Writers Victoria launches Publishability program

Writers Victoria has launched Publishability, a two-year initiative to support emerging writers living with disability.

Publishability will provide two authors with mentorship, editing, professional development opportunities, and financial support over the course of one year, with two new writers to participate in the program in the second year. The program has already received funding from the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria’s Talent Matters program.

The inaugural Publishability fellows are creative nonfiction writer Fiona Murphy and YA speculative fiction writer Mary Borsellino, who were chosen after participating in the Write-ability program. Two new fellows will be appointed in 2019.

Five publishing houses have signed up to participate in the program, including Allen & Unwin, Echo Publishing, Hachette, Penguin Random House, and the Lifted Brow. Writers Victoria is inviting other publishers to participate in the program.

Publishability will be coordinated by disability and LGBTIQA+ rights activist, writer and educator Jax Jacki Brown. ‘We look forward to challenging cultural perceptions of people with disability as part of this project,’ said Brown.

Writers Victoria will tailor Arts Access Victoria’s ‘Open Your Eyes’ disability awareness training program for use in the publishing industry to help facilitate cultural change.

Writers Victoria director Angela Savage said, ‘While Publishability will support individual writers with disability, the project also aims to help create a more inclusive publishing environment.’

More information about the program is available here.

Tags: PublishabilityWrite-abilitywriters victoria

Category: Local news