‘Pencilled In’ launches #ReadAsianOz public transport book campaign

Queensland literary journal Pencilled In has launched #ReadAsianOz, an initiative that places books by Asian-Australian authors on public transport services to raise the profile of diverse Australian writing.

As part of the campaign, books written by Asian Australians will have stickers placed on their covers encouraging commuters to read the books and share their experience on social media with the hashtag #ReadAsianOz.

Readers who pick up the books will also be able to write reviews on the Pencilled In blog.

Pencilled In editor-in-chief Yen-Rong Wong told Books+Publishing she has received ‘tremendous support from the publishing industry’, with Scribe, Black Inc. and the University of Western Australia Publishing all contributing books from their lists. ‘I’ve also reached out to authors I know personally and I’ve been scouring secondhand bookstores,’ said Wong.

The project was partly inspired by UK actress Emma Watson leaving copies of Maya Angelou’s Mom & Me & Mom on London public transport services as part of the Books on the Underground campaign. A similar initiative, Books on the Rail, started in Melbourne in 2016 and has since expanded nationally.

#ReadAsianOz specifically focusses on Asian-Australian writing. ‘I hope it will raise the profile of Asian-Australian writing around Australia,’ said Wong, who adds that she also hopes it will encourage young Asian Australians to see ‘there are other people like them in the industry’ and ‘pursue a career in the arts’. ‘I’d love for some of these people to consider submitting to the journal as well, but baby steps!’

The campaign will launch in early 2017 in Brisbane and Canberra, with plans to expand to other state capitals.

For more information, visit the Pencilled In website here.

Category: Local news