Kelly Gardiner

😃

Yes, thanks for asking, I do have several historical novels underway at present. No, of course that's not what I'm writing - inexplicably writing scifi short stories for months and having the absolute best time.
(Also yes, don't panic, @daniellebinks.bsky.social, I will finish the novels very soon.)

In this Labyrinth translated from the Arabic by Kareem James Abu-Zeid

‘In This Labyrinth’ by Najwan Darwish is poem of the day:

I said these words weren’t needed
as I was sitting there,
where the road veered sharply,
without thinking for a moment
that it might only be a gentle winding.

poets.org/poem/labyrin...

Literary journal Meanjin to close after 85 years of publishing Meanjin, a mainstay of Australia's cultural landscape and the nation's second-oldest literary publication, is shuttering after Melbourne University Publishing decided to cease financial support.

This is shocking news. Literary magazines - and all the other small orgs now under pressure or closing or gone - are the bedrock of culture and their ongoing costs are barely a blip in any institutional budget. Melbourne University ought to be ashamed www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/04/m...

Literary journal Meanjin to close after 85 years of publishing Meanjin, a mainstay of Australia's cultural landscape and the nation's second-oldest literary publication, is shuttering after Melbourne University Publishing decided to cease financial support.

Sophie Cunningham:"universities are no longer spaces that support or nurture literature or the arts in this country. Certainly universities have, in the last several years, shown themselves unable to manage robust debates or the complexities of freedom of speech.”

www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/04/m...

Writer’s Toolbox (August 2025) Every craft and profession involves tools we need to use and master so we can make good work. Writing is no different. We know these tools from all our years of reading and experiencing story. But …

Last chance to book! Fundamentals for fiction writers: the Writer's Toolbox. It's a short course with me, starts August 27, live online. Places are limited.
newpagewriting.com/2025/07/29/w...

Author concerns about BWF Code of Conduct - Australian Society of Authors The ASA is deeply concerned about a Code of Conduct provided to authors presenting at the Bendigo Writers Festival.

"The obligations imposed upon festival speakers in the Bendigo Writers Festival Code of Conduct are wide-ranging and inappropriate... Authors are engaged by festivals precisely because of their expression of ideas." @asauthors.bsky.social statement.
www.asauthors.org.au/news/author-...

The Australian Book Market August 2025: What Writers, Publishers and Literary Agents are Talking About L-o-n-g blog post ahead with current (as at August 2025) insights on the Australian book market, book marketing, writing craft, AI, and what literary agents are looking for right now and how to approa...

It's taken me a while to get this post together, but hopefully lots of food for thought on the current state of the book market in Australia. Some brilliant tips from literary agents and more for aspiring authors out there. #author #books

annafeatherstone.com/the-australi...

📣 New podcast!

In this episode of The Writing Life podcast, award-winning writer Val McDermid shares insights on writing contemporary crime fiction, and the importance of learning patience as a writer.

Produced by National Centre for Writing.

🎧 Listen now: buff.ly/kWAhMQP

You too! An excellent day.

Support Bookish in Bendigo, official Bendigo Writers Festival bookseller who would have spent months stocking books for the event and have pulled out in solidarity. Call them for your next book order if you can, or even pay it forward for one of their customers.

+61 3 5406 0596

Funny thing is, we were going to talk a lot about metaphor. The entire panel withdrew.

Did you know 85% of Kiwis say libraries improve their happiness and wellbeing?
The results are in from PLNZ’s latest Community Impact Survey — and the data confirms public #libraries uplift us all #impact

Writers festivals on notice after attempt to 'restrict speech' prompts exodus A Victorian writers festival's code of conduct has set a "dangerous precedent", one author says, after more than 50 writers and moderators withdrew from the event.

Spoke to the ABC for this story on Bendigo writers festival & code of conduct overreach. Festivals should not be policing authors’ speech. @asauthors.bsky.social
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Thank you!

This 👇🏻 Please support Bookish. It’s a beautiful little shop.

Yeah, it's one way to get us to talk louder, right? Thanks.

Graphic that says: It is utterly unacceptable to ask authors, illustrators and journalists to self-censor and avoid controversial topics. For many of us, our very lives are controversial to some people, and we write what we write for that reason. We cannot stop being who we are, or stop talking about why we write what we write. Any attempt to prevent people talking about the genocide in Gaza at this moment, in particular, is outrageous.

I always look forward to Bendigo Writers Festival. But not this year.
We are writers. What we do is express ideas freely.
Any attempt to prevent us doing that is censorship, and a dangerous precedent in the arts community.
I have withdrawn and I stand in solidarity with others who have withdrawn.

While international media remains locked out of Gaza, Palestinian journalists work under fire, starvation and sickness to report the reality on the ground.

Bookings close soon. Fiction writers, don't miss out!

Prominent Al Jazeera journalist killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza Anas al-Sharif, known for frontline coverage, died with three colleagues in an attack outside al-Shifa hospital

Stop the killing. Ceasefire now.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

2025 Aurealis Awards are open for entry We are delighted to announce that the 2025 Aurealis Awards are now open for immediate entry. The 2025 Aurealis Awards, Australia’s premier awards for speculative fiction, are for works created by a…

The 2025 Aurealis Awards are open for entry!

aurealisawards.org/2025/08/10/2...

It can take years to write a story, several more to sell it, and then several more for it to be published. And once it is published, there’s sadly no guarantee the story will find its readers. So if you’re writing stories, you better make sure you’re writing stories that you enjoy.

The writer’s toolbox Building blocks for emerging fiction writers I invite you to join me on this four-week online course for writers who are starting out. Each week, in a live class, we’ll discuss a specific bui…

Bookings are now open for my new online short course, The Writer's Toolbox. Fundamentals, for emerging fiction writers. Starts late August.
newpagewriting.com/masterclasse...

Hello parents, guardians and care-givers, are you already thinking about book week 2026?

Well, here's some ideas from the Blackwords - @austlit.bsky.social team, because representation matters.

@magabalabooks.bsky.social

#bookweek #mobsky #booksky #kidlit #authors #representationatters

How to Finish a Novel: The Ultimate Guide for Getting You to The End of Your First Draft Starting a new novel is a thrilling feeling, your idea feels fresh and the blank page bursts with possibility. But what happens when the momentum drops?

Starting a novel is exciting, but what happens when the momentum drops?

Our ultimate guide will help you push through the messy middle and finally reach 'The End' of your first draft.

👉 zurl.co/LL9JF

#AmWriting #FinishYourNovel #WritingTips #FirstDraft

Announcing the Finalists for the 37th Annual Lambda Literary Awards This year marks 37 years

We are thrilled to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Lambda Literary Awards! lambdaliterary.org/2025/07/anno...

Checkout the playlist of presentations for this years #VirtualJaneCon and there are many great presentations from last year as well!

Oh, thank you, Kate! That means a lot to me.

It's a wonder of any of us survived.