could watch on a big
screen as he wrote. He said it was the worst writing experience in his life, as
every murmur or giggle from those watching had him thinking he had made an grievous
error. So he now much prefers to do readings from his books.
why do audiences sit around and listen to authors reading from their books at writer’s
festivals? Shouldn’t they instead be watching authors write? A few years ago,
he attempted to put that thought into action. He set himself up in the
concourse at the Melbourne Writers Festival so people could watch on a big
screen as he wrote. He said it was the worst writing experience in his life, as
every murmur or giggle from those watching had him thinking he had made an grievous
error. So he now much prefers to do readings from his books.
I heard him and a number of other authors reading from their
books at the festival. Some of them had me wanting to buy their book, while
others did a good job of convincing me not to buy their book.
Graeme Simsion
If you are an Australian writer and haven’t heard about
Graeme Simsion and his book The Rose Project, then you haven’t
been paying attention. Simsion has now sold his romantic comedy to 40 countries
for around two million dollars. He is in negotiation with Hollywood studios to
have it made into an A-list movie. The novel is about a scientist who sets out
to find a mate, with a 32 page questionnaire. The main character, Don, has some
of the characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome.
Graeme Simsion and his book The Rose Project, then you haven’t
been paying attention. Simsion has now sold his romantic comedy to 40 countries
for around two million dollars. He is in negotiation with Hollywood studios to
have it made into an A-list movie. The novel is about a scientist who sets out
to find a mate, with a 32 page questionnaire. The main character, Don, has some
of the characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome.
At the festival, Simsion read from the start of the novel.
He read very quickly to mimic the voice of his character Don. The section he
read was very funny, getting many laughs from me and the audience. He put on a
very energetic performance, and I have since purchased the ebook of the novel.
Max Barry
Max Barry is an Australian whose book, Lexicon, I had purchased
the morning before I saw him read. Lexicon
had been getting a lot of good reviews from my Facebook friends, and I had very
much enjoyed Barry’s last novel, Machine Man. Both novels are science
fiction. Barry choose a section from the start of his novel, where there was a
lot of action happening. What struck me about his reading was his unusual descriptive
word choices, for example:
the morning before I saw him read. Lexicon
had been getting a lot of good reviews from my Facebook friends, and I had very
much enjoyed Barry’s last novel, Machine Man. Both novels are science
fiction. Barry choose a section from the start of his novel, where there was a
lot of action happening. What struck me about his reading was his unusual descriptive
word choices, for example:
He didn’t understand
the question. He had run into a pole and all his thoughts had fallen out. He
groped for them and found Cecilia.
the question. He had run into a pole and all his thoughts had fallen out. He
groped for them and found Cecilia.
Catherine Deveny
Catherine Deveny was on the same panel as Max Barry. The
panel was appropriately called Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard, because Deveny
tortured her reading to death. She had selected a section from her novel The
Happiness Show, but she spent ten minutes, at least, trying to set up
the scene. She then interrupted her reading with more background explanation. Her
reading, which I found neither funny nor memorable, was cut short by the
moderator so the other authors could make a contribution to the one hour panel.
If there is one thing I will take out of the festival it is that if I am ever
doing a reading from a novel, I will choose a section that requires minimal
backgrounding.
panel was appropriately called Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard, because Deveny
tortured her reading to death. She had selected a section from her novel The
Happiness Show, but she spent ten minutes, at least, trying to set up
the scene. She then interrupted her reading with more background explanation. Her
reading, which I found neither funny nor memorable, was cut short by the
moderator so the other authors could make a contribution to the one hour panel.
If there is one thing I will take out of the festival it is that if I am ever
doing a reading from a novel, I will choose a section that requires minimal
backgrounding.
John Weldon
John Weldon is a first time novelist. He was on a panel with
two other first time novelists. He had a big Aussie personality, much like the
character in his book, Spincycle, where a man who recently separated from his wife. In the
section John read, his main character needs to wash his underpants, but his
wife took the washing machine. The section was humorous in a blokey way, not
really my cup of tea. It also didn’t seem appropriate for an audience of 80%
females. But if the rest of his novel was like his reading, then what choice
did he have.
two other first time novelists. He had a big Aussie personality, much like the
character in his book, Spincycle, where a man who recently separated from his wife. In the
section John read, his main character needs to wash his underpants, but his
wife took the washing machine. The section was humorous in a blokey way, not
really my cup of tea. It also didn’t seem appropriate for an audience of 80%
females. But if the rest of his novel was like his reading, then what choice
did he have.
What I learnt about
doing readings
Choose a section from near the start of the novel where the
hook is, and where the assumed knowledge about the plot and characters is not that
great for the reader/listener. Choose a section with humour in it, as laughter
from the audience is great feedback. Mimic the voice of characters if you can. Put
some energy into reading it, so you sound like you are proud of what you have
written.
hook is, and where the assumed knowledge about the plot and characters is not that
great for the reader/listener. Choose a section with humour in it, as laughter
from the audience is great feedback. Mimic the voice of characters if you can. Put
some energy into reading it, so you sound like you are proud of what you have
written.
0 Responses
I had to LoL at your example from Max Barry. I do this myself but I've recently been working with an editor who picks me up on it and encourages me to find less bizarre metaphors. For a comedy, it works fine but, for thrillers, I'm very happy to take her advice.
I've heard of Max Barry. I checked out his site a couple of years ago as he mentioned that a game he had designed drew more people to his writing site that those interested in his writing. He sounds very proactive in bringing people to his work. As for Catherine, sounds like she has no idea about audiences nor holding attention, so it makes you wonder as to the quality of her book, let alone how she got it published. No doubt friends in the business… some form of corruption isnt it?
ps I think the publishing/writing world is female-centric which makes it hard to break in and generally conservative. Good to hear though that people like John Weldon can still break in, even if the audience couldn't relate.