Gianni, you have just pointed to something that led our rather famous Writers Week here in South Australia to be cancelled this year. An Australian writer of Palestinian origin was disinvited, and it created an uproar. Over 180 writers withdrew in protest, leading to the cancellation of the event and the resignation of the board. This took place weeks after a mad killing spree by a man and his father of Jewish people on Bondi Beach in Sydney. Committee-think in your words, rotted from within, from excessive risk-management predicated on race, trying to kill (stifle) freedom of speech. The board had no writers or artists on it at all. Your insights never fail to amaze me.
I’m glad people didn’t look the other way and chose to stand up for the writer.
Too often, that’s exactly where things break down: The people at the top don’t really care about the cause or the art.
The music industry is a good example once again. Many of the people making decisions at the top aren’t musicians, or they care more about outcomes than the work itself.
Thank you for sharing this while I wait for the first letter. I’ve shared it with my daughter who is a writer knowing she will also be encouraged as I was. I love your voice of encouragement. This letter moves the writer within to action as I needed to pick up my pen once again! Thank you!
What a great read, Gianni. My WiP is a novella-length piece of autofiction with a posthumous narrator, told through flashbacks, vignettes, poems and a conversational through line which may be a book designer's delight or nightmare. Still, I mention it because I identified so much with this piece, particularly with the line 'Memory itself isn't a recording, it's a reconstruction'. To me, that's true not only for stories, but also for our sense of self.
Hey Lindy, appreciate the kind words, as always. Interesting your parallel between memory being a reconstruction and your approach to the book. I admire authors who have the courage to “break the rules” and experiment with new formats.
Gianni, you have just pointed to something that led our rather famous Writers Week here in South Australia to be cancelled this year. An Australian writer of Palestinian origin was disinvited, and it created an uproar. Over 180 writers withdrew in protest, leading to the cancellation of the event and the resignation of the board. This took place weeks after a mad killing spree by a man and his father of Jewish people on Bondi Beach in Sydney. Committee-think in your words, rotted from within, from excessive risk-management predicated on race, trying to kill (stifle) freedom of speech. The board had no writers or artists on it at all. Your insights never fail to amaze me.
I’m glad people didn’t look the other way and chose to stand up for the writer.
Too often, that’s exactly where things break down: The people at the top don’t really care about the cause or the art.
The music industry is a good example once again. Many of the people making decisions at the top aren’t musicians, or they care more about outcomes than the work itself.
Thank you for sharing this while I wait for the first letter. I’ve shared it with my daughter who is a writer knowing she will also be encouraged as I was. I love your voice of encouragement. This letter moves the writer within to action as I needed to pick up my pen once again! Thank you!
I’m really glad to hear this piece moved something in you, Barbara. That’s ultimately what I hope for.
And thank you for your kind words. I hope your daughter enjoys the read too.
My daughter did enjoy it!!!
So true...thank you!
Glad it resonated, Erika.
What a great read, Gianni. My WiP is a novella-length piece of autofiction with a posthumous narrator, told through flashbacks, vignettes, poems and a conversational through line which may be a book designer's delight or nightmare. Still, I mention it because I identified so much with this piece, particularly with the line 'Memory itself isn't a recording, it's a reconstruction'. To me, that's true not only for stories, but also for our sense of self.
Hey Lindy, appreciate the kind words, as always. Interesting your parallel between memory being a reconstruction and your approach to the book. I admire authors who have the courage to “break the rules” and experiment with new formats.