Professional learning and Rajith Savanadasa on documentary theatre, hot desks and the QWC/Hachette manuscript development program

This episode Kate and Katherine do not talk about the fact Kate is still waiting. Instead, they discuss professional learning. The following gets a mention:

• Antoni Jach’s Masterclass. Shoot us an email if you want the secret password (/one of his flyers)
• A number of courses run through Writers Victoria including:
  • Toni Jordan’s novel writing masterclass
  • Jane Rawson and James Bradley’s speculative fiction masterclass
  • Steven Amsterdam and Laurie Steed’s short story courses
• RMIT Professional Writing and Editing course
• The Good One podcast. If you haven’t listened, Rhea Butcher’s is a great place to start. Also, the Jerry Seinfeld episode.

Katherine’s on the lookout for a good screen writing course! If you know of any, please advise (kecollette@gmail.com).

Then Katherine talks to Melbourne author and playwright, Rajith Savanadasa.

Rajith Savanadasa was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and now lives in Melbourne. He was named a Best Young Australian Novelist by the Sydney Morning Herald in 2017 for his debut novel, Ruins, which was also shortlisted for the Australian Literary Society Gold Medal and the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction. Rajith is currently a resident writer at The Malthouse Theatre as part of their Living Now program.

Katherine and Rajith discuss:

• The Wheeler Centre’s Next Big Thing events
• Reading too much David Foster Wallace
• Hot Desk fellowships (also, the Wheeler Centre)
• The Hachette QWC manuscript development program
• The Malthouse’s Living Now program

Rajith’s answers to the first time quick five:

Agented or unagented: Unagented

Advance or no advance: Advance

Overseas territories or ANZ: Overseas

Festival invites or no festival invites: Festival invites

Copies sold: 3,000+

Not a debut as such, but Raj recommends reading Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday