Anna Featherstone

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...

Poets, Authors and a Day in Castlemaine Enjoyed a literary feast today at a mini writers festival curated beautifully by Kristin and Graham from Northern Books at Buda Historic Home, Castlemaine. How did I end up in Central Vic? I’ve been o...

Have you or would you get a tattoo to celebrate the launch of your book? Spotted another author with a gorgeous one at this week's mini-writers festival in Castlemaine. annafeatherstone.com/poets-author...

So great to see! A win for writers and the community at large.

Joint statement on Gaza from AFP, AP, BBC News and Reuters

ASA updates recommended rates of pay for public appearances - Australian Society of Authors The ASA has conducted a review of recommended rates of pay for public appearances including festivals, libraries, and community groups.

The Australian Society of Authors has updated its recommended rates of pay for authors at events www.asauthors.org.au/news/asa-upd...

What nonfiction trend excites (or worries) you most right now?

The Future for Non-Fiction: Trends, Tidbits & Tactics for Indie Authors As the Alliance of Independent Authors’ Non-Fiction Advisor, I recently sat down (across the world via Zoom) for one of my regular catch up sessions with ALLi Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple. We wer...

Non-fiction authors: between AI, short reads and global opportunities there's plenty on the horizon. I had a great convo with Matty Dalrymple from ALLi about non-fiction trends and an indie author approach.
👉 annafeatherstone.com/the-future-f...

a green, black and white graphic poster inviting people to an online event for Exploring Bluesky with Dr Annetta Mallon. There is an inset picture of a smiling woman with white curly hair, a big smaile and a denim jacket to the lower left.

Got plans today at lunchtime?
Join me today at 1pm AEST to learn what works for me and how to maximise your presence on this platform.
FRIDAY 13 June, 1PM AEST – “Exploring Bluesky”

Facebook link is here: lnkd.in/gX46ETtU
On Zoom:
Meeting ID 893 7026 9599
Invite Link lnkd.in/gmUteBgS
🧵 1/3

We're Not Going to Colonize Mars On Adam Becker's new book and the people who are going to destroy the universe in the name of saving "humanity."

As @adambecker.bsky.social makes clear in his new book, More Everything Forever, we’re not going to colonize Mars. What’s underneath the desire of tech oligarchs to take us there is deeply disturbing. open.substack.com/pub/bibliora...

Two to Avoid: Book Order Scams and Fake Reviews - Writer Beware Scammers are nothing if not inventive. As writers become wise to their techniques, they invent new ones. Here are two newish frauds that appear to be on the rise. As with most writing scams these days...

"Authors shouldn’t have to always be so suspicious of unexpected outreach...That gushing out-of-the-blue review or fan letter may be exactly the day-brightening surprise it appears to be…but there’s also a non-zero possibility that it’s a prelude to a scam." writerbeware.blog/2025/05/09/t...

Crochet reading blanket, handmade by Hannah Kent, PLUS signed copy of any of her published books Award-winning, best-selling author Hannah Kent will make you a crochet reading blanket in your colour preference PLUS send a personalised, signed copy of one of her books: Burial Rites, The Good Peopl...

Writers - there are some incredible pitching sessions, literary agent one-on-ones, signed books, manuscript appraisals & more up for auction today from the auslit and kidlit community…even a crocheted reading blanket by Hannah Kent airauctioneer.com/authors-and-...

Can Writers, Authors, Readers, Bookstores and Librarians Save the Planet...or Have We Shelved the Future? Why what we choose to read or write might be having a WAY bigger impact on the state of the world than we realise. What can you do as a writer, reader, publisher, librarian or bookseller about the sta...

For a post about 'Can Writers, Authors, Readers, Bookstores and Librarians Save the Planet…or Have We Shelved the Future?' this might be of interest too! annafeatherstone.com/can-writers-...

What screenwriters can teach authors about writing to inspire action on sustainability Have you ever wondered how what you put to page, might positively alter the future? As writers, we hold the power to shape perceptions, inspire action, and create change. And attending Sustainable Scr...

For more on albert and the Sustainable Screens Australia workshop: annafeatherstone.com/what-screenw...

In a park-like setting with lots of trees, a writer in yellow lies on a picnic blanket and taps away on a computer

Sustainability doesn't necessarily need to be the plot in our books-it can live in the margins, and still make a difference.

We can help the future through how we write our characters, settings and plot lines – and even by choosing what genre to write in.

Tessa de Josselin who led the workshop quoted: "the future isn't this distant place; it's a verb." i.e. the future doesn’t exist yet, the future is what WE create. She urged us to portray sustainability not as a far-off goal but as an active, present-day endeavour.

Setting: we can weave sustainability principles into the setting without directly addressing climate by including descriptive elements such as solar panels, community gardens, bike paths or electric vehicles to normalise sustainable living.

Does one of your characters shop at op shops, mend things, use public transport, have a herb pot on the balcony, volunteer, wear grandma's old jumpers, guerrilla garden etc

Narrative: screenwriters may use a climate related theme as the basis of their production, or just to drive a story arc or a particular episode. Likewise, we can do this with our books too, so that a scene, character arc or a chapter may be driven by a climate related theme–or the entire book.

Is there a way in your writing you can show the benefits of sustainable living and make it aspirational?

Replacement: Swap out environmentally harmful activities with sustainable alternatives.

Discussion between characters: Create dialogues that address unsustainable behaviours.

Omission: If certain unsustainable actions aren't crucial to the plot, consider removing them. E.g. does the character need to drive 1km down the road to get a coffee…or could they walk and take a Keep Cup with them?

Any authors out there doing a 'climate edit', 'climate read' or 'climate pass' on their manuscripts? Loving this concept from albert and Sustainable Screens Australia - there's so much we writers can be doing to create a better world. Some info from the workshop...

Love it! Congratulations all!

Who/what/how/when…tell me the creation story of #posterpit please. So fun to see all these books and manuscripts getting the movie poster treatment.

‘Book brigade’: US town forms human chain to move 9,100 books one-by-one A small Michigan community banded together to help a beloved local bookstore move its stock to a new storefront

A human chain of books! Town of Tuplin wins the book lover award today, forming a 300m human chain to help a bookstore move 9,100 books, one-by-one, to a new shop location. Alphabetised too! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

When sadness strikes I remember I’m not alone in loving the wild boundless beauty of the living world | Georgina Woods Nature will reclaim its place as a terrifying quasi-divine force that cannot be mastered. I find this strangely comforting

What a beautiful, poetic read by Georgina Woods in @theguardian.com.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Election platform for books and reading • Books Create Australia Australia’s authors, publishers, booksellers and librarians urge candidates to back books and reading during this Federal Election.

Ahead of the federal election, the ASA is joining publishers, librarians, and booksellers in a shared election platform for the book industry.

bookscreate.com.au

A drink menu from a bar describes a sparkling wine as having hints of 'sea brine, brioche and mushroom'.

Cannot work out if this is real, or if a disgruntled bar employee was having a joke (and printed and laminated multiple copies of said joke). Tasting notes of 'sea brine, brioche & mushroom'??? Is that a thing for a sparkling wine? Does that sound like something you'd actually want to drink?