Containing Literary Magazines at the MWF

You have to wonder what Melbourne’s literary magazine people were to make of Festival Director Steve Grimwade’s suggestion that they spend half a day of the Melbourne Writers Festival in a shipping container. But ‘Magazine’ as it’s called is just that, a shipping container, somewhat decorated on the outside and fitted out internally like a micro-urban—salon where interviews from eight of Melbourne’s lit journals/mags chat in 15 minute blocks to writers from the festival.

It’s the first year for this soiree and it’s a bit of an experiment. Tucked down by the Yarra on River Terrace, the shipping container is somewhat out of the buzz and action in the Atrium. The name too, ‘Magazine’ doesn’t entire convey what it does. People stop and peer in from the edge, staring in on the inhabitants like a living diorama. For the magazines involved however, it’s a great initiative to raise their profile with a broader festival-going audience.

I’ve seen a few thing down there now, however, and like the Morning Fix, it's an amazing free way to listen to authors you maybe couldn’t get in to see or who you may not have known much about.

Last weekend Overland, Kill Your Darlings, The Lifted Brow and Going Down Swinging took the shifts, morning or afternoon over the two days of the weekend. In Overland’s shift Jeff Sparrow and Jacinda Woodhead interviewed amongst others James P Othmer, the US ex-adman who’s has interesting things to say about ‘branding’ yourself as an author, Rjurik Davidson (The Library of Forgotten Books), and Peter Beinhart (Icarus Syndrome) talking about the Murdoch led rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric in America.

In the afternoon, relative newcomer Kill Your Darlings, which publishes a mix of fiction, non-fiction, reviews and commentary – including reviews of television, music and film – took up residence. Associate Editor, Jo Case said though attendance was mixed they were really happy. ‘We had a good crowd for the session with Anthony Morris and Mel Campbell discussing The Wire and True Blood, and were packed for the session with our online editor Estelle Tang interviewing Michaela McGuire and Ben Law about humour writing,’ Case said. ‘We had emails and messages throughout the next day or so from writers who’d been involved, thanking us, and saying they loved the experience.’

This coming weekend, Meanjin, Ampersand, harvest and The Big Issue take up their spots in the shipping container with some great authors to see such as. China Mieville, Sophie Cunningham or Poetry Fight Club (See details below).

It would be great to see more identity and directional signage and publicity for Magazine should it be repeated next year or even some consideration for where else it could go – down by the box office on Flinders Street would be fantastic though it wouldn't quite fit! In the middle of the Square? As a way to profile and intimately see authors in the festival, Magazine really works. It just needs more people to know about it.

‘I think it’s well worth repeating,’ said Jo Case. ‘– such a great opportunity for Melbourne’s independent magazine community to get out there and be heard and connect with their audiences, and for us to drop in on each other.

For more information about what’s on at Magazine see the detailed program on the Melbourne Writers Festival website (also listed below).

Meanjin
Saturday 4 September
10am-1.30pm
Meanjin is Australia’s second oldest literary journal and reflects the breadth of contemporary thinking, be it on literature, the production of culture, or the broader issues of the times.

10–10.15am - Meanjin eds
10.30–10.45am - Ben O’Mara and Jessica Au
11–11.15am - Adrian Hyland
11.30–11.45am - Belinda Rule
12–12.15pm - Daren Shiau
12.30–12.45pm - Michael Harden
1–1.15pm - Ruby Murray

Ampersand
Saturday 4 September
1.30pm-5pm
Ampersand is an art and culture journal that explores creativity, societal change and the human condition through multi-disciplines.

1.30–1.45pm - Daniel Stacey
2–2.15pm - Alice Gage
2.30–2.45pm - Shannon Holopainen
3–3.15pm - Miles O'Neil
3.30–3.45pm - Monica Dux
4–4.15pm - Alyssa McDonald
4.30–4.45pm - Gavin Pretor-Pinney

harvest
Sunday 5 September
10am-1.30pm
harvest is a Melbourne-based literary magazine for writers and readers. It publishes fiction, non-fiction, poetry and art by writers and artists from around Australia and the world.

10–10.15am - Imogen Stubbs
10.30–10.45am - Anjum Hasan
11–11.15am - Lachlan Carter, Emma Hewitt and Jenna Williams
11.30–11.45am - Emmett Stinson
12–12.15pm - Poetry Fight Club
12.30–12.45pm - Jake Adelstein
1–1.15pm - harvest games tournament

The Big Issue
Sunday 5 September
1.30pm-5pm
The Big Issue is a fortnightly, independent magazine, which is sold on the streets around Australia, providing opportunities for homeless and marginalised people to positively change their lives.

1.30–1.45pm - China Mieville
2–2.15pm - Alan Attwood
2.30–2.45pm - Mic Looby
3–3.15pm - TBC
3.30–3.45pm - Chris Womersley
4–4.15pm - Rochelle Siemienowicz
4.30–4.45pm - Toni Jordan