The 2008 Melbourne Writers' Festival is now finished and the second round of reports have been appearing.
Hackpacker laments the way bloggers were put down at the Festival. This goes the the very nature of thesetype of Festivals. The problem with charging a ticket price for each session means that the general audience wants to see "names" on the panel items. And, to be frank, so would I at $17 or so a pop. But the consequence of this is that you get a general consistency of message. Where are the articulate amateurs? Nowhere to be seen I suspect.
Angela Meyer kept bumping into authors at the Festival - which is hardly surprising - only to have them seemingly avoid her.
More Readings' photos.
Estelle, from "3000 Books", worked on a number of sessions but was still able to give her "best-of", etc, lists.
Sue Burszytynski concluded that YA and genre writers didn't get a lot of exposure.
And, finally, Readings gives the list of the bestselling books of the Festival.
